Crate barking

[TxMom]

Over the last week or so, Livi started whining and barking when she didn't want to be in her crate. It escalated for a few days, peaked over the weekend, and seems to have mostly died off yesterday. I'm assuming she tested to see if we really, really meant she wouldn't get out by whining and she found out that we really, really did. However, I think we may have inadvertently fed a second issue.

 

Her crate is downstairs rather than up in our bedroom, because the bedroom has always been the cats' safe zone and we didn't want to disrupt that. There's also not another good place for a cats-only room. Livi has started whining and barking about 10-15 minutes before we're usually downstairs for the day (this started after several days of routine, so she knew when to expect us). Given the timing, I'm pretty sure it's impatience rather than a sudden urgent need to go out. What I had been doing was proceeding with my routine as usual, going down but ignoring her until she's quiet. But now I'm beginning to think she barks until we come down, then knows to be quiet once she sees us in order to get out of her crate. In other words, she thinks her barking is getting us downstairs, and we've been reinforcing that without realizing it. Does that sound right? If so, I'm assuming we just don't go down until she stops her fussing in the mornings? She gets her last potty break at 10 p.m. and we get up between 6 and 6:30, although if she's persistent with the barking and we're waiting for her to stop it could end up being closer to 7. At four months old, is that likely to cause more problems? I could try to get up before she starts barking, but it seems like that would just be avoiding the issue... and she'd just as likely start waking up earlier herself and we'd have the same problem again.

[Cass C]

Honestly that a long time without a potty break and could be the source of the barking. Puppies should really be going out every 4 hours, and the middle of the night potty break should be no fun. It should be outside on a leash bathroom back inside. No playing, no petting, and no excitement. I have found that if you set an alarm and wake them up for a potty break it will be easier to stretch out the time between potty breaks to the whole night. I wouldn't leave the puppy without a potty break all night until about 5-6 months old. Also do you have food and/or water in the crate at night? If so I'd remove it, so she doesn't drink a bunch of water or eat and need a potty break sooner.

 

You can also try covering the crate with a light sheet or blanket, so the puppy can't see you in the mornings. Then ignore her until she is quiet. If she doesn't seem to be sleeping most of the night I would also do an exhausting play session before bed to make sure she actually sleeps.

[TxMom]

Ok, I was wondering if it was just too long for her age. I set up a baby monitor in case she woke up overnight and she didn't at all until after a few days when she started barking just before we were due to go downstairs, around the same time as she started barking in the crate in general. It's never happened at, say, 4 a.m. That's why I assumed they were related.

 

I can do a middle-of-the-night potty break if that's what she needs. There's no food or water in the crate. She eats in her crate, but earlier in the evening. She does get an evening play session that usually results in a case of the zoomies, and when we come in from that she flops right down in her crate and seems tired. I'm not hearing any restlessness overnight, just starting about 10 or 15 minutes before we go down.

[waffles]

At 4 months our pup was sleeping through the night no problem for 7-8hours (she was doing so before then too but I think your pup is 4 months?)

 

If she is doing it right before you get up then I would guess she knows your schedule already. I have a cat that starts meowing for breakfast 30 seconds to 5 minutes before the alarms sounds. I think he can read a clock.

 

With daylight savings time, the puppy has started fussing and whining when it gets pretty light out which is now about 15 or so minutes before we wake up. I just ignore her until she quiets down. I also have her in a room where she can't see us.

[Maralynn]

My pup was sleeping through the night just fine at 4 m/o. I got him at 9.5 weeks and we just had middle of the night potty breaks for a week or so and then he was sleeping about 7.5 hrs just fine.

 

But a middle of the night potty break would give you more leeway in waiting her out in the morning.

[geonni banner]

My routine with a younger puppy was usually romping play session about two hours before bedtime and allow them a big drink of water after. After they had their drink I'd pick up the water bowl and made sure the toilet lid was closed. Then a potty break before bedtime, and into the crate.

