New dog, won't stop barking...help!

[GraceByDesign]

Hi, newbie here. We adopted a boxer/bulldog/??? mix from the SPCA today. She is about 16 months old. We have had her for about 5 hours.

Given that she was a stray and we know nothing of her history, we are crate training her, or attempting to. The crate is in the basement.

1) she has not yet eliminated, either outdoors or in her crate.
2) she lays down and suddenly seems to weigh about 2000 pounds when I try to put her in her crate. (it is a roomy wire cage with a comforter in the bottom.
3) while someone is in the basement, she is fine. When we come upstairs, she begins to bark after about 30 seconds. oh, now she is quiet, making a liar out of me! :rolleyes: Anyway, that does not seem to fit any other problem barking scenarios I have found, as we are still in the house making noises and things. well, she has now been quiet for over a minute.

Ok, well, I will have to assume she fell asleep... nope, there she goes!

4)she was completly oblivious to the other dogs at the spca. They were all barking and howling and jumping like crazy. (Ok she has a little problem with jumping up.) She was also quiet when we brought her out to play a bit, and to petsmart, and in the car. Not a single bark. So we thought we got a quiet one. oops!

Any advice??

She will be crated when we leave the house, probably forever. <<ETA: I am home full time, so this would be at night or for errands>> Once she gets housebroken, she will not have to live in the basement full time. We have given her several walks and sessions of playtime this evening, and she is always very quiet during these.

TIA!

TIA

[catnapper]

Think of things from her perspective. She went from one cage to another. She's confused and scared, and only wants some loving and reassurance that this new place is a nice one. Shoving her in the crate was a big no-no. Encourage her to go in on her own or you'll have a fight like that for the next 10 years.

As for the barking in the cage, thats purely for attention. Do NOT reward this by taliking to her, either by cooing her and telling her everything's ok or by screaming at her to be quiet. Say NOTHING. Don't touch her, don't look at her, don't talk to her. Ignore her completely. Only let her out of the crate while she's perfectly quiet. If you let her out while she's making noise she'll figure thats the magic key to getting out and playing with you.

Oh, and the ignoring thing works equally well for the jumping up thing.

PS: get yourself back to Petsmart and sign up for training classes. Its training you as much, if not more so, than its training her. :)

Good luck

[GraceByDesign]

I have truly tried to look at it from her eyes. She was with others before, even though it was a horrid environment, and now she is alone in the basement.

We tried to gently coax her into the crate, but she does not respond to treats, not even beggin' strips! She just lays down flat to the ground like she is made of concrete. I cannot let her be lose in the basement, well, ok, will not, as I don't want her thinking that the house is her toilet. I have always crate trained puppies, mostly successfully, but never tried it on an older dog.

I have waited until she was quiet to enter the basement. She stays quiet, even if I leave her in the crate. (ignoring her. which I am trying to do also for the jumping. She tends to follow me, dancing, though, so that is tough. She is about 50#)

It seems she can sit, though not always when I want her to, so I have been trying to redirect her jumps into sitting, and rewarding that with a good girl and a few pats on the head.

one step ahead on the classes... next one starts in 2 weeks. We also kind of figured she needed to know her name before we started class! :rolleyes:

Thanks!

The cat is in hiding under the bed! :p

[critter crazy]

May I ask why she must be crated in the basement??? All she wants is to be with her humans. I would suggest trying to crate her in one of the main room sin the house. She has got to want to gon in thecrate, since you have only had her a little while give her time to adjust.

[GraceByDesign]

May I ask why she must be crated in the basement??? All she wants is to be with her humans.

knew this would bring comment... love dogs, but they are dogs after all. New-ish house that I want to keep newish.....

I would suggest trying to crate her in one of the main room sin the house.

.....also not room for the large cage in the living room, hence she is downstairs.

She has got to want to gon in thecrate, since you have only had her a little while give her time to adjust.

