Hello! We got a new little puppy when he was 8 weeks old. He is now 16 weeks old. We are having trouble crate training him. He yips and barks from the minute you close the door until you let him out. And he pees in the cage every time he is in it. Even if it is just a short amount of time.

There was lots going on last week and I had to work 3rd shirt, so my daughter let him sleep with her 3 nights in a row. (I didn't know until the end of the week) He didn't bark once and slept through the night without a single accident or needing to go out. SO, he is capable of not having the accidents in his cage.

I have had more than one type of advice from trainers. The first time was to stay up all night with him and slap the top of his cage and yell "quiet!" every time he yipped. I did this for 3 nights and it was just a circle of him yipping and me slapping. It didn't deter him at all.

The second was to do the same thing and squirt him with vinegar water. I felt horrid doing it and I didn't.

We praise him for going in and out the cage during the day. We put treats in it. A chew toy. He will not lay in his cage even with the door open. BUT, he needs to be in it when no one is home.

Another told me he was barking because we were getting up every couple hours to take him potty (When we first got him). That we should ignore him all night no matter how much he barked. That's when the pottying in the cage started. Now, we can just put him in there for 1 hour and he has gone. We ALWAYS make sure he potties before we leave too.

I am just frustrated and trying to figure out what to do now!

Thanks!
Michelle

There are several very good dog experts on this site. They will see your question and give you some good ideas.

Is there a way to partition him off from the rest of the house but in a safe area, say, in part of the kitchen?

His snuggling up to your daughter's warm body is like being back home with Mom and his siblings. Have you tried a towel-wrapped hot water bottle or a fleecy stuffed animal as a crate-mate?

Yep. He is gated so that he is only in the kitchen/family room area. The rest of the house has very new carpet and he isn't allowed in those areas. THANKS!