# 10mo italian greyhound cries in crate, only when we're trying to sleep



## Violet5 (May 1, 2013)

We have had Colette (female italian greyhound, 10 mo) and Twiggy (male Italian grehound/whippet, 4 mo) for about 3 weeks now. They were already crate trained and supposedly house trained when we got them. Both the house training and crate training has been fine for the younger pup, Twiggy. I don't know how they were kept before being at the rescue, but the foster home had said it was good for them to be kept in one crate together because they are such "freeze babies" and they keep each other warm. We keep them in the crate while we are gone at work and also during short times while we are doing things nearby, and there have been zero problems. They are learning the command "kennel" and usually go in voluntarily. We put them in there before we go to bed and cover the crate with a dark towel. 

The problem we have been having is that Colette begins to cry and scratch at the metal grate door after about 4 hours being in the crate. What we have been doing is to wait until she has stopped crying, even for just a few minutes, and then take her outside quick, because we thought she had to go potty. Either she just sits on the stoop and won't even go into the grass or she just sniffs around and eats leaves and doesn't even go potty. Then i just bring her back inside and put her in the crate, cover up with towel, and she is quiet again for maybe 2-3 hours and begins crying again. So the fact that there are never any accidents in the crate while we are gone at work, and that she doesn't go potty when I let her out during sleep time, she CAN obviously hold it. I think she just wakes up and gets lonely? But she is in there with Twiggy, who is probably just as irritated with her crying as we are, because he is fine with being quiet and sleeping. 

I have considered several possibilities. One day I tried to just completely ignore it until she stopped or it was actually time to get them out. Well she just cried and cried and furiously scratched at the metal door for probably 6 hours, until her voice was sore. Then when I went to get her out at the proper time (earlier actually because I felt so bad), she had pooped and peed in her bed! Poor Twiggy had it all over him too 

We could move the crate into a farther away room, so we can't hear her, but I still worry that Twiggy has to put up with this all night, or worse, will pick up on this behavior too! We could get a separate crate and put her far away and keep him where he's at, but she might have even more anxiety if she is in a crate alone. We are happy that they are already good about going in they crate, for the most part, so we don't want to make the crate a bad experience...

Finally, we could move the crate into the bedroom with us, but I don't know if that's even going to do anything except keep us up all night. I know we are not supposed to acknowledge the pup when crying for attention.. But some people on these boards have advised people to have them in the bedroom and even put your hand in the crate when they cry to comfort them! That seems like it is just teaching her that it's all fine and good to cry because we will give her attention.

I know she can hold it, so I should not have to be getting up twice a night just because she's bossy! What should I do?


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## Violet5 (May 1, 2013)

Also pertinent: I believe that her previous owners may have allowed her to sleep in bed with them. She is now mostly trained not to go up on the bed, but when we first got them, she jumped right up and the bed and snuggled under the covers without being told. We do not want the dogs sleeping in the bed with us. There was one time where I slept in the guest bedroom with her in the bed with me, just because I hadn't slept for days and seriously needed some sanity. And guess what, she didn't cry or even wake up that I know of, during the 6-7 hours we were sleeping. So maybe the question is, how do you a train a dog OUT of the habit of sleeping in the bed with their human?


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

Sounds like you have to start all over with crate training. Get her to associate the crate with something positive first (feed her in her crate, play with her in her crate, etc. until she is okay with sleeping in the crate, etc. without the doors closed. Then slowly start closing the door and extending the amount of time she is crated. Feed her treats and give her a lot of praise when she is being quiet in the crate, even if it's only for a minute. Slowly start leaving the room a couple mins at a time after this, and continue until she is comfortable with being in it by herself.

And how do you train her OUT of sleeping in the bed with people? Teach her a "go to bed" command where she goes in her crate by herself. Each time she comes up onto the bed, just tell her to go to bed and put her back in the crate.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

I would try moving the crate to your room. I know, on one hand, the whining and crying may drive you nuts. But, on the other hand, sometimes just being able to hear you breathe, smell you, and see you, and, basically KNOW you're there is enough to settle some dogs. You don't have to say anything, or do anything (in fact you shouldn't say or do anything when she's crying) but, just being there might be enough.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

doxiemommy said:


> I would try moving the crate to your room. I know, on one hand, the whining and crying may drive you nuts. But, on the other hand, sometimes just being able to hear you breathe, smell you, and see you, and, basically KNOW you're there is enough to settle some dogs. You don't have to say anything, or do anything (in fact you shouldn't say or do anything when she's crying) but, just being there might be enough.


I've had dogs that this would drive crazy and likely would never stop whining or barking as long as they knew I was RIGHT THERE, but then I've had other dogs where just being able to hear me breathe was enough for them to calm down easier. It might be worth a try to see which kind of dog you have.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

We just got over this problem with Manna.
It took about a week but now she sleeps through the night...crate in the living room and our bedroom door closed. We know she can hold it and take water away an hour before bed anyhow so we just ignored her until she got the hint.
I was sleep deprived for a week and felt bad, but anything else we could have done would be rewarding her with attention and reinforce that behaviour.


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