Crate Query

[Puppybella]

Like many of you, I would love some advice on crate training!

I have a gorgeous new puppy who is about 14 weeks old. We've had her for about a week and a half and I think she's getting used to her crate fairly well, she'll curl up and sleep in there during the day. At the moment during the night she is secured in a room with the crate as well as some newspaper for an indoor potty area. For the moment I have removed the crate door because I haven't started shutting her in there yet and didn't want her to hurt herself on it in the first few nights when she was jumping aroung and screaming her head off. The first 5 nights were hell but since then she's been quiet all night, realising that we do come back in the morning, and there haven't been any nighttime poops for the last 3 nights.

My question is, can I wait a little for her to naturally develop more bowel control before starting to crate train her, or if she has the opportunity to toilet during the night is she unlikely to develop it? Therefore I should start asap? For now, if we get the timing right with toileting and limit water after dinner she can make it through to 5 am without any poops or wees during the night, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to do that straight away when I start locking her in the crate, incase she does have an accident which makes for a bad experience. So I think I'll toilet her once a night when I start, just to make sure. Of course I'll start closing the door during the day to get her used to it.

I'd be grateful to hear other people's experiences - there is so much overwhelming and conflicting information out there I get a bit anxious about doing the wrong thing!

Thanks!

[The Spotted Devil]

I put pup's crate next to my bed - she felt comforted by being with her new family and if I heard her get restless or whine during the night I could get her outside to toilet. She learnt to sleep in if I did too

[BC Crazy]

Hi Puppybella,

Congratulations on your new addition. When I was crate/toilet training Stella, I found routine to be the key to it really. I feed my dogs fairly early 4pm, Limited water intake after 6pm,last toilet stop around 10pm, then into the crate & door closed. Till she was about 5mths I would get up during the night & let her out for a toilet break, then back into the crate till 6.30am.I gradually increased the time I would let her out during the night though. Started off at 2am, then 2.30 & so on. She never once had an accident in her crate she might of had only a few inside the house but not many, & only weed. Sure it is a pain, broken sleep, but it is soooo worth it now. Hope I was of some help. Good luck with your little one.

[aussielover]

If you have the crate near you and can hear her, its ok to shut the door.

My puppy didn't have any accidents from about 14 weeks and she wasn't even in a crate but on her dog bed in my room (although her crate was also in my room.