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    bethelyse's Avatar
    bethelyse Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Nov 26, 2005, 10:50 AM
    Help... Dog cries every night in the crate...
    My one year old dachshund cries every night at around 1am in his crate for no other reason then to be let out to come sleep in my bed. We try to ignore it and tell him to lay down but this will go on for an hour or so until we finally give in and let him out. Any suggestions??
    Thanks
    RickJ's Avatar
    RickJ Posts: 7,762, Reputation: 864
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    #2

    Nov 26, 2005, 12:19 PM
    He knows you will let him out. :p

    I'm no expert, but I've seen a few episodes of that Dog Trainer guy on TV and it always seems that habits like this are broken within several days.

    If you can live with it for a week - and not let him out - I think that will be your answer.
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
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    #3

    Nov 26, 2005, 09:47 PM
    If you have been letting him do this for most of a year, I doubt it will go away in a few days. Many smaller dogs are very strong willed and end up dominating the household. There are many 4 legged Napoleons out there.
    Having a good pack structure reduces such problems. The dogs see all the
    People and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in
    The pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members
    Outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by
    Reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class
    Or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with
    A treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/.

    Just as dogs instinctively obey a strong leader, they also want to be with the rest of the family at all times. The choice sleeping spots are a very important part of the ranking. Most dogs will not give up sleeping in your bed easily. Does he sit quietly until you put his food down and say ''Free dog.''? Does he willingly give up something he shouldn't have when you catch him? If letting him into the bed has been going on for a long time, another month may not make changing it much worse. That will get you through the holidays and maybe get him into an obedience class.

    I would lay ahold of a book and start basic obedience now. If you have some time of over the holidays, that might be a good time to start making him stay in the crate when you don't have to be up early and go to work. I am very afraid it will cost some sleep. I have had great luck with little puppies first week by themselves bu laying down in front of the crate like I was going to sleep there. Usually a puppy may fuss a little, but then
    Settle down and go to sleep. Once it is asleep, you can get up and go to bed.
    I have had puppies set the neighbors' dogs to barking before I discovered that trick one night when I was tired and desperate to get some sleep. A dog can make itself hard to ignore. I am not sure my trick will work in this case.

    If you will be traveling over the holidays and kennel him, the first night back home may be a great time to start. He will have already had a few night by himself.
    ab-solute's Avatar
    ab-solute Posts: 44, Reputation: 2
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    #4

    Nov 26, 2005, 11:54 PM
    Our pup is 18 weeks old and he cries in his crate as well. We are getting a shock collar next week. We tried the high pitch sounds, didn't work. We also bought a pinch collar and that seems to get his attention, but we need something for distance.
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
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    #5

    Nov 27, 2005, 07:35 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by ab-solute
    Our pup is 18 weeks old and he cries in his crate as well. We are getting a shock collar next week. We tried the high pitch sounds, didn't work. We also bought a pinch collar and that seems to get his attention, but we need something for distance.
    I really hate to see a young dog treated that way. I know of nobody that knows much about dogs that would use one in this case. Try the laying down in front of the crate as I suggested in my other answer. It really works.
    ab-solute's Avatar
    ab-solute Posts: 44, Reputation: 2
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    #6

    Dec 8, 2005, 10:08 AM
    We got the shock collar and it has a high pitch buzz to it that you use first. If that doesn't help, you only use a shock that is a low level. It just makes his head tilt. I felt it myself at the level I shocked him and it was not painful at all, plus he has the fur it has to go through. It's working and he is a much better behaved animal. Thanks for the suggestions as well. I will try anything.
    momincali's Avatar
    momincali Posts: 641, Reputation: 242
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    #7

    Dec 8, 2005, 02:22 PM
    Beth- There are a few alternatives but if at all possible (and it is possible) please don't shock your dog like the previous poster. A great dog show on tv right now is called The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan on the National Geographic Channel. He uses dog psychology (I know, it kinda sounds funny) but he's great. He also has a DVD on Amazon I think. He talks alot about owners being a strong pack leaders in order to get the behavior that you want from your animal. Make sure your dog gets very long walks at least twice a day, all the energy they have pent up tends to come out at night or while you're gone. It's good to play with your dog and love him up but you must also not be afraid of discipline. No shocks or hits, just a swift firm tug on his choker collar and a "sshhhht" sound immediately when he displays the behavior you want to eliminate. The choke collar should sit high up on his neck, right below his ears so that you don't hurt him. Try watching his show and you'll see what I mean.

