SearchMy Doberman Cries in His Crate At Night...
I need everyone’s HELP and ADVICE!!!!
I have an 18 1/2 week old male purebred Doberman. I got him when he was 5 1/2 weeks old. He has been crated ever since, but he cries every time he is put in his crate for the night. Last night was the worst since I have gotten him. I'm not sure what to do anymore. He has plenty of toys to play with and I've even given him treats, but nothing seems to work to get him to stop crying. Last night he cried and barked for almost 2 hours. By the time he finally stoped crying, he needed to go out and then the crying would start all over again. For awhile he was doing better and would only cry to get up at 2am to go outside and then when my husband woke up to go to work at 5:30am he would go out again. I'm not sure what to do.
I have another puppy who is 8 months old who is just an angel. She adores her crate! They are both in the same room - I was hoping that our older puppy would help train him, but that isn't working either.
Has anyone gone through this before? If so I'd really appreciate any and all advice. It's getting to the point where both my husband and I are getting run down and so tired from not getting enough sleep at night.
One thing I would do is make sure to keep him awake in the evening before you go to bed so that he's tired, and obviously a good long walk or play session immediately before he goes into the crate is good, too.
What have you been doing about his crying in the crate? Once we know how you're reacting, perhaps we will have some other advice.
I completely agree with the ignore ignore ignore advice. It was the way to go for me and worked. I also agree with making sure he has had enough exercise and is good and worn out before putting him in there for the night. We put a blanket over his cage, not the front but so it covered the side and back and put it in a quiet corner. Don't give in! My dog would get so upset she would even mess in her cage, but after a few times learning that when you do that you get a nice bath outside with the garden hose, and we never did yell or show anger about it, but just very matter of factly gave her a bath, she learned that if she did that, she would get the dreaded bath, she stopped very quickly. They are so smart, they figure it out so quick how it all works. I also started by making the cage a good place, the place where she got fed, got a good bone or a bully stick, she was only allowed those things while in the cage, and that helped make it a positive place. My dog is two, and I still crate her when I'm gone, since I don't work and am not gone for very long periods of time, and every time I put her in there, I giver her a kong with a few carrot pieces or apple slices, and now when I'm getting ready to leave, and she knows it, she will run to the cage and be already in there waiting for her kong. This is the dog who would throw the biggest hissy fits known to man, biting, snarling, attacking the cage, and pooping all over it, because she was so upset to be in there. I would start by making the cage a positive place, feed him in there, give him a yummy bully stick or treat. Then ignore, ignore, ignore. Good luck!
Thank you for your responses. We have tried the ignore, ignore, but that just doesn't seem to work. He will cry for a good couple hours and by the time he finally stops it's time for either him or my other puppy to go outside. Then is starts all over.
I have tired giving him treats but as soon as it is gone he'll start crying.
We do try to make him super tired before he goes in his crate...we have even tried it to the point of when we see his little head bobbing to go to sleep we put him in there. 8 out of 10 times he'll still usually cry for a little while.
The weird part about it all, is that he will go in his crate during the day and lay down and chew on a toy and then bring it out to play with, etc. So you'd like if he didn't like it he wouldn't do that.
I'm hoping this is something he just has to grow out of. He is just a very stubborn boy and likes to test us, I guess.
I'm new to the whole puppy thing and got spoiled with my first one, because we NEVER had any problems with her. She never had an accident in the house, loved her crate, came when we called, etc. So now we just have the problem puppy. I'm sure it looks worse to us since our other one was so good.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will work out and he'll get use to his crate very soon.
Well you could try this...When he starts crying put him in a closet (you know make sure it is safe) as soon as he is quite for 10 seconds take him out put him right back to bed no talking!! Then when he starts crying do it all over again I have seen this work but he is still really young. I PROMISE you he will get better it is jsut going to take work that is boring, aggravating, and repetitive!!!!
Have you tried a night light?
Hey Krystal,
I am going through the same thing with my 9 week old Doberman. Last night he yelped, howled and barked for 1hr straight and then tired himself out. I am currently following ^,^'s method of crate training: ignoring any and all cries until morning. Tonight he has been yelping/barking for the past 15 mins..still have an hour or so left I guess :P
Perhaps try putting one of those simulated-heart-beat toys in with him? Or an item of clothing/towel that smells of you? Another possibility is stationing the crate so he cannot see you - I noticed last night when I turned Fausto's crate away from me, and I took him out when he whimpered at 5 in the morning and put him back, he went back to sleep. However, the night before, when he could see me return to bed after a morning break (he had been silent up until then) he whimpered and howled for an hour or so.
Wish you the best of luck with your boy..