[B]I have always just been able to pick up and put a puppy in the crate without trauma. Can't do that too well with her....[B/]



Thanks...She is quiet again. I need to go see her and take her outside. I am patient, just trying to get help in advance, in case she continues this barking.

[GraceByDesign]

The good news is that she is quiet now for the night. The bad news is that she wet in her crate.

I know she is used to going in her cage at the spca, so I am wondering about how effective crate training will even be with her... Hadn't thought about that before... my bad.

I will give her some time to adjust, and me, since we have been dogless for 1.5 years, and the last dog was a 7# yorkie... quite a different experience!

[catnapper]

I almost said something about the crate last night. You mentioned it was roomy.... just how large is it? A properly sized crate should be no larger than she needs to stand up, turn around, and lay down. Anything more and she'll pee in one corner and sleep in another.

Congrats on signing up for the doggy class. Where do you live, I could very well be teaching you ;)

[Freedom]

Dogs are social animals. They live in packs in the wild. Being isolated in teh basement doesn't feel good to her, and never will.

Can you move the crate upstairs, to an area where she can see people when she is in her crate? That would be a huge first step in helping her adjust.

Here is a link which you may find helpful:
http://www.bichonfriseusa.com/index.htm#Educational%20mark

Please don't be put off by the fact that this is a bichon website. Most of the articles apply to ALL dogs, all sizes. Scroll down, watching the middle column, until you get to Puppy Info. In this section, you will see several articles specific to your question. Housetraining 101 has a section on crate training your dog. Again this applies for ANY dog, and should provide you with some ideas and suggestions.

Nurturing Basics also talks about the use of the crate, so check that one out as well.

I hope these articles give you some things to think about. Best wishes with your new dog!
Sandra

[borzoimom]

She needs to be around " her people" to help her adjust to things. As far as wetting in her crate- she probably just held it too long.
Remember- its not easy to adopt to a dog - especially with one you have no history on at all. She needs love, time and patience.

[lizbud]

Please don't take my question as a put down, but can you say why you
adopted the dog ? What were your hopes & expectations for this dog? Thanks.

[GraceByDesign]

Thanks to all for your advice and replies. We are in Northern Kentucky, so I doubt you will be our trainer, catnapper!

Lizbud, no offence taken. We have had dogs off and on for years. We have been dogless for about a year and a half, are settled into our new home, and wanted a family pet. We were looking at a different dog last weekend that had been fostered for a couple of years, and was housebroken and crate trained already. (We were rejected by the agency, as we don't have a fenced yard.) The new dog knows nothing. I also did not realize she would have such an aversion to the crate. Must be some history there.

As to the size, the wire cage is a bit too large for her. However, we do have an airline crate that is abaout half a size too small (she can turn around and lay down, but has to duck to stand up) which we put in the kitchen, and she is doing very well in it, except she refuses to go in by herself.

She pottied in the basement, but that was our fault. We had just taken her out, and then bathed her (she stank... the spca is a pretty gross place) and took her back downstairs to dry a bit, and oops! should have taken her out again after the bath. She has wet nicely outside twice, and received praise, not too lavish... few pats and ear rubs and "go potty, good girl" s. She is so starved for attention that just looking at her seems to make her happy!

We just went on a nice walk around the block, and she is playing in the basement with my 10 year old daughter. She loves "bo-bo" (loofah dog from petsmart) and will play fetch, even brings is back and lets go!

You forget a lot of things in not having a dog for a while, and we have no experience with adopting a non-puppy stray!

Oh, and she will not always be in the basement. It is just unfinished, fairly empty, and a great place to run and play, and no carpeting to soil. (there is a large rug) We want a companion, but need to get her to learn some manners and housetraining before she can be loose in the house. Just like with training a puppy. She does seem to be smart, though she will not "work for cookies"... :rolleyes:

thanks again!

[agilityk9trainer]

You are doing a few things wrong.

First, crate training is to be done slowly. Putting the dog in the crate, closing the door and leaving her alone for any stretch of time isn't the way to properly crate train. This will only cause her stress and more issues - including crate issues. Crate train slowly.