    One thing that works is to get an old towel of yours, sleep with it for about a week so that it has your scent and then put that in his crate. Don't wash it until he soils it. I have 3 dogs, all different sizes and it's worked everytime.

    I don't know if you're open to getting a second dog but many times, that alone will be a great contributer to quieting your dog down. Also, make sure your dog is spayed/neutered, that goes a long way, I'm sure your vet will agree.

    Be patient, I know it's hard but once you get rid of these behaviors you'll be soooooo happy with your doggy. Good luck.:)
    gradys_kitchen's Avatar
    gradys_kitchen Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #8

    Dec 14, 2005, 09:28 PM
    Breaking trainig
    Our 1 1/2 year old mix has recentlt begun crying at night once in the crate. This began again about 2 weeks ago. Previously he had been excited to go to bed even getting distressed on nights we stayed up later and he was unable to go in his crate around his normal time. Any suggestions or should we just wait this one out as well? He dd initially make a fuss when we got him a year ago, but got to the comfort level described before shortly after. My assumption is he's acting out for the sake of it as nothing else has changed.
    ab-solute's Avatar
    ab-solute Posts: 44, Reputation: 2
    Junior Member
     
    #9

    Dec 14, 2005, 11:28 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by momincali
    Beth- There are a few alternatives but if at all possible (and it is possible) please don't shock your dog like the previous poster. A great dog show on tv right now is called The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan on the National Geographic Channel. He uses dog psychology (I know, it kinda sounds funny) but he's great. He also has a DVD on Amazon I think. He talks alot about owners being a strong pack leaders in order to get the behavior that you want from your animal. Make sure your dog gets very long walks at least twice a day, all the energy they have pent up tends to come out at night or while you're gone. It's good to play with your dog and love him up but you must also not be afraid of discipline. No shocks or hits, just a swift firm tug on his choker collar and a "sshhhht" sound immediately when he displays the behavior you want to eliminate. The choke collar should sit high up on his neck, right below his ears so that you don't hurt him. Try watching his show and you'll see what I mean.

    One thing that works is to get an old towel of yours, sleep with it for about a week so that it has your scent and then put that in his crate. Don't wash it until he soils it. I have 3 dogs, all different sizes and it's worked everytime.

    I don't know if you're open to getting a second dog but many times, that alone will be a great contributer to quieting your dog down. Also, make sure your dog is spayed/neutered, that goes a long way, I'm sure your vet will agree.

    Be patient, I know it's hard but once you get rid of these behaviors you'll be soooooo happy with your doggy. Good luck.:)
    _____________________________________________

    Our Shock collar is working out very well. When it's on level 4, he doesn't even feel it, and it does no good. We use a level 5 and it's just enough to get his attention. He doesn't cry or yelp. I felt it myself and it did not hurt me. Plus he has a lot of fur. We haven't had to use it in days. He is behaving very well now.

    I spanked my kids too when they needed it. I suppose I am a bad parent as well.
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
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    #10

    Dec 15, 2005, 06:37 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by gradys_kitchen
    Our 1 1/2 year old mix has recentlt begun crying at night once in the crate. This began again about 2 weeks ago. Previously he had been excited to go to bed even getting distressed on nights we stayed up later and he was unable to go in his crate around his normal time. Any suggestions or should we just wait this one out as well? He dd initially make a fuss when we got him a year ago, but got to the comfort level described before shortly after. My assumption is he's acting out for the sake of it as nothing else has changed.
    Most behavior changes call for a trip to the vet. Something has changed, and if it is a physical change, you will not be able to train him out of it. Also double check his environment. With the heating season, has something changed leaving his crate too warm or too cool, etc.

    We use our crate to block the one hallway confining the dog to half the down stairs. Some of them have gone and laid down in their crate when they thought it was bed time. They need to go to bed early in order to punish us sluggards that would otherwise sleep in until 6 AM.
    Voice of Reason's Avatar
    Voice of Reason Posts: 1, Reputation: 0
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    #11

    May 27, 2007, 12:19 PM
    This answer comes too late to help the questioner, but perhaps someone else will benefit.

    Just let the poor puppy sleep in your bed! It's cruel to pull a pup away from its mommy and force it to sleep alone. The little critter needs the security of being beside a warm body. Afraid of a little puppy-pee-pee? May you should have adopted an adult dog. Your Significant Other doesn't like sharing the bed? Tough. The puppy is a baby and should be your priority.

    Your puppy will outgrow the need to sleep close to you and eventually choose to sleep elsewhere.

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