# Puppy Crate Training Has Regressed--What To Do?



## Tracer Bullet (Jun 30, 2011)

You may remember Hank from the popular thread http://www.dogforums.com/first-time-dog-owner/97522-taking-new-puppy-trip.html--although but probably not. 

We've had him for about six weeks now. For the first four weeks he was great in the crate--took to it almost immediately. Would sleep from 11PM-7AM beautifully, and if he needed to pee he would whine or bark (once), I'd get up to let him out, then he'd go back to sleep in his crate.

Starting about two weeks ago, he has started barking his head off when he goes in his crate at night. Whining, whimpering, barking, pawing at the door, everything. This usually goes on for anywhere from 10-30 minutes, then he settles down. Unfortunately, he usually starts up again about 5:30AM. My boyfriend has been letting him out at this time and putting him on the bed (which I tell him not to do as I think it's just reinforcing the behavior), but he wants to sleep, and I can't really blame him for that.

I see from some searches that this is a common puppy problem--but I haven't really seen anything about what to do about it. We've increased playtime, training time, tried to keep him awake all day... nothing seems to work. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.


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## CricketLoops (Apr 18, 2011)

Out of curiosity, how old and what breed is your puppy? For the whining himself to sleep, I would start teaching him how to settle himself down with chew toys. Is he currently getting anything for going into his crate at night? If not, I would give him something to occupy himself with, such as a frozen kong toy filled with soaked dog food or peanut butter or a bully stick. You want something he'll have to work at for 20-30 minutes, and it's likely that he'll tire himself out pretty good after he's finished. A dog that's chewing isn't whining, whimpering, and barking. 

For the waking up too early, I would try the "rollback" method. Tomorrow, wake up at 5:15 and start your day. The next day, do 5:30... then 5:45, 6:00, 6:15 etc until you're back to your 7 am time slot. Some dogs need slower increments than others. Also, it IS possible he has to go the bathroom, even if he didn't when he was younger, so I would continue to take him out if he asks to go out. When outside, be VERY boring, though, and as soon as he's finished, put him back in his crate.

Also, smack your boyfriend. He absolutely is reinforcing your puppy's behavior, which is going to make it that much harder to get rid of as your puppy, frustrated, thinks "But it worked before! Maybe this time I need to whine LOUDER and HARDER!" This is called an extinction burst -- as a dog stops being reinforced for something he's been reinforced for in the past, he's going to try new, sometimes extreme alterations of that behavior in order to get reinforcement again. It's the same principle as Shaping, really.

Things I'm not sure if you're doing but I wouldn't do --Do not try to keep him awake all day. This will only make him cranky and possibly impede his development. Like babies, puppies need naps. Puppies (and dogs, even), also sometimes throw "tantrums" when they're tired just like a toddler would, as opposed to choosing to go to bed. 

Try not to exercise/increase playtime right before bed -- your puppy needs time before sleep to start to relax and become bored. Stimulating the dog just before bed will make it harder for him to settle down in his crate.


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## +two (Jul 12, 2011)

CricketLoops said:


> Also, smack your boyfriend. He absolutely is reinforcing your puppy's behavior, which is going to make it that much harder to get rid of as your puppy, frustrated, thinks "But it worked before! Maybe this time I need to whine LOUDER and HARDER!" This is called an extinction burst -- as a dog stops being reinforced for something he's been reinforced for in the past, he's going to try new, sometimes extreme alterations of that behavior in order to get reinforcement again. It's the same principle as Shaping, really.
> 
> Things I'm not sure if you're doing but I wouldn't do --Do not try to keep him awake all day. This will only make him cranky and possibly impede his development. Like babies, puppies need naps. Puppies (and dogs, even), also sometimes throw "tantrums" when they're tired just like a toddler would, as opposed to choosing to go to bed.
> 
> Try not to exercise/increase playtime right before bed -- your puppy needs time before sleep to start to relax and become bored. Stimulating the dog just before bed will make it harder for him to settle down in his crate.



This is excellent advice. Although I understand your pain, taking him out of the crate has only amplified your problem. If you need to, take him out of the crate but then straight outside. If he potty's, great. If he doesn't, oh well. Back into the crate regardless. No cuddling. It broke my heart to hear my boys cry as puppies but they get over it and I am very thankful now that I have two crate trained dogs. 

He is also getting older and with that comes behavioral changes. He is going to test you and see what he can get away with. Don't let your puppy outsmart you!


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## Tracer Bullet (Jun 30, 2011)

CricketLoops said:


> Out of curiosity, how old and what breed is your puppy?


He's a terrier mix, so I know he's going to have a lot of energy. The shelter wasn't sure how old he was exactly, but the age they gave us would put him at about 17 weeks.



> For the whining himself to sleep, I would start teaching him how to settle himself down with chew toys. Is he currently getting anything for going into his crate at night? If not, I would give him something to occupy himself with, such as a frozen kong toy filled with soaked dog food or peanut butter or a bully stick. You want something he'll have to work at for 20-30 minutes, and it's likely that he'll tire himself out pretty good after he's finished. A dog that's chewing isn't whining, whimpering, and barking.


We've been giving him a Nylabone to chew on, but he doesn't seem too interested in it. The kong is a great idea! 



> For the waking up too early, I would try the "rollback" method. Tomorrow, wake up at 5:15 and start your day. The next day, do 5:30... then 5:45, 6:00, 6:15 etc until you're back to your 7 am time slot. Some dogs need slower increments than others.


That's kind of what I was thinking. I don't think my boyfriend's going to be super pleased with that one, but...



> Also, smack your boyfriend. He absolutely is reinforcing your puppy's behavior, which is going to make it that much harder to get rid of as your puppy, frustrated, thinks "But it worked before! Maybe this time I need to whine LOUDER and HARDER!"


Oh good. He's going to _love_ it when I tell him.


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## Tracer Bullet (Jun 30, 2011)

Well, we gave Hank a kong when we put him to bed, which he proceded to devour and then he started barking for an hour and a half.

I think we give up.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

As puppies age, their "schedule" sometimes changes, just as with a human baby. Only maybe opposite! LOL. Human babies seem to get better at sleeping through the night as they age!
But, with puppies, as they settle into their new environment, and as they age, they can change a bit. Hank seemed to settle into his crate easily at first! He probably NEEDED to! He was in a new place, and was probably scared, whether he showed it or not. So, having a safe, secure place to crash for the night helped him.

Now, he feels safe and secure in his home, and needs less sleep, it seems.

I agree with the advice given, but I'd add a couple more things: see if it's possible to tire him out a bit more before bedtime. Add an extra walk, or an extra training session (mental work tires him out, too), or both!
Also, one of our dogs has to get up at 6 am to pee. Our other dog, he'd wait til 9 am if I'd let him sleep in. So, it may be that Hank needs to get up to pee. Give him a kong after you take him out to pee and see if he'll go back to his crate....until you guys are ready to wake up!


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## joeydoodle (Sep 8, 2011)

i'm going through the same thing right now! puppy is 6 months to date. she's been doing SOO good. practical runs to the crate at night and lights out right away. tonight, for whatever reason, she didn't want to go in the crate and she started whimpering immediately. she knows better than to whine and she knows for sure that whining does not equal being let out of the crate. the other thing is normally she's in her crate during the day while i am at work and she does well. quiet and plays with her toys. today i came home to find a bully stick entact, peanut butter still very much in her kong and her bed turned upside down. from the audio recorder i set up, it sounded like she also barked up a storm.

how is it that she was doing SOO well and today she's acting like we've never done this before.

did your puppy get better?


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