KristenE 2 Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 I need some feedback. I'm so afraid I'm going to do something wrong and then have bad habits or behaviors to fix later. Here's what's going on...... Biscotti sleeps in her crate that I put on my nightstand. She does GREAT! She goes in at 10pm and goes right to sleep. Wakes up around 3am I put her on the potty pad and she goes potty, then back into the crate until 5:15am when she wakes up full of energy and spunk. I'd really like her to sleep until 6am, but that's not really a concern right now. After I get the kids off to school I then put her into the gated off downstairs bathroom (has a potty pad, I put her crate in there with the front door off, and a couple of her favorite toys). Then I go upstairs for a shower and to get dressed. When I go up she's quiet.....but starts barking by the time I get the shower running. She's probably in the gated off bathroom for about 20 minutes total. She doesn't bark the entire times....but most of it. I always make sure that I come around the corner (where she could see me) only when she's quiet so that I'm letting her out of the bathroom when she's not barking. I don't want her to think that if she barks she'll get out. Well she seems to get stressed and poops by the gate (not on the potty pad) and then jumps in it when she's jumping up at the gate barking. Today I decided to try something different. I brought Biscotti up into my bathroom with her small crate and put her into the crate for my shower. She started barking once I went into the shower. I kept her in the crate while i showered, dressed and blew dry my hair (about 20 minutes). I waited until she had a quiet moment before I let her out. Then I saw that she'd pooped in her crate (I'm guessing she got stressed and pooped). This was the first time she'd ever gone potty in her crate. She's only 8 1/2 weeks old right now. I have yet to leave her home alone (crated or in the gated off bathroom) but I'm going to have to today for about 30-40 minutes. I'm afraid she's going to bark the entire time and get herself very worked up and stressed. But at the same time I know she needs to learn to be left as there will be times she'll have to be home without us. I'd really appreciate any help or input you could give as well as what has or has not worked for you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kcsheperd 13 Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 Well let me start off by saying, I dont really crate train.. I mean they go in their crate sometimes, but I dont crate at night..What I have noticed is that When I put them in their crate and leave, they really start barking..but then when I come back, they have quit barking and gone sound asleep. (I crate mine when I have to leave for a couple of hours). She is probably just wanting attention..be that in the form of you looking at her, or shhhshing her.. I have noticed that my pups do much better at going potty when they are on a strict schedule.. So for example, I wake up at 3:30 am, I take them outside to pee pee, and they get breakfast..after about 15 minutes I know that Sawyer will have to go Potty..Payslee usually potty's BEFORE she gets breakfast, so I know she wont have to go. I know they will have to go again when I get home around 11am..and then they eat supper around 5:00, and like clockwork, 15 minutes later Sawyer will have to go.. So maybe try that. Feed her..then wait about 15 minutes and take her to go potty..then do your shower thing. Puppies will usually go Potty within 5-40 minutes after they eat, especially at her young age..so that would be my suggestion.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KristenE 2 Posted March 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 Currently I don't really have her on a food/potty schedule. She's 1.5 lbs currently so the vet suggested that she have access to food whenever she wants it. I watch her signals (sniffing in circles usually) then take her to the potty pad. She's even gone to the pad on her own too. I do plan on switching to scheduled feeding times eventually which I know will help with the potty schedule. I left her alone today for about 45 minutes (my appt when longer then I'd planned). She was in the gated off downstairs bathroom with a potty pad, her crate with the door off it and her favorite couple toys. She was barking when I left and when I got home. I'm not sure if she heard the garage door then started back barking when I returned. I'm going to sneak in the front door and park in the drive way next time I leave her. She didn't have any poop accidents while I was gone this time . I just hate the thought of her barking so long. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stacey 7 Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 I agree, some people uses potty pads with success.....but others its just not right for them.... Its not right for me.... because maci refuses to use one, so it just makes more sense for me to take them all out. At 8 1/2 weeks of age, you just need to expect things like this to happen and sorta over look it, or either get on a schedule and take them out as KC said. your night time schedule sounds great.... but you'll have to remember puppies poo more than adults.... as they cant hold as much in one feeding and then what you feed goes out again in roughly 45 mins... when my pups were that small, it was hourly trips outside until I learned their habits of poo's pees etc... and until Lea got about 4lbs she went every 1 to 2 hours. So what is your feeding schedule like? Im going to run through mine (keep in mind we keep vampire hours but you'll understand) We go to sleep at 6 to 7am ish..... sleep til 2 to 3pm.........lea will usually wake me up if she has to go... and then im usually up for the day regardless of what time it is... Bert and Lea will poo and pee when they wake up I usually come back after taking all 3 out and let them play a bit before feeding.... put lea and bert in their crates with their food.... I feed maci on the floor in the kitchen and she get full reign of the house since she's 5 years old. After about an hour I take them all out again, maci will then poo/pee and the pups will poo/pee again. They then get to play some more and then they sleep for a few hours, then they go out again this time for a pee.... Then play some more, sleep some more, then another pee. Around 11pm they will poo again before their nightly dinner..... same thing... play, then crated for dinner about 12midnigt to 1am, an hour later another potty tiime poo/pees all the way around again... And then another 2 potty trips before bed at 7am. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kcsheperd 13 Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Payslee only weighed 1.5 when I brought her home too, and what I did was Feed her in the morning, at noon, and in the evening..then I would also leave dry food out for her in the day so if she got hungry she would have that as a snack..But the scheduled feeding is what worked for me, and Payslee did start to put on weight..so you might try that..Pays is at a whopping 5lbs now at 23 weeks! lol.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stacey 7 Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Yeah my Lea still is only 6 to 7 lbs and she's 7 months old. She still dont eat as much as the other two but I will get better with time and growth. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JenBear7 0 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I had no problem acclimating Carter to a crate. If you put it on the floor and teach them "crate" by Saying Crate, then helping them inside, close the door.. wait a few seconds and give a treat and then let them out for a bit, gradually increasing the time. The first night he barked, so I put him on my bed in the crate and he was fine. The next night, maybe 3 minutes of a slight whine. Now, nothing.. I put him in the crate whenever I can not watch his every move (like when I am showering or getting dressed). He naps in his crate voluntarily. His potty training is going "ok". He gets excited if I ask him to go "out" so I think hes getting it. I have had him almost 3 weeks, and he is 14.5 weeks old. He has food available all the time, but he doesn't eat very often. When he first wakes up he goes potty, then he comes in and eats and needs to go back out for another potty in about 15 minutes.. then he just goes out to pee for the day, pottying again in the evening and sometimes right before bed- although that isn't happening as much anymore. His only accidents are when I am not paying close enough attention. Today he actually barked at me to go out.. I almost cried I was so happy. I have never used potty pads- so I can not comment on them, but perhaps the crate/treating thing would help your baby get used to it... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KristenE 2 Posted April 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I guess I should update on how things are going..... Biscotti is actually doing 100% potty outside now. Potty pads are a thing of the past. She is doing really well with hardly any accidents. When she does have one its pretty much because I lost track of time and didn't take her out. I've been taking her out every 2 hours for potty. She'll every now and then sit in front of the door to go out but most of the time does doesn't do anything to let me know she has to go. She does AWESOME with her crate now. She sleeps from 10pm to 6:15 am and then I take her out to potty. When I have to leave the house I put her in the gated off down stairs bathroom with her water, some toys and a dog bed. When I put her in she just lays down in her dog bed. I think she sleeps while I'm gone. But she no longer barks when I put her in and when I get home she's stretching and yawning LOL. We still free feed but really I only see her eating 3 times a day with an occasional snack here and there. But I just measure out a days worth of food in the morning and there's typically a few pieces left at the end of the day. I probably could go to just putting the food down 3 times a day but haven't yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyTzuLady 16 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 :) Biscotti! Good girl! :blush-anim-cl: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ming Ming and Suki's Momma 0 Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 I am in the in the same boat as KristenE. Ming Ming is 9 weeks old. I got her at 7 weeks old and I tried to crate train her. Lets just say that was a waste of money for me. The first night in the crate she whine and I had to let her out. Now I have her gated in her area with potty pads and her bed, which she uses good. And she goes outside as well. So, is it too late to try and crate train? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stacey 7 Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 (edited) I am in the in the same boat as KristenE. Ming Ming is 9 weeks old. I got her at 7 weeks old and I tried to crate train her. Lets just say that was a waste of money for me. The first night in the crate she whine and I had to let her out. Now I have her gated in her area with potty pads and her bed, which she uses good. And she goes outside as well. So, is it too late to try and crate train? Its never too late but the earlier you do it the better. Crates are a blessing if you do them right. Just make them their "bed" or "home" for them. A few toys, a receiving blanket that you have slept with for your scent. Even if you just attempt to train 10 mins a day and slowly adding more time they will eventually get it. Number 1 rule of crate training..... never ever let them out when they whine, no matter how much it bugs you, they make you think you are killing them, dont give in. Only remove them from the crate when they are cool, calm and collective with no barks. If they bark as you attempt to take them out, walk away. Also when you put her in the gated area use the crate instead of the bed, she will grow to love her crate as if its her space on her own if you do that long enough. Edited April 27, 2009 by Stacey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ming Ming and Suki's Momma 0 Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Thanks, I was told the same thing by the Vet, but the whining and barking just got to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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