Bring the crate upstairs. Remember, the idea of crate training is that she won't pee in the crate - not that she's isolated from the family. When I potty train using the crate, I cart my crate around to where ever I'm going to be spending most of my time. So, in the mornings, the crate gets hauled out to the den, where my dogs can see me in the kitchen as well as the den. At night, the crates are hauled back to the bedroom where my dogs can sleep with me present. When they are potty trained, obviously, the crates go into the dog's room.

As you get an adult dog used to the crate, you must work in small increments of time and build on them. So say put your dog in the crate with a Kong with some peanut butter inside. Leave the dog there for a few minutes with you in the same room. Let the dog out. Later, repeat with maybe his breakfast. Five minutes later, let the dog out. Later, repeat, only increase the time to say, 10 minutes. Let the dog out. You slowly increase your dog's time in the crate until they are comfortable going in their crates. You never let the dog out when the dog is barking. Ever. If you do, you're rewarding the barking, and it will get worse.

Your dog's crate is it's bedroom. You never punish a dog by putting it in the crate. Then the crate becomes something to dislike. You want your dog to view the crate as "it's spot." It's the safe haven. The den of peace. If your dog goes in it's crate to escape kids, then kids need to know they cannot go get the dog out of the crate. Don't force your dog into the crate. I throw in a few kibbles to get my dogs in their crates. Then it's their idea to go in...not mine.

Go to Petsmart and ask the trainer there for a brocnure on crate training. It should be free and will give you some good tips on how to crate train properly. Also, they hava a book, "Potty Training Is Possible" that will tell you how to use the crate to properly potty train.

I'd also recommend you sign up for some obedience classes. Even if you've had dogs before, an obedience class will help you and the dog develop a tighter bond. They are always useful, even if you know how to train.

[borzoimom]

One more point- I start crate training alias " the dinner box". First I put dinner in front of the crate door ( with the door unable to close quickly etc- usually I tie the door open .) Then- we have dinners ( that means breakfast or dinner btw) in the box- door open. I do this for like 2 days. Then I close the door behind then gently as they eat. Increasing when I let them out from 2-5 minutes. Then let out casual- do something else to change the subject- then we go out. ( usually I wash bowls). Then this way the dog doesn't associate getting out as any big event..When the dog flies into the crate for dinner, and doesn't even flinch when I shut the door, and waits quietly for me to come back. Then I start with longer times- . I put a cookie in at night, and the the dogs spends the night in there. ( in our room of course). No activity in the house, and no reason to get up obviously. )
Until the dog understands the crate is safe, except for the ride home in the car, I do not use the crate for any long term. Adults- or pups.. Its easier to take it slow and end up with a dog that will easily crate with no anxiety, then to rush it and end up having to fix problems.
I was told femka was crate trained by the way. Well I watched her in a crate- and she was anxious. I went back like I would a "untrained dog", and soon she will curl up in a crate right away and go to sleep. With the shepherds, I had a few I bought as adults, that were crate " possesive". I solved it the same way..

[GraceByDesign]

Agility, I am aware not to use the crate to punish. I also did not plan to use the crate-in-the-basement as isolation. It was just a nice place to put it, where all her stuff can be and a play area. I have never had a dog that would not go into a crate willingly, and stay by itself. Just lucky to this point, I guess ;)

There are obviously issues with Dottie that we do not know. She is eager to please, and seems to be intellingent. We are successfully and consistently ignoring her jumping, and already we can see a difference. She has a tendency to play very rough if we don't watch it.

We do have her in a crate in the kitchen now. She is happy if she can see and hear us. If we go upstairs, she gets anxious after a few minutes. When she quiets down, we then speak to her.

Borzoi, Not sure how well the crate as a dinner box will work right now, as she is off her food. I take her to vet Wednesday. What do you do with them when they are not in the crate? I am unwilling (no flack please) to let her be loose to potentially potty in the house... then we will have to undo THAT. We don't have a fenced yard, so I cannot just turn her out.