Our first nite, Dakota didn't want to go in the crate at all, to the point where I made a post asking if there was an easy way to get her in. She whined for a few minutes, I took my shirt off and laid it on top of the crate, and having the scent there calmed her down big time. I have a few of her favorite toys in the crate. We sometimes put her in when we're around, not just when we leave. So she got used to hearing normal activities, eating, talking, watching tv, doing dishes, mowing the lawn, etc. We pay her ZERO attention while she's in there. She is in our office, so our computer is in there, we're in and out of the room, all over the house, outside, etc. I've only gone to check on her once, she was really yelping, and needed to go outside because she snuck some water before bedtime. It took Dakota a few days to get used to it, but totally ignoring her seemed to work. Now she 'seems' to understand that the crate is not a place to play, get attention, get praise, or do anything other than relax and sleep, and she goes in, gets a treat, and just plops down and passes out. The first day I found it to be near impossible to not go and check on her, especially when she let out the pitiful little wail...
I would be careful with the treats, you don't want your pup to associate crying in the crate with getting a treat.
Try putting a blanket on his crate to make it like a den for him. If you want something a little more stylish then a blanket I found a crate cover that was inexpensive and comes with a mattress, bumpers and the crate cover. Hope this helps.
**Oh one more thing, do you leave the crate open when he doesn't have to be in it? This might also help.
When we were crate training Dakota she was really terrible the first few nights, crying and howling for 3-4 hours every night. My husband and I even got to the point of wearing earplugs to bed! Someone suggested that we leave the radio on for her, so we tried having it on just on a really low volume and that seemed to help immensely. If you haven't tried the radio yet maybe give that a shot! There were also a few nights where she had peed on her blanket and I hadn't had time to wash it yet, so we put towels down for her. She cried way more when she didn't have her regular blanket - I don't know whether it was a familiarity thing or if it was just more comfortable for her - I think it was more about the comfort, so making sure the crate is a "bed-like" place might help. Also we had her food and toys in there during the day, again making it a positive place for her to be, but we took them all out at night except for one chew toy. That helped her realize that when we closed the door and shut the lights off it was time for her to settle down and go to sleep.
And again, Ignore ignore ignore! Once he realizes that he's not getting any attention for whining he'll eventually stop.
Good luck!
Hey Sweetpea~ Just now saw you here and opened up Dakota's profile.. How I LOVE the encounter with the mirror. She is absolutely adorable
Welcome to the Forum and your information on crate training..
Sofia came to us as a great big DoberDiva and never did have a crate.. she of course has free roam of the house and nests on her own tuffet as any true Diva would expect.
Now we have two Dakota's. Great name for a great girl!
Where is his crate? in another room? have you thought about putting in in your bedroom with you? They really do prefer to be near you.
I have never crated Rocky at night even as a 10 week old puppy. He sleeps on the floor beside our bed and other than the first week or two we had him when he needed out at night he doesn't make a peep.
Thanks for the welcome, Kate! I did notice there is another Dakota on here - great minds think alike haha! This is a fantastic website, I'm so happy I stumbled across it :)
We're glad you stumbled across it as well.. It is a great site and lasting friendships have been formed over the years.
There are two Snoopy's; Two Dakota's; a couple of Sofies.. but only one true SUPER DIVA..
LOL
Smooches to the Pooches
Kate
Hi,
I have never heard of dog owners putting their dogs in a crate...Maybe your puppy would like to sleep with your other dog...Why don't you buy them or find a single bed and just pop it somewhere in the family room or where you all sit at night or morning. I did that for my last 2 dobes (mother and son) and it was lights out for them at 9.30pm so they didn't bark and disturb my neighbours...In the cool weather I covered them with a dooner beause Dobermans don't like the cold...They loved it and liked sleeping together.
Dobermans can easily aquire seperation anxiety disorder and you like myself purchased your new puppy too young at 5.5 weeks old. I really regret picking up Max so young because I knew he should have been with his Mum and pups longer. So many things are leant by the mother and litter mates which are crucial in the puppies development...My previous Female Doberman Rage fed here puppies for 8.5 weeks before she weaned them!
The other thing is just give the 2 dogs open crates for a week or so and see how that goes.
Good luck
Judy
This same thing happened to me when we got our puppy Juno, he would whine and cry all night long, to the point i used ear plugs too, but i only let that go on for a couple nights (being that i live in a subdivision and didn't want to wake the neighbors), so i actually went out in the living room and made a bed on the floor, right next to his kennel and slept, he did great! Well then I started school, only being gone about 4 hours, and his barking and whining was back, and my husband works nights, so he was getting nearing no sleep, so i went to petsmart and bought a bark machine, which sends out an ultrasonic sound that only the dog can hear. It worked wonders! He no longer barks or whines AT ALL in his kennel. Even the people at the store told me they don't work, but i was willing to take the chance, and i'm glad i did. Now at 6 months old, I take him out for his last potty for the night, and he runs in, goes right to his kennel and waits for his biscuit :)
Julie
With a young puppy, I keep a crate right next to my side of the bed until they are old enough to be trusted to sleep outside of it. I know some people have their dogs always sleep in a crate and that is ok too - I just don't have mine sleep in crates at night.
Usually if they are a little fussy, just hanging a hand down by them is enough to get them to settle down.
