[Bothelabradoodle]

I am a first time dog owner and have a 14 week old Australian Labradoodle. He is terrific except for the fact that he hates his crate. He cries when we put him in the crate and then he whines every night from 3:30-5:30 so I am unable to sleep during those hours because I hear him whining. I have tried many things (special treats in his crate, a smaller crate, covering crate, training him with treats to go in his crate) but unfortunately nothing has stopped his whining.I have not yet tried to move the crate to our bedroom and have to admit I am resisting doing this. Is anyone else experiencing this ?

 

[Alisa♥]

Although I did not experience this, things are bound to get better! Is your puppy whining because he needs to be taken out for a potty break at that time? Young puppies can't usually make it all of the way through the night without a bathroom break (again, this too shall pass, but for now you may be getting up once or twice during the night).

 

[Bothelabradoodle]

Thanks for your response. Bo is able to hold his pee from 12:00 until 5:30, my husband does the last walk at around midnight. It is definitely is possible that he might need to pee at 3:30 but just whines and holds it until 5:30. I was getting up for a couple of weeks at 3:00 to walk him but then when I would put him back in the crate he would continue to cry until the next time got up (5:30) so I stopped getting up because I was so sleep deprived and because I wanted to see if he could hold off peeing longer.

 

[Alisa♥]

That could be it, and you might find that he is quieter/sleeps better if he's in your room until he's a little bit older. It seemed to work having a small crate in our room with my pup. She grew out of the "baby" crate and now she can sleep alone in her crate in the living room, or on our bed, depending on the day.

Those sleep-deprived nights are still fresh in my mind, and we do still have the rare mid-night wake-up (last night at 2:30 comes to mind :laugh but the regular night-waking stage will pass!

 

[Shahbazin]

Congrats on your new puppy! If you're hearing your pup anyhow, you might as well move him to your bedroom - a lot of pups just get lonely, being social creatures & coming from the group of mom & sibs. I'd also give him one more walk when he wakes at 3:30 - might really have to go, & that way he knows someone will respond to him. But then be real boring, just pick him up or put a slip lead on him, take him right outside to do his business, then put him back in his crate. I don't say anything other than "Go potty" and "Good boy" at that stage. No pats, chatter or fussing, just a word of praise if he eliminates, then back to sleep. Fussing & play are for daylight, people in nightgowns & bathrobes are no fun. All my pups figure it out within a few days to a week.

 

[Sydneyrocky]

Yes agree with the responses; also have you tried a crate cover? When mine was that age she would whine until we put a crate cover on-it was amazing, she would wake up to go potty and then come in and go right in and back to sleep. Unfortunately at that time I was waking her up at 3:00am because I had to leave for work at 4:00am so she got used to that time; she even now at 16mths gets up and goes out at 3:00am, but now she had a dog door and has the crate door open !! Time will pass so fast you will be surprised, they gro up fast.

 

[Bothelabradoodle]

Thanks everyone for all of your support and recommendations!!!

 

[Francl27]

I had to get my puppy out to pee in the middle of the night until 5 months or so. I'd let him out, no play or anything, just straight to pee and back in the crate.