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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
    
Location: Kansas | I brought my blue heeler puppy home a few days ago. Full brother to the heeler I lost last year. He is UTD on shots/wormer, and I bought him science diet puppy food (along with the wet canned food as well), a ton of toys, and some rawhide bones. He caught on extremely quick to potty training, but how are some ways I can make him comfortable in his kennel at night and when I leave for work?
Last night I let my best friends kids play with him for an hour, he was worn out....went potty outside, then I put him in his kennel around 8PM to settle down for the night.....he was good for about an hour and a half then started whining again. So I took him outside, he pottied...and we went back to the kennel. He screamed/cried ALL NIGHT LONG. I put him in bed with me, but it didn't help a bit :(
A friend suggested to split his feeding times during the evenings and put a teddy bear in with in as well as a microwaveable heating pad. I'm going to try that tonight. What else can I do to make him more comfortable?
With only 2 hours of sleep....I'm running off coffee and I can't run without sleep LOL |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| Don't ask my husband this question! He is the one that takes care of the yelping puppy problem by whacking the kennel a few times. (ok, sometimes more than a few) He doesn't hit the dog, just the kennel. It works, but I don't really like it.
The dog doesn't dislike the kennel any more or less after he gets done. In fact, the kennel is still the place they like to go for comfort. My dogs both LOVE their kennel. So much so that we took the Lab's monster kennel down because he doesn't need it anymore, and he tried to get into the rat terrier's kennel. They just like them! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? | Remember that they respond best to consistency. You need to be sure that you are training him and not the other way around.
Getting them to learn to like there crate is a process. Giving them a warm bed (I'd be very careful about an electric one unless it is designed for dogs with a protected cord), a radio on quietly, a night light...etc.
Every time you let him out of the crate he needs to be taken out to potty immediately. If he has gone...and you know he is empty...Give him a treat...put him in the crate for a bit and if he cries...Ignore it. When he gets quiet (if he does!)...then go get him out. Again taking him outside.
Make sure he gets plenty of play time and time to be with you. Use the crate for training and for when you can't keep your eye on him. Do you plan to let him sleep with you at night? Or sleep in the crate? If it's to be in the crate...you need to be absolutely consistent with that. And if you get him out during the night...he goes out to potty right away.
It's tough when they are young and not long away from mom. But giving him a routine he can count on really helps.
And...I believe it's a Board Violation to post about a puppy and not include pictures!  |
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | I've been fortunate that any puppies we have had adjusted fast to kennel life. We've always had a "blankie" that the pups have outside and inside their kennel as a comfort piece. I put them out every 2 hours up till last potty time which was usually 10 and up at 5 or 6 (with a couple potty calls mid night the first week). I also agree with consistency on everything..........
Edited by dream_chaser 2014-03-25 8:20 AM
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Ok I'll start a routine for him, It's been hecktic at home the last couple of days so I'll start him on a schedule tonight.
I named him tuff, and he's 6-7 weeks old now
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | feeding them in the crate also helps them grow to like it. He's a cutie! :) |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | barrelracr131 - 2014-03-25 8:25 AM feeding them in the crate also helps them grow to like it. He's a cutie! :)
I'll try that as well....I didn't even think of that! I have a rawhide in there with him, I'll put some kibbles in there as well |
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Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| No wonder you are having troubles. 6-7 weeks is YOUNG, IMO. I know they can be weaned that young, but we like to get them at 8 weeks. This way they are at least away from Momma for a couple of weeks.
He'll adjust fast, I'm sure, but those first few nights can be a booger! |
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Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| hoofs_in_motion - 2014-03-25 8:27 AM barrelracr131 - 2014-03-25 8:25 AM feeding them in the crate also helps them grow to like it. He's a cutie! :) I'll try that as well....I didn't even think of that! I have a rawhide in there with him, I'll put some kibbles in there as well
The problem with food in there is that when they eat, they tend to go to the bathroom not very long after. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | Nateracer - 2014-03-25 8:28 AM
hoofs_in_motion - 2014-03-25 8:27 AM barrelracr131 - 2014-03-25 8:25 AM feeding them in the crate also helps them grow to like it. He's a cutie! :) I'll try that as well....I didn't even think of that! I have a rawhide in there with him, I'll put some kibbles in there as well
I don't leave food out. We feed 2 times daily and they scarf. When they are pups, we feed them and they get the food for 20-30 minutes before we take it away (the cat and other dogs would steal it otherwise LOL)
So we just use it as a feeding location so they have a good association with the spot. :) |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | we had a jack russel heeler mix. He was a total terror, but a genius.