Dobermans are very velcro dogs - to me making them sleep away from me would be unnatural. I have two teenagers, and we all sleep with a dog in our room.... when the kids are not at home, we sleep with 3 in our room.
Hi
When I got Sunny, he cried like a baby for the first 4 nights, now he sleeps from 9pm right through until 6am, and he is now 10 weeks old.
His puppy cage is huge, thats one thing you need to make sure is he can stand, turn around, lay down in anyway that he feels comfy as Sunny often sleeps with his legs at full stretch.
I also have in there, a big teddy bear that he can cuddle upto and play with, also a pillow that I use to sleep on so it has my scent.
But just as the others have put, ignore is the only way, he will learn, I promise.
I am having the same problem, but...
My 9 week old female has... well... stamina.
She cries literally the entire night, without stopping. I ignore her completely. I don't speak to her, I don't look at her. Still, she will not stop. I make sure her needs are met, put a couple of treats in the crate, but nothing helps. She screams for HOURS.
I have no idea what to do. None of the conventional advice seems to work.
I have tried calming sprays and calming treats, cuddly toys, turning the radio on, ticking clock, covering the crate, etc.
I'm at my wits end.
I'm all for crate training. We crate Rocky during the day while we work or he is destructive. But I have never crated a dog at night. I have found what works for me is I put a bed on the floor beside my bed and if you have to, tie him to the bed legs so he can't wander off. He would wake up the first few weeks and start to cry and I would simple reach down and pet him. He just was scared to be alone. If he had to use the bathroom I found he would get up off his bed and I knew to take him out. His collar jingled so I would hear him.
For those of you struggling so hard with a crate why not try either putting that crate beside your bed or putting his dog bed on the floor beside you. They usually just want to be near you.....Maybe get a larger crate and put both dog in it....
Oh, 5 1/2 weeks - he was such a baby!! Maybe some of his unhappiness stems from being so young when he left his momma. When I got Gabe, he had a crate right from the get-go, but one of my other dogs, Dillon, immediately laid down next to the crate the first night. Bless his heart - he was telling Gabe he would be fine, and have some company. Gabe laid next to him and went right to sleep. Not a peep.
I don't know if I'd put your pup in with the other dog, 'cause I think they each need a den of their own, but can you put the crates next to each other? Also, you might want to try Rescue Remedy - it helps with anxiety and fear. You can get it at a health food store, and just give him a few drops before bedtime.
Just a thought.....
It was four nights of tough love that worked for Jax. I wonder if your boy has become accustomed to going out at night, since you catered to his needs (crying). He is more than 4 months old, so he should be able to hold it for at least 8 hours or more. I would stop letting him out in the middle of the night. If you don't think you can enforce a strict regiment for at least 5 nights, consider bringing in the crate into the bedroom like my neighbors. When he becomes older, you can move him back out to wherever. I prefer the first method since on the average, it takes less than a week to accomplish. Plus, as another owner mentioned, once your boy is trained to stay cool in the crate, he will call you when it's really necessary whether it's an intruder alert or it's one of those rare nights that he must release outside.
Things are going well with Diesel. He is now just over 2 years old.
We no longer crate him at night. He stays in our room with us on his other bed, the floor next to my husband, in front of the vent, or on the end of the bed by my feet.
He doesn't seem to mind is crate as much either...I actually saw him yesterday go in there and lay down while I was watching TV in the living room and was shocked. Our other dog LOVES her crate and she does that almost every night when she is starting to get tired or when she doesn't want to be bothered. Glad Diesel is picking up on this.
Both dogs do get crated when we are at work. Diesel still likes to get into things, even though he has a hundred different toys...lol. Plus we just got a new leather sectional and don't want either one on it. Before they were allowed to go on the couch, so I thought it would be hard to train them they were not allowed, but they caught on fast. :) Just don't trust them not to go on it if we aren't there.
Thanks for everyones input - it sure helped when we were going through sleepless nights when he was younger. I will agree 110% with Fitzmar on the fact he is a "velcro" dog. It's so funny he doesn't mind doing his own thing when we are home, but has to know where both my husband and I are and will "check in" on us, but at night...he has to be with us and not in another room unless he hears something...then he goes in alert mode.
He is our first Doberman and we are now lovers for life and would love to have another one someday. :)
so glad everything worked out for you!!!
This is what I do only at night time, night crating, night potting ect ect. Others here do it differently...
When I get a new dog or puppy. I just don't answer the cries after put to bed!!! Period! NO Matter What!! This is part of the training that works for me. That puts a stop to the whining and messing the bed really fast!!!
I don't talk to the puppy, console or even look at them.
What worked for me was too ignore ignore ignore.
10 o'clock is bed time
7 or 8 o'clock is get up time
within a week NO more whines...poof gone! messing the bed done!
Later when he/she is crate trained, night time trained, if there is a "call out" then I know it has a real NEED and I go check, take her out or whatever sometimes they are sick but not always. LOL sometimes you just gotta go in the middle of the night!! Never took any of them very long to learn the routine.
I just hope this helps.