[isuquinndog]

Ok, so we didn't do a good job when we got the puppy last week about crating. Just put him in there and hoped. Obviously, that didn't work. So, I have a couple of questions.

Can we start over? Or is he just going to be totally confused?

We work all day, but am able to come at lunch time. Where should he go at the very start of crate training during the day? Should we block off an area of our house, or put him in the crate, even if he doesn't want to be in there?

It's a mini-dachshund by the way.

 

[Keechak]

Put him in the crate even if he whines. but a puppy that young should be let out to go potty at least every three hours (preferably two hours). make sure the crate is small enough that he can't pee in one side and sleep on the other side.

but only put him in the crate when you can't be watching him. a puppy still needs to spend lots of quality time with you.

 

[isuquinndog]

But can we start over with put the treats in, see if he'll go in it, feeding him in there and all that? Or is he still going to associate the crate with being trapped since we didn't do any of that to start with?

The major problem is at night. We tried to hold up for 3 hrs the other night, but he whinned for the entire time. Will putting him in the same room help that?

 

[Keechak]

I crated my newest puppy in my room and it made things easy. If he would whine I would slam my hand on the top of the kennel he stoped whining in one night. But he still loves his kennel and even goes in there when he is tired and the door is open. I didn't feed my dogs in the kennel. But I do give them treats after I have shut them in.

 

[Trixie]

Yes, you can start over. Your pup is only 8 weeks old? I fear it will have a very hard time holding it for much more than an hour. So, you might want to corner off a section of the house or get a pen rather than crating if you can't get home. You can then work on crating when you are home, so that when the pup can go a little longer without being let out, he'll be ready for it.

Definitely move the crate into your room at night.

But even if this doesn't work, you can still try again. It is a myth that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Reality is, you can. We struggled with crate training and finally got it done when she was about 7 months old. No big deal.

Also, learn to manage expectations. I think a lot of people want things to happen quickly, but training a puppy takes time. At 8 weeks old, they aren't retaining much. You'll see a major difference once they hit 12 weeks old. And from there, learning just gets easier for a puppy.

 

[isuquinndog]

Thanks Trixie.

Right now he seems to do pretty well when we leave him in the kitchen with it gated off to the rest of the house. He doesn't whine when he's there alone too much, even uses a puppy pad about 50% of the time.

We crated him for the first time today for an all day thing and when I went home at lunch, he had peed in it. I don't think he's ready for it yet. I think for now, when we aren't home, the open kitchen is the way to go.

When we do take him out, he goes almost every single time. Pooping is a bit of a struggle yet, he likes to do that inside, but number 1 is no problem every time. I just think it's an issue of holding it.

 

[Trixie]

Again, it isn't about being ready or not, it's about being physically able to hold it for more than an hour or so. He just can't, and will pee in the crate. So, I guess yeah, not ready for crating when you are at work.

When Pepper was a puppy, we had a hell of a time getting her to poop outside. I would have to stand there -- in the rain and cold sometimes -- until she finally went. Then I praised like crazy. It took time, but she got it. And we got her on a schedule. She even lets us know when she has to go out and understands "Outside?" and will go straight to the door when she has to go. She's just a over a year now.

It takes time. Also, dogs will regress and progress throughout the entire process. 8 weeks is really young. I think the best thing at this point is not to expect much at all. Their tiny brains aren't even finished growing yet.

I always sort of feel bad when people are worried when the dog is so young. I think expectations are too high. The one thing that got me through those early weeks/months was managing expectations. A little dog pee and poop in the house was no big deal once I realized that training takes time.

Good luck, and don't worry -- he WILL be housetrained.

 

[isuquinndog]

Thanks for the encouragement. I think expectations is part of it. I had a dog when I was a kid, but I don't remember him being a puppy. I'm sure my parents do.