Right now we are trying to get some sort of schedule. Since she is not a puppy, with the puppy-bladder, I was thinking I would not to have to take her out as often... maybe I was wrong?

1. Take outside until she potties; if after 10-15 minute walk she has not gone, back into upstairs crate (we have always used "Go in your house" so we think of it as house, not cage or jail.) Take out again in 30 minutes.
2. Play in basement, fetch, water, food if that time (though as I said she is off her food)
3. walk for about 10 minutes or until she goes
4. back into upstairs crate. She gets pup-peroni (yay we found a treat she loves) when she goes into the crate, and at various random times when she is being quiet, to reinforce the good behavior.
5. repeat in a couple of hours. (I now realize I should maybe take her out more often?)

We are also taking a couple of longer (about a mile each) walks a day for exercise. (great for me, too!!)

I thought when crate training, you remove dog from crate and immediately go to the potty area (ie outside for us) If she potties you play a while, eat, or etc, in the house, then walk again and put her back in crate. If she does not potty, she goes back into crate. Then they eventually get that the whole house is the crate. If they don't soil their house, and you don't give them opportunity to soil yours, they learn to go where you want them to go. At least this is how I have always done and read about this in the past, though we were dealing with puppies, and not 1+ year old dogs.

I have hopes for her, but we all have some learning to do! I also a) tend to want 'my mother's perfectly behaved cocker spaniel behavior' immediately, and b) forget that we have had her for less than 48 hours, and we are all still in shock from all the changes!

Thanks again everyone for all the advice! Even though I have had pets for years, it is always good to have info so I don't make the same mistakes!

[gwen]

Oh my gosh!!! I'm from england and I am in a state of shock, I only recently found out that you can actually get a cat de-clawed??? and now I read you can get a dog de-barked. I am totally gobsmacked. Both of these things are absolutely unbelievable, I thought I seen and heard of everyhting but obviously not :eek:

[SunsetRose]

I am unwilling (no flack please) to let her be loose to potentially potty in the house.

Umm, no offense, but why did you get a dog if you can't deal with that kind of stuff or didn't want your house messed up?

I am going to first agree with the others that the dog doesn't belong in the basement. I understand that you have a new house that you would like to keep clean and new looking, but part of having a dog is being able to deal with your posessions being ruined and deal with cleaning up messes. An isolated dog will not make a good pet. In fact, it is isolation that causes many behavioral problems in dogs.

Second, you are not going to be able to successfully potty train her if she is in the basement and you are upstairs. Potty training requires constant supervision, she shouldn't be allowed to have the opportunity to potty where she's not supposed to and this includes in the crate. How are you going to know when she has to go potty and see those signs when you are upstairs watching TV and she is down in the basement completely out of sight and possibly out of mind?

And finally about crate training, you can't force it on her. If she is claustrophobic, then trying to force her into a crate and lock her in there all night will only damage her emotionally and can potentially cause aggression. You must have patience and you must take it one step at a time. If you can't even get her to go in using beggin strips or treats, then you need to stop what your doing and back up and start again using baby steps. And by baby steps, I mean you reward her for every step she makes towards that crate and even sniffing it before you start to get her to walk in.

[GraceByDesign]

Thank you Sunset, for your comments. It seems maybe you did not read the remainder of this thread, and my responses to people, or you would have read that she is not isolated in the basement, she is in a different crate upstairs in the kitchen. And since my last post, she has been allowed out and about in the house in increasing increments of time, and I have been keeping a sharp eye on her. One accident in the basement when my daughter was in charge and I was in the toilet, of course as I was getting ready to take her out to potty. :rolleyes:

I got a dog because we want a dog. However, my home is not a toilet. I don't allow people to potty on the floor, and will not allow my pets to do so either. I know accidents happen. We have had 4 now since we got her on Saturday. (3 were Sunday) In fact, this whole 'adopting a dog from the shelter' experience has not gone at all like I had planned. We are trying to roll with things as best we can.

