Crate Training Help For New Puppy

[Evie]

Hi all,

Long time no see!

This weekend my partner is going to pick up a new friend for Evie (she's going to be so jealous!)

He's a bit of an accident ... long story short he is an unwanted puppy belonging to an extended family member who we are going to take in and love and adore

Anyway...... he is an approx. 4 month old kelpie who I'd like to crate train from day one as I wish I'd done it with Evie.

I've not crate trained a puppy before and I'm a bit unsure on where to start. I read the pinned thread on create training 101, but wasn't sure if since he's used to sleeping elsewhere if i need to do things differently?

Initially I'd like to have him sleeping in his crate (in my room) at night time. Is this an unrealistic expectation?

Evie sleeps in our room next to our bed. She either sleeps on the floor or sometimes chooses to sleep in her crate, but there's no reason why puppy wouldn't be able to see us and Evie if he was crated at night.

Just very unsure as i haven't done this before...

Thanks!

Evie's mum.

 

[stdpoodad]

I've crate trained several puppies from day one. They've been about 2 months old, but the principles should be the same.
Sounds like you have a good plan, puppy in your room in the crate. Probably the biggest mistake I see are people that put the crate in the garage or wherever, and expect that to work.
Don't expect to get a whole lot of sleep the first few nights, puppy is going to be screaming and crying..."I shouldn't be in here, you need to get me out of here..."
Just ride it out, if he sounds like he needs to potty, take him out with no drama (i.e., don't play. Be as boring as possible)

Seamus is much the same as Evie. Sometimes he chooses to sleep in his crate, otherwise he sleeps on a couch or the floor. He doesn't like sleeping on the bed. My other dog Teaghan is often on the bed, but she's also often on the couch.

 

[stdpoodad]

I just looked at crate training 101. I still think your plan is good, i.e. crate in the room with you. He may be used to sleeping elsewhere ,but he's NOT used to sleeping in a crate elsewhere.

 

[kassidybc]

Congrats on the new pup! We will be expecting lots of pictures! You know how we love puppies!

I don't think that is an unreasonable expectation, I had my past puppy sleeping in a crate since day one (not happily at first, but we got there eventually). Try crate games, just make the crate as fun as possible. After you have built up a ton of positive association with the crate, try to make it the pup's choice to go in there, and reward greatly when he does. Even if that requires you standing right by the entrance to the crate with the pup on a leash and just wait for him to choose to go in. Then have a party!!! Also, take advantage of the time when you first bring him home. He will be in a new place and will probably be wary. If you can make the crate his safe place then he will be happy to be in there. With my old pup we brought her home in a crate, and after a three hour car ride, that became the most familiar thing to her, so when we let her into the house, the crate was already her safe place. Whenever she was scared or uncomfortable she would immediately run to it.

 

[Evie]

Well, as my phone didn't notify me that anyone had replied to my thread, I thought you'd all just abandoned me

Finally got on a PC and it told me otherwise.....

Anyway, the pup isn't fond of the crate. He is sleeping happily NEXT to my bed though (however he'd much prefer to be on it if I'd let him). I've tried some crate games with him but I really struggle to get him to go in there full stop - yet when he's tired he'll go in there and sleep for hours all by himself lol. Go figure...

Oh well.. baby steps.

 

[running_dog]

I've tried some crate games with him but I really struggle to get him to go in there full stop - yet when he's tired he'll go in there and sleep for hours all by himself lol. Go figure...

I don't think that is surprising, it just sounds normal. When you were a kid did you willingly go to bed in the middle of the day when you weren't sleepy? But when you were tired you probably went to bed with no fuss. So if you want him to go to crate when he isn't tired you have to pay him very very very highly for it, if he won't go in it might be you've pushed him too far too fast or you might not be paying him enough. To start with maybe think of it as a game of bouncing on the bed rather than going to bed.