Crate Training Difficulties

[Rocky the Husky]

Our puppy came home on Friday. So we've now had 4 straight sleepless nights of non stop screaming from the crate. I take him out to relieve himself successfully a few times a night,  but there is no calming down once he realizes he's alone and starts whining. He'll go for hours. I wake up early for work so basically he will cry/scream literally the entire night until I get up for work. We use ear plugs, but it doesn't work. I need a new strategy. 

Any suggestions? 

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Give him something that smells of you and maybe leave a radio or tv on low I have also heard a ticking clock wrapped in a blanket in the crate mimics the sound of a mother's heartbeat and can help comfort them

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Husky Owners mobile app

[Maz51]

Hi and welcome to this awesome group.

My training with this regime is this and it works very well.

To introduce any dog or pup to something new, you need to go slow & steady; the first thing you do and when you have a few days clear, you start from the beginning; you throw a treat into the crate (which can be partly covered over the top 1/3rd to create a 'den' and you then wait for him or her to go in;  as soon as they start to pick it up and eat, you close the door quietly. When they've finished you praise them and say 'good dog! in bed,' and then you let them out; you leave it for a while and you repeat the process, all the time leaving them just a little bit longer so they begin to realise  (a d trust) is not a bad place but it's a safe place for them to go and they can get a treat at the same time; if they're really good and stay, wait for them to look at you and then say 'yes! come' and when they come out with encouragement,  you reward and praise. 

Gradually, you can keep increasing the time span and you can walk away for a few seconds;  this takes quite a few days and up to 30 repetitions to start getting in to them that it's a safe place to go.  Later you go out of sight but just increase the seconds to minutes very slowly.

If they don't have 24/7 access outside it is actually harder.

My two dogs will go in and sit in the crate;  they have an XXXL  crate so the two of them (huskyxmalamutes) can fit in; it's not ideal for long-term but I can put them both in and they settle down to wait.  I don't have to lock them in when I go out because they have access 24/7 outside to a very large run with outdoor shelters however all the doors in my bungalow are shut and just one door from the inner hall to kitchen is open so there is just access for them in there, around their beds or crate area and the kitchen;

If that's the best way out of the house and your garden is secure, ie with 6 ft high fences then you could install a dog flap and if it's secure enough that they can't get over or out, and nobody can get in (so ensure there are locks on Gates etc), then you should feel reasonably safe with them being able to exit via a dog flap. I would also work on this going out of the house for short periods making it all a 'no big deal'.

Giving them a frozen carrot in their crate just before you go gets them focused on this. Put the radio on, remove any edibles of counters (bread & fruit in oven or microwave 😉) and ensure the bins are nor accessible .. I have a silent closing one as mine would suss out a sensor opening in no time!

The repetition training (for all training in new stuff) has to continue with encouraging them to go into the crate; if you're looking to shut them in long term when you go to work and @ bedtime that's going to take longer especially as they are not pets - they want to be near you as a companion; mine sleep in the hall outside the bedroom but they have access in once my husband goes to work and then they can come up and join me on the bed; I have a throw over it.

Look at successdogs.com and absolutedogs.com for all the training skills ... and disciplines through positive reward training. 🤗 Good luck!