We kennel trained him and it turned into his own place, he went in there to nap, where to sit when people came in the door, ate and drank in there, it was truly his home. He slept in there and was kenneled when we left. At night we put a sheet over it to make it dark with a glow light near it, so it didn't illuminate the kennel but it gave him a night light effect. Left a ticking clock near the kennel until he was comfortable with it. also a warm water bottle under the blankets the first few nights(to mimic the effect of laying with mom) he ended up chewing it through the night so that didn't last long. When we let him out in the morning we made sure to love on him a lot to let him know his kennel wasn't a punishment. When he yelped at night time when he should be sleeping, we didn't go near his kennel, or acknowledge his crying (that was a sad couple of nights but I'm glad we did it that way)
I attempted to kennel train my aussie and I have learned he really hates being confined... and so we use his kennel as a toy box now. I have learned that some dogs thrive with it, some dogs don't.
ETA: someone mentioned eating in there. Our dog was free fed because he just wasn't really food motivated and could sit on a cup of food for hours before he ate anything. He was more of a snacker so leaving food in his kennel to eat wasn't really much of a big deal for him. When you feed him, putting his bowl in his kennel to eat it will help him learn that good things come from it :) We were lucky and could leave food out for him at all times and it didn't make much difference.
Edited by Crowned Image 2014-03-25 8:55 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 822
Location: Southwest New Mexico | Nateracer - 2014-03-25 7:28 AM
No wonder you are having troubles. 6-7 weeks is YOUNG, IMO. I know they can be weaned that young, but we like to get them at 8 weeks. This way they are at least away from Momma for a couple of weeks.
He'll adjust fast, I'm sure, but those first few nights can be a booger!
Yes give it time because he is very young. I had the same problem when we got our heeler/corgi he screamed all night no matter where he was. Come to find out he wasn't weaned at all poor little dude. I wish people would wean and wait longer before they get rid of their pups it makes it easier
For everyone the owners and the pups. |
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I keep my change in my pockets
Posts: 2985
Location: MN | Our son got a mini aussie last summer that was not weaned when he got her. He said the first nite was terrible and was ready to return the puppy. The next nite he put the crate right beside his bed and left his hand hanging over the bed on to the crate. That nite went better. He still keeps the crate in his bed room but slowly worked it way from his bed. His dog loves her crate and she tries to get him to go to bed early some nights.
I was lucky when we got our mini aussie she was 14 weeks old and slept thru the nite and crate trained easily. The breeder even had her started on the leash when we picked her up. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 222
Location: Texas | Going through the same thing right now with my dutchie. I put a hollowed out bone stuffed with peanut butter in with her at night. And she gets a sharp NO! If she barks or whines. And I NEVER let her out if she's barking it whining. Wait until it stops even if it's only for 30 sec. We don't feed in the crate as a prev. Poster said that can cause potty accidents. karma is doing great and is pretty much broke of barking/whining in her crate now. |
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 MaMa Hen
Posts: 12223
Location: Louisiana | I just sold the last of a litter of 10 Mini Heelers, but I waited until 8 weeks (or 7 1/2 weeks for a couple of them) before I allowed them to go to their new homes. By then, they had been weaned from "Mom" for a couple of weeks and were eating dry food well. Every report I got back was that they adapted to their new homes and routines amazingly well, with no crying even on the first night. As someone else said, I think you just got your puppy too early. You're just going to have to endure the crying until he is old enough to adjust to his new life. You might have to put his crate in another room at night until the crying stops. Also, don't feed him late in the evening, and I would not feed him any canned food at all. My puppies have done GREAT on Pro Plan Focus Chicken & Rice Puppy (dry) food. It seems to cost a lot more, but since they eat less of it than other dry food, the cost evens out. I would provide the dry food to him free choice during the day but take it away at about 6:00 PM. Just remember, this, too, shall pass. Hang in there! |
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 A Big Ditto!
