# Help - 7 month old puppy crying in crate for hours!



## NewPuppyBigCity

Hello everyone. My 7 month old cavalier/poodle puppy Freddy started crying in his crate endlessly all night. This only started about 3 weeks ago so I'm not sure what happened. He used to go into his crate when I gave the command and then sleep through the night until around 6:30am. Now, when I can get him in there, if he does manage to go to bed after a few minutes of whining, he wakes up in the middle of the night and cries. At first, we would take him out to go potty, but he wouldn't go. He would lay on the floor or start playing with his toys, so I would put him back in his crate and the whining would begin again.

It has gotten worse lately as he refuses to go into the crate at all and I have to shove him in there while he literally tries to fight his way out, which I know is not what I should be doing. I have tried making his crate a more enjoyable place for him (putting a kong with treats, shirts that smell like us, etc.) but he just ignores all this and ferociously paws at the door trying to get out. I've started to play "go to your crate" games for treats during the day so he likes going in, but at night when it's bed time, he freaks out. Last night he cried from 11pm to 5am straight. I thought he would eventually tire himself out and go to sleep but he didn't. I don't know how to make this stop. He got plenty of exercise yesterday - 3 walks before 7pm, puppy play group from 8-9, a walk after playgroup, and then another walk at 10. 

We tried letting him sleep on the floor but he just ran around the whole time whining and tried to jump onto our bed and sleep with us. In the morning, he went potty on the floor before we woke up. i don't think he is fully trained enough to just let him sleep on the floor. We also tried bringing his pen in from the living room and putting it next to the bed to give him a little more room, but he whined in there as well.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there something I could do differently? Is he just being a jerk, or should I be worried about separation anxiety? I'm starting to go crazy with lack of sleep!


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## titiaamor

Awww. This sounds awful for both of you. Have you tried Crate Games (Susan Garrett)? People seem to like her results.

We never found crates to be necessary, and just gate off areas we don't want the dogs in. They have their place to sleep, but it's in the laundry room, not with us. We also puppy-proofed the house and outdoor area they are allowed in.


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## doxiemommy

Have you tried covering the crate at night? It can help them feel more settled.

I know you said it only started 3 weeks ago, but how long have you had him?

If you've had him a long time, and it just started, it's possible that something scared or startled him while he was in the crate, and now he associates being in the crate with being afraid....
It could be anything, a noise he wasn't used to, anything.


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## NewPuppyBigCity

I have tried covering the crate - still whines! We got him when he was 8 weeks old so we've had him for about 5 months. He was great as a baby and we thought he wouldn't be a whiner or barker. He also started barking endlessly at everything and any little noise outside or inside - we live in an apartment building in a major city so there are a lot of noises! I tried shaking pennies at him which worked for the first few days, but now he us unfazed.

I will look into Crate Games - thanks for the suggestion!


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## Macadoo

Just curious to NewPuppyBigcity:: how did you resolve the crate issue with your puppy? Our seven month old Cavapoo has been freaking out when we put him in his crate. He bites at the door-he's pretty aggressive and mad. I've tried everything--making the crate a cozy place, treats, chew toys, etc.. Nothing works! He used to love the crate but for the past month, he turns into Cujo when he's in there. He does settle down quickly and then sleeps. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## Flaming

google "crate games"

worked wonders with us


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## marti1357

It's a stage in the dog's growing process. Some call it fear phase. The good news is that he will eventually grow out of it. Meanwhile, try crate games as it was suggested. Also where is the crate located? If you can place it close to your bedroom so he can see and hear you it may help. 
Good Luck.


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## briteday

I'm feeling your pain...I'm sure the neighbors think that we are murdering dogs every night when e put the new pup to bed in her crate Yikes, she can scream some nights. And since she is so young there is no pattern yet to night time needs so she wakes up screaming to be taken out. We are pretty sound sleepers with no children in the house anymore and sometimes it takes a while for one of us to wake up and get her outside. I'm sure the neighbors...we might have to start closing the windows ;-)


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