How Do I Tell..

[Miss Monster]

Where is the very tired emoticon? Bakari is still crying a lot and we don't know if he's crying cos he's alone or crying for the toilet - when we do go out he has already toileted on the tiles and just seems to want to play? There doesn't seem to be a time frame either - poos can come before 12 or before 3am. We've been concentrating on praising him when he goes outside that we haven't been giving him the command to go so when we do get up to take him out he doesn't get why and just wants to play so we know we need to work on that.

He sleeps in his crate (with the door open) in the lounge room (all other rooms blocked off) but he doesn't like being locked in his crate - he'll sleep in there fine doesn't mind the door being closed but freaks when he wants to get out and realises he can't get out/can't see us.... And will jump around bash his head, scratch & chew at the crate so much so that we think he'll hurt himself - once he's settled and we let him out he doesn't need to go either - just wants out!

Normal routine is dinner 6.30pm, bed 10-10.30 (we normally have to wake him to see if he'll go but can wait more than half an hour without anything) up at 12, 3 & 6am... I took him out after every sleep, every play, every drink yesterday but he didn't pee for nearly 4 hours! He's getting better during the day and will generally go outside as we leave the door open for him but nights are the issue.

Any help would be appreciated!

[Martyr]

Every time you take him outside (make sure he's on a lead the whole time) to goto the toilet after bedtime, start giving him a command such as 'wee wee's' or 'hurry up', once he goes, praise him and then put him straight back to bed. No playtime. No nothing. He will learn that you mean business and he will get the idea. During daytime, same applies for when he's crying at the door (except dont put him back to sleep). He will learn that crying at the door only gives him an opportunity to eliminate.

At first when I started this routine - after my puppy was taken outside and eliminated during the night, she'd come inside and act like "AWESOME!! LETS PLAY DAD!!" but I'd quickly just lock her in her crate. She'd whine, cry, bark. But she got used to it, and now she knows the drill. I also like to give my puppy a treat every time they are put back to bed after eliminating during the night. I found this has helped. Now, once I take her inside she'll bolt to her crate in anticipation for the treat.

If he's staying in his crate with the door open then I guess thats ok, but if he's not then I strongly suggest you lock the door. You really want him confined in the crate during these critical training times so he doesn't have an opportunity to get up when he wants and to eliminate outside of it. He needs to fit into YOUR schedule. If you never have plans to lock the door it kind of defeats the purpose of having a crate in the first place.

He WILL eventually get used to it. I found that covering the crate with a blanket helps. And please, IGNORE the whining. This is very hard to do. But please remember, if he cries and barks for 4 hours and you eventually give up and let him out, he'll quickly learn that 4 hours of barking has reached his goal and you have essentially had a massive setback with the training. You'll go through several sleepless nights... or weeks. I did.

We went through this same stage with my puppy. It's very hard at times. But if you're consistent, you WILL get through it, trust me.

Edited August 29, 2007 by Martyr

[Miss Monster]

Thanks for that - we do want the crate door closed but have been slowly trying to get him used to it - he's going to be a show dog so has to get used to being locked in - I just didn't want him to hate it by locking him in straight away - the instructions said to do it slowly for a few minutes at a time until he gets used to it....

I'll try locking it tonight and will try the lead - I don't think he likes me watching him though as he seems to hide when doing it - I think it may have been from us picking him up and taking him outside to where we want him to go for the first few days.... Now we don't mind where he goes in the yard as long as it's not inside!