Posts: 3600
Location: Jasper, Tx | I just went thru all that kennel training with my red female heeler... Hubby did the same wacked the kennel when she whined and it stopped it! If you let them out every time they whine and cry ..then they are training you! :) Heelers are smart that way! lol On little puppies I have found that a toy they can cuddle up to and an alarm clock that ticks helps puppies sleep! and no food after 6pm. Another trick I did was to give them a command to "kennel" or "go to bed" they got a treat when they went in their kennel for bed. It really helped my heeler as she hated to go in there at first but now if I even pick up a treat bag she runs to her kennel! :) good luck
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 Firecracker Dog Lover
Posts: 3175
| I didn't read all the replies so my apologies if this has been said already. Cover up his crate with a blanket so he cannot see out of it at night. He will cry for a bit but he will stop and each night he will cry less and less. A friend of mine told me about this and it absolutely works. Good luck! |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | puppies need to pee a lot at first so if they are 8 weeks old, every 4 hours, if they are 12 weeks old, every 6 hours. etc etc. That is what I was told and it was pretty near to reality when I got my Corgi |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | brlraceaddict - 2014-03-25 12:07 PM I didn't read all the replies so my apologies if this has been said already. Cover up his crate with a blanket so he cannot see out of it at night. He will cry for a bit but he will stop and each night he will cry less and less. A friend of mine told me about this and it absolutely works. Good luck!
This is what I do :( It doesn't help him, I have a walk in closet so I set his kennel against the wall facing my bed so I can see him. I cover his kennel at night with my big brown fleece blanket but it doesn't seem to help.
I do try to take him out potty every couple of hours. Thankfully he has only had 2 accidents in the house and that was it! |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | A ticking alarm clock (like the wind up ones) can sooth them at night too. |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | wyoming barrel racer - 2014-03-25 12:52 PM A ticking alarm clock (like the wind up ones) can sooth them at night too.
I don't have one....but what about like a heartbeat thing? I have an extra one for my daughter that I use to play for her at night! |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | hoofs_in_motion - 2014-03-25 11:56 AM wyoming barrel racer - 2014-03-25 12:52 PM A ticking alarm clock (like the wind up ones) can sooth them at night too. I don't have one....but what about like a heartbeat thing? I have an extra one for my daughter that I use to play for her at night!
oh perfect! Actually for my Corgi I used one of those baby noise machines that had the sounds of the wind, sea, rain, thunder and some others. You could mix up to 2 sounds. Spur really liked the waves and the sea gulls. Worked wonders. |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | wyoming barrel racer - 2014-03-25 1:36 PM
hoofs_in_motion - 2014-03-25 11:56 AM wyoming barrel racer - 2014-03-25 12:52 PM A ticking alarm clock (like the wind up ones) can sooth them at night too. I don't have one....but what about like a heartbeat thing? I have an extra one for my daughter that I use to play for her at night!
Ok great! Do I put it inside his kennel under a blanket? Or set it outside of the kennel? |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | hoofs_in_motion - 2014-03-25 1:37 PM
wyoming barrel racer - 2014-03-25 1:36 PM
hoofs_in_motion - 2014-03-25 11:56 AM wyoming barrel racer - 2014-03-25 12:52 PM A ticking alarm clock (like the wind up ones) can sooth them at night too. I don't have one....but what about like a heartbeat thing? I have an extra one for my daughter that I use to play for her at night!
Ok great! Do I put it inside his kennel under a blanket? Or set it outside of the kennel?
I think you've had a ton of great advice, but I would just second the other advice on him to ignore the crying except for potty breaks. I had to do that with my last dog when he was a puppy. After three nights, he completely stopped. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 188
Location: stuck on an island, Canada | If you take him out when he cries that's just reinforcing the behaviour. He does need to go potty every couple hours. I use the rule that for each month equals one hour of being able to hold pee. So if he's 7 weeks old he can only hold his pee for barely 2 hours.
I would spend some time during the day putting him in the crate waiting until he stops crying then taking him out and praising. It needs to be baby steps, you can't just put him the crate and expect him to go to sleep right away, he has to learn to like it. |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | RunninJackDaniels - 2014-03-25 2:19 PM If you take him out when he cries that's just reinforcing the behaviour. He does need to go potty every couple hours. I use the rule that for each month equals one hour of being able to hold pee. So if he's 7 weeks old he can only hold his pee for barely 2 hours. I would spend some time during the day putting him in the crate waiting until he stops crying then taking him out and praising. It needs to be baby steps, you can't just put him the crate and expect him to go to sleep right away, he has to learn to like it.
Just put the noise making deal outside his kennel on a low setting so he can hear it but it doesn't bother you.
I tried not to put my puppy in the kennel unless it was bed time or if I had to go outside and couldn't take him or it was too cold etc. If you leave him in there a lot, trying to enforce him to enjoy it and get use to it...it will never happen. Dogs don't naturally enjoy being locked up. Mine was born in the end of Oct and he only gets crated at night. He doesn't like it, I doubt he would choose that for himself, but he doesn't get a choice and I have a soft cushiony bed so it is what he gets. He's very happy to get out in the am to pee and spend the day with the kids. |
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