I also mentioned in a previous post that it was not my intention to isolate her in the basement, but it was a nice place to put "her area" with a nice big rug. The basement is unfinished, a great place to play ball and 'fetch the bobo' and get other running exercise. While we do take a couple long walks a day, they are walks, and she has tons of energy and needs to run around. Our house in not huge, and I would like her to know that basement=running around (with and without humans), while living room and kitchen=lazing about with the humans. Dogs are smart. If they can learn where to poop, they can learn where romping play is acceptible.

So anyway, my question was this: While I am taking perhaps days to get her coaxed into the crate, do I just allow her to run loose and poop everywhere?? Seems like this would negate the effects of trying to crate train/ housebreak her in the first place. I am home all day, but I do have to do things, like go to the bathroom myself and sleep, times I cannot supervise her. (((I originally asked this question from a training standpoint, not from the 'mess up my house' view, although in my mind they go hand in hand.)))

[applesmom]

I haven't read the entire thread but I certainly agree with Gracebydesign that any dog; puppy or adult that is being house trained needs constant supervision.

There's nothing wrong with putting the dog/pup in a crate while you take a shower, run to the store, mop a floor etc. However a little advance planning can work things out so that the dog is never confined for unneccesarily long periods of time.

The dog is in a whole new environment, unsure of herself and not knowing what to expect next. A reasonably inteligent dog with the proper supervision will only take a week or so to learn the proper places to go pee and poop.

She isn't going to learn it while locked in the crate! A week or two of putting up with a little inconvience of having to keep an eye on the dog instead of doing things that could wait a few days would solve both of your problems.

Less time in the crate, more time with the dog, and in a couple of weeks everyone will be living happily ever after! ;)

[SunsetRose]

While I am taking perhaps days to get her coaxed into the crate, do I just allow her to run loose and poop everywhere?

You don't necessarily need a crate to potty train a dog. It can be a valuable and helpful tool yes, but it certainly isn't a necessity. I have potty trained 2 puppies and one adolescent dog without a crate. In fact, my dogs have never even seen a crate because I don't have one.

Just keep the dog with you and start by taking him out 30 minutes or so at first. Keep him on a leash if you must so he is always near you. Once he potties outside, praise him like crazy and give him a treat. Then he'll probably need to go back out in another hour to two hours.

Out of curiosity, how were you planning on potty training him with the crate if you weren't going to let him run loose because he might relieve himself on the floor?

[borzoimom]

I haven't read the entire thread but I certainly agree with Gracebydesign that any dog; puppy or adult that is being house trained needs constant supervision.

There's nothing wrong with putting the dog/pup in a crate while you take a shower, run to the store, mop a floor etc. However a little advance planning can work things out so that the dog is never confined for unneccesarily long periods of time.

The dog is in a whole new environment, unsure of herself and not knowing what to expect next. A reasonably inteligent dog with the proper supervision will only take a week or so to learn the proper places to go pee and poop.

She isn't going to learn it while locked in the crate! A week or two of putting up with a little inconvience of having to keep an eye on the dog instead of doing things that could wait a few days would solve both of your problems.

Less time in the crate, more time with the dog, and in a couple of weeks everyone will be living happily ever after! ;)
I agree- and let me add this. Have you taken the dog to the vet for a physical? Excessive urination could be a urinary infection, and excessive bowl activity can be any thing from anal gland infection ( makes the dog 'feel' like they have to go) to even a pancreas problem that is releasing acid into the bowel, or over active bowel from nervousness of being in a new home.. Even parasites like round worms can make more frequent bowel movements.
Also- what are feeding her? Some foods are more digestable than others.
After a clean bill of health- here is a trick that worked for me. I had one dog that was hard to housebreak. I had the dog follow me if I left the room.. It uh got a little tricky in going to the bathroom, but I just kept a light lead on. ( then he wouldnt go like I was uh detained). The Monks use to call this "teethering" meaning the dog just stays with you on a lead. That maybe extreme- but just keeping her with you will not only solve the problem, but also bond her to you as well if this is nervous bowel syndrone.

[GraceByDesign]

Ok, let me rephrase, as it seems that we have gotten a bit off-topic, and I am not getting the advice that I am seeking! :)

1. My main question morphed from barking into this: If the dog is not in the crate, (because I am using the dinnerbox or other coaxing method) what do I do with her at night? I have to sleep, ergo cannot be keeping an eye on her. I understand tethering, but that only works if you are awake!!

2. The dog is not crated all the time. I am not ignorant about crate training, and have in fact done it before with great success. <<I take the dog out to potty, we have SUPERVISED play time,water, food, whatever it is time for, and then back into the crate. Then gradually the playtime gets longer.>> I just have never had a dog that was averse to the crate. She has only had accidents in the basement so far. (which is why I chose the basement in the first place, so I would not get all upset about accidents... it is a plain concrete floor, easily cleaned.) All of the accidents can trace back to human error.

3. All the other dogs I have had thought of the crate as their den. They would often go and nap in them even with the door open and me home. It was their bed. They went 'into their house' whenever we left the house for more than a very short time, and at night, every night. They went in willingly, and did not fuss. Sometimes they got cookies, but not very often. However, they were crated from the time they were puppies, so it was the norm; just the way things were in our house. The problem here is I have a full grown, 50# dog who does not like the crate, and this was where my questions stemmed from, once we got passed the original barking issue. Please do not misunderstand. I love pets and loved all my dogs very much. But there are boundaries. I am the human, they are the dog. I may just have a few more boundaries than some folks here.

4. As it happens, the crate failed this morning while I was taking dh to work, so no crate training today! (crate was borrowed, and had a crack at the bottom where the door latched in. Crack got bigger and Dot pushed her way out, I guess.)

Took her to vet, no major problems. She does have either sarcoptic mange or ringworm, and a staph. infection... :(

She does not wet or potty excessively.

Kibble is a combo of Iams and Purina ONE (can't afford barf, unfortunately. No inexpensive source of meat/bones that I can find.) Treats are kibble pieces, Iams small bones, beggin strips (she will eat these now) and pup-peroni, her fave. She did have an apple core yesterday, and ate a small string off her Bobo (loofah dog), oops.

BTW, the original barking problem has been solved with the crate in the kitchen. She just wants to see or hear her people...

[mruffruff]

Since she seems to be accepting of the crate when she can be with her humans, try putting the crate wherever you are. At night, next to the bed so she can smell and hear you. As long as the crate is the right size, this should work. After a few days, move the crate to the other side of the room and eventually to the location where she will always sleep.

Also, keep the crate in whatever room you are both in during the day with the door left open. Toss in a treat occasionally so she can go in and get it without the door being closed behind her.

Right now she is feeling insecure. If you can be in the same room as she is and keep an eye on her, don't crate her. Otherwise, be in the same room with her in the crate and talk to her as much as you can. I would avoid putting her in the basement alone. It is a good place to play with her, but not to be banished to.

I hope this will help. Rescues are a whole different thing than new puppies!

[applesmom]

Perhaps we're getting the wrong picture here. I'm getting the impression that if the dog isn't eating, pooping or playing she's locked in her crate.

Does she get any time out of the crate to just hang out and be with the family without being expected to do something? :confused:

[SunsetRose]

I was getting the same impression.

My last question still stands unanswered


Out of curiosity, how were you planning on potty training him with the crate if you weren't going to let him run loose because he might relieve himself on the floor?

[GraceByDesign]

MruffRuff, thank you, that is a most helpful reply.

Sunset and Apple, Yes, you are totally getting the wrong picture. I have tried to explain things as best I can.

