How to get my puppy to stop whining in her crate?

Jessiebug

New member
We have a 9 month old golden/yellow lab mix puppy. She did the same thing. Just wait it out. She'll stop eventually, but just give her some time.
 

gatordude

New member
We just got a 3 month old golden ret. and she gets crated whenever she uses the house as her bathroom and she will whine for about 10 min then stop for about 5 then start again, but when we crate her to go to bed, she NEVER stops whining and even if we try and ignore it, it just get louder and louder and louder!! What can we do to help this?
 

c_dog3

New member
Teach her a trick, "Be Quiet" .
If she doesn't learn at first keep trying.
If she still doesn't learn punish her.
She'll eventually learn.
I advise a choke chain collar
but don't pull the chain to hard
dogs don't like that.
 

luvrats

New member
First of all, NEVER, EVER use a crate as punishment! How can she enjoy her crate, or even be content in there if she thinks of it as punishment? Her crate should be a place where she feels safe and secure, not like a 'bad dog.'

Make the crate as comfortable as possible with a pillow or blankets on the floor. Make sure she has access to water and lots of chew toys. You might even want to put a blanket over the crate to make it feel more like a cave. Make sure she isn't too hot or too cold when in there. And never leave her in it more than 6 hours overnight until she is at least 6 months old. She simply can't control her bladder like a full-grown dog can.

During the day take her outside OFTEN. Every hour if necessary. That's how she will learn to become housebroken, not by punishing her. If you must leave her in the crate while you are at a school or working, have someone come by in the middle of the day to take her outside.

Her crate needs to be her safe place.
 

Sydthekid1

New member
She just doesn't like to be in the crate. See how she acts when you put a pillow (that you don't use) by your, or another family members' bed. That should help. And see/try if you can potty train her.
 

Ezzira

New member
Your puppy is still little and doesn't understand. Unfortunately, you're going to just have to tolerate the crying until the dog gets used to the crate. Don't get up to talk to the dog or slip treats into the crate because that will make it scream more. I guess you can make it comfy and put a little pillow in there...maybe a rubber toy so she can have something to work her frustration into.
 

blazing_eagle04

New member
Ya its annoying but think of it from her standpoint she's young its dark and big. she's scared. perhaps before you put her in for bed wrap her in a sheet or blanket that smells like someone that she hangs around with in the family and she'll feel safe and cared for. After a while she'll feel like the crate is her bed and will willingly go into it at a set bedtime. I did the same for my pup cause she was too small to make it up the stairs to my room and she used to whine but i let her lay in my jacket and she curled up in it and slept fine and also seperate a place between punishment nd bed. cause if the two are the same she thinks you are punishing her for something and her whining is of scared and confused little pup.
 

Lily

Member
you have to ignore it, or she will always do it, then you will never train her to stay on her own at all.

Give it two weeks see how it goes, leave a light on nearby to sooth her, a ticking clock helps and a nylabone to chew
 

NiallC

New member
same problem with ours bout 3 years ago...just leav it in solitude for a while nd it will stop...my puppy was crying for about first 4 days but den stopped if u ignore...
 

Natalie

Member
You are using your crate to punish her, which goes against the whole idea of crate training.

Your puppies crate should be a safe place for her to retreat to.

You should stop doing this immediately.

To reverse the damage you have already done, I would recommend you start to feed her meals in the crate and leave treats in there for her to find so she can start to think of the crate as positive again.

Don't leave her in there for really long periods of time, try to make it only when she is sleeping for a while.

Before you put her to bed for the night, take her outside to the toilet and stay until she goes. Then praise her gently and put her in her crate.

At 3 months old, she should be able to hold her bladder overnight depending on what time you put her to bed and get her up.

Just in case, I would get up once in the night with her and take her to the toilet. Don't open her crate until she is quiet. If she doesn't seem interested in going, put her back in her crate.

Unfortunately, if she doesn't need the toilet, you will just have to ignore her until she quietens down.

She might quieten down quicker once you stop using it as a punishment.
 

kittymoonfire

New member
It's because you are using the same thing to put her in to sleep as you are when she is in trouble. She doesn't understand.

It's like having a kid, if you use the bed as a time out spot the kid will not want to go to bed at night and think he is in trouble.
 

Andrew1

Active member
Fill an empty soda can with nickels and either shake it or throw it. Just don't let your dog see it. This lets the dog know that every time she barks, there will be a "boogey man" that makes that scary sound. It's not as cruel as you think.
 
My dog did that you. Normally it's just part of raising a dog and they will all do that. You just have to wait it out. Try giving her something that smells like her mother to sleep with in her crate. If you don't have that then give her something that smells like you. Or you can try giving her a chew bone to keep her mind occupied until she gets tired enough to fall asleep.
 

Nadipyrate

New member
You shouldn't use the crate as punishment, it only makes her experience with the crate a bad one. You need to start making her experience with the crate a great one. play with her in it, use toys and bones and good praise. Let her stay in there with the door open so she doesn't feel trapped. After doing this for a while she will get used to it as her bed. You can then move on to closing the gate and she will whin for a little bit her and when she stops whining let her out and give her a treat and good praise. When she uses the bathroom in the house take her outside, she's a puppy and they have accidents, keep taking her out throughout the day, and there will be less accidents in the home.
Good Luck
 

Alexis

Member
my dog did that and she never stopped untill i put her in my bed i think they miss there mother. So they want to be close to someone.
 

Jeff

Member
i give my puppy a bunch of toys, make sure she uses the bathroom before going into cage, make sure she has food and water
 
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