New to all this ツ

[Gail Berks]

Hello everyone hope you are all well.

We got our gorgeous Border terrier / staff little girl last Saturday at 16 weeks old from a non breeder who didn't get her jabs.

We got her injections straight away and a full puppy check up and she is perfectly healthy.

We decided to crate train her for bedtime really... as she is too old to keep crated to house train and she has done brilliantly in a week... sleeping every night in a locked crate in my bedroom perfectly happy and doing wees and poos in the garden 99% of the time.

My son works nights and gets in at 7.30am and takes over from me when I leave at 8am... I get back from work at 3.40 daily and 1.30 on Mondays..so my son stays awake to about 12pm then tries to settle her for the few hours until I get home.. however... she doesn't like being shut in her crate during the day and starts the pitiful yelping we all know too well.

It's a little frustrating as she loves her crate at night and is reluctant to get up at 6am.. and during the day and evening when her crate is downstairs.. she is happy to run in and out and treats it as her den/bed.. and can settle herself for short naps, letting you lock her door without hesitation. But when she wakes up.. she almost immediately starts winging and yapping.. and if ignored, full blown howling.. we do as suggested and wander in and plump up cushions etc till quiet and let her out when silent with no fuss..

I'm just not too sure how to combat this without maybe making her hate her crate and mess up our fantastic bedtime routine.

I worry she will be a anxious barking doggy when we finally leave her alone on the odd occasions.. and it would be lovely for my son to settle her downstairs at midday for the 3 hours til I get home.

We intend to keep her in our kitchen with access to garden though the dog flap (we had a large cat previously) and her crate with door open... but at moment she still crys, yapping and howls when we've tried this.. we haven't put great effort into locked crating her during the day but wondered if anyone has any tips.. as I've said she's 17 weeks and wonderful placid, loving little dog and has settled brilliantly in just a week

Best wishes

Gail

 

[goldenbear2013]

Ah the wonderful world of crate training!

I have crate trained my pup since the day we brought him home and its the best thing we have ever done.

When putting you pup in the crate try giving her a stuffed Kong or a chewy toy that pops out treats when she chews it.

Once she is in her crate lock the door and leave her alone with the door shut

This will distract her from the fact you have left then room and will/should reduce the whinging.

Hope that helps

Good luck

Sophie x