Dot has not spent any time alone in the basement since the first evening (I thought I made this clear in a previous post), except twice when the door was left open and she wandered down there when I was not paying close enough attention. (and subsequently she wet on the floor. :rolleyes: my bad, no punishment involved)
Perhaps when I said we went upstairs, and she did not like it, you did not realize I meant we have a 2 story house with a basement. After the first evening and night, her crate has been in the kitchen. I do have things to do upstairs in the bedrooms during the day, but I could still talk to her, even though she could not see me.
Dot is has been eating well since Tuesday.
Dot is going potty in the yard, once a day; wetting in yard several times a day, practically each time she is walked
She knows her name, sit, lie down, down, go on your bed (a large comforter in the living room) get the <insert name of toy here>, bring it here, drop it, no, go outside, and is working on shake hands.
She is not pulling on leash so much, which I did not ask about here... I read Cesar's Way and where to position her collar and it worked a miracle! She now trots along side me perfectly.
She is out of the crate almost full time now, but I don't just let her wander all over the house wherever she wants to go. She stays pretty near me anyway. When I said "gradually playtime gets longer", I meant playtime as time out of the crate, so she learns to hold it, and that our house is an extension of the crate.
She is in the crate at night now, and accepting of it. Not thrilled, but accepting.

This thread has now answered my original questions, so perhaps it is time to let it go...

Thanks to all.

[lizbud]

Sounds like you have things well in hand now. :) Best of luck with
continued progress.

[SunsetRose]

Well it sounds like your doing great!

Have you considered talking a basic obedience class with her? Even though she already knows the commands, an obedience class is still a good opportunity for her to socialize. You may pick up a few tricks or hints there as well to improve your training. Take a clicker training class if you can find one. Dot sounds like a smart dog, you would have fun clicker training her.

[DannysMommy]

We just got a new puppy. Our first. What we did was........

Prior to dog being brought home....his house area was closed in. A gate at the Kitchen and at the hall way. He has room in the living room and the dining room. His crate was out in the living room and he was able to sniff all around it prior to ever going in it.

We got a LARGE ( I think for a 50 pound dog?) crate and he is 7.2 pounds at last weigh in.

BUT I put in a bed, 3 toys and a raw hide. There was room to lay down but the rest of the room was FILLED up.

He was not put into the crate untill it was time for bed. Kids were sent to bed, TV was put on music, light.....all but one in the hall was turned off . (This was really for daughter as her night light..........) Then I pick him up, give love and talk puppy talk and say good night..... put him in and walk away with out a second look or word after it's locked.

He cried about 10 min's the first night and never again.

I have never tried to do it during the day as he is only 7.2 pounds and I carry him in my daughter doll carrier every where I go! LMAO or he has free rome of his un-gated area of the house.

I take him out side for about 20-30 min's after eating and after every nap. He's got the idea now and we are sometimes out for less than 45 seconds!

Like I said. I am lucky that I am home right now, so I can give him LOTS of attention and watch for the signs that he needs to go out and see how much he is drinking and go by that.

It was the perfect time to get a puppy.

I've always worked full time before so I couldn't train one.

On his side though....... he seems to be a VERY smart puppy! I will doing some training classes with him and see how he does in those! I think we got VERY lucky and got the real "Pick of the litter" there!

I also ONLY use the crate at night. The area's of the house I don't want him in are gated off, so I don't use it during the day. I will have to start soon during the day....... which I WORRY ABOUT........ right now he's gone everywhere with me and has never been a lone during the day!

I have a few meeting next week for a volunteer role I have, and I worry about him being alone during the day. I will do the same routine......... Lights off (But will be day light) music TV on, put him in right as I go with chew toys, raw hide and bed....... and out the door with out a 2nd look at him. THATS THE PLAN anyway!! LMAO!!

I'm tempted to leave a window open and sit out side to just listen to how he does!! Just so I know! Nothing I can do if he doesn't do well...... I have to go....... just hope for the best and a clean crate when I get home ASAP. LMAO! (I posted here also about how to start daytime crate training!)

Anyway...... sorry...... babbled just a bit huh? Sorry!! LMAO!!

Good luck and I hope it all works out for you and your baby! ( As my kids are 14 and 5........ Danny is the baby!!! LOL!!!)

Best wishes,
Rayna