 

Of course if I hear whining and crying at any time during the night, I'm up like a shot to get that pup - or grown dog, for that matter, outside. But like you said - no tomfoolery - strictly bathroom stuff.

 

Of course all puppies are not the same, but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect an 8-hour night in the crate at 4 mos. I would guess your puppy's morning barking is anticipatory to you getting up. After all, breakfast won't be far behind! One thing I think is important - don't uncrate the pup immediately upon rising. Go have your own bathroom break and start the coffee machine. Open and shut an outside door. Vary the routine. If a puppy expects the fun to begin the moment you roll out of bed, it will get excited the moment you do. If it knows it doesn't get out the moment you get up, it will be easier for it to remain calm in the crate. And for heaven's sake, no get-out-of-jail party as you let them out!

 

The only other reason I could think of for a pup who had previously been quiet in the morning is that they have a urinary issue, like a bladder infection. But I wouldn't place a high probability on it.

[teresaserrano]

Tess came home at 11 weeks old and she never needed a nightime potty break. Had she asked, she would have gotten it, but she always slept through the night. She slept in her crate, in my room, no noise ever. If she was in another room, I think the odds would be higher that she would make noise on hearing me get up. But she could see me, so she waited patiently for me to open the crate.

[Riika]

We got Bonny at 11 weeks also, and she too, never needed a potty break. Oh she barked, whined, and screamed, but was just throwing a fit. It actually took six months for her to stop it. In the meantime, earplugs were used.

If she didn't need to go bathroom, she was ignored until she was quiet. It didn't matter if it was ten minutea, or ten hours. She was in the other room, and totally ignored.

[Tommy Coyote]

I don't ever let my puppies scream. When I get one their crate is right by my bed where they can hear me and the other dogs. Once they get comfortable with their new surroundings I move the crate further away.

[GentleLake]

^^ I don't either. I've used this method, and I've also been known to just put the puppy in bed with me for the first few nights until they get over being abruptly separated from their mother, litter mates and everything they know and are familiar with. Call me a softie, but it's worked well for me.

[Tommy Coyote]

I've done that, too. I just put towels on the bed and let the puppy stay right with me. As long as you don't roll over on it. But I have had good luck with the crate right by the bed. If the puppy gets restless I can just talk to it or tap the top of the crate.

 

Little puppies panic if they think they are all alone so I just make sure they know I'm there and so are the other dogs. If I leave them during the day they still can hear the other dogs who sleep on the bed.

 

I've never really had a puppy that screamed.

[TxMom]

This morning we were down before she started; whether because she was more patient or we were more prompt, I'm not sure. There's no party when she gets out. Her crate isn't far from the back door, so she goes straight out and I ignore her until she's pottied and then praise and play a little before we go back in for breakfast. She's actually not all that excited about her food usually, so instead of feeding her immediately we let her hang out near the table while we eat and then I crate her with her breakfast when the kids come down to eat a little later. After they eat we go out for more playtime. Eventually it'll be a long walk (that was our routine previously) but we're avoiding public areas for now and then will start with shorter/slower walks.

[Riika]

Little puppies panic if they think they are all alone so I just make sure they know I'm there and so are the other dogs. If I leave them during the day they still can hear the other dogs who sleep on the bed.

Although when she screamed, she was all alone, I don't think it was a case of her being scared. For one, the other dogs were there. She started anytime she was restrained in any way. It didn't make a difference whether or not the kennel was near me. Anyway, she is a very noisy dog about everything though she has slacked waaaayyyy off recently. When she doesn't get her own way, when she's tied for any amount of time, if she's frustrated, etc.

[Tess's Girl]

Crow was extremely noisy in his crate for awhile. I finally had the idea to put a blanket over the crate. (It should have occurred to me much sooner than it did). After that he was fine. He also never needed a potty break overnight.

[Tommy Coyote]

I have blankets over all my crates. I really only need them during storms or if we have visitors. They do make the wire crates like dens and the dogs like that.