Need help with crate training

My son purchased an 8 week old Boston that's staying at my house for 3 weeks. Since he lives in an apartment, the puppy will be in a crate at night and during the day when he's at work.

We've had her for 4 days now and she crys and whines all night long. She may sleep 1 or 2 hours, then crys for at least 1/2 to 1 hour, then sleeps a little more and it starts all over again. I have the crate in a separate room with the radio on.

Not only am I not getting any sleep, but I fear she also does this during the day and this is going to be a huge issue once my son takes her as it's going to disturb people in the apartment building(I can't believe how loud she cries).

Any suggestions on keeping her in a separate room in the crate? Is this just going to take time for her to get used to?

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Need help with crate training

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Dec 13, 2010
 Followup to Comments
by: Anonymous

Thanks for all your comments, I'll try moving her into my bedroom. She's can't make it thru the night without an accident so she'll have to be in her crate.

What about during the day? My son works and I'm afraid she'll cry and disturb the neighbors in the apartment building (I know she cries at my house). She'll have to be in a crate since she can't make it thru the day and chews on everything. Since I've tried leaving the tv on at night and that doesn't help, I don't think that will help during the day.
Dec 11, 2010
 sweet dreams!
by: Patty

I'm with Linda on this one! Bostons love to sleep with you. The FIRST night with my Boston puppy he cried in his crate which was in the other room. I couldn't stand it and I went and got him against all I had read. I climbed into bed with him and HE PUSHED TO GET UNDER THE COVERS! He has been there ever since, cuddled near my belly for the last 13 years! If your little one is in the crate day and night it is way too long and unfair. Boston's aren't like other dogs. They need to be with you at night. Try it, you'll love it!
Dec 10, 2010
 another thought
by: Linda Galway/TurnerME

I'm echoing Mary's comment. We also, for our first Boston, kept him on the nightstand right near my head so he was very close, so if putting the crate ON the bed isn't possible, then on the nightstand should work just as well. Good luck!
Dec 09, 2010
 crate training
by: Linda Galway/TurnerME

There's one thing we learned from our first Boston -- they sleep WITH you! Now,first off, that crate needs to be in your room and, preferably ON THE BED. Don't worry, this is only temporary, but Bostons crave their people, and if she is going to be in a crate while he is not home, then it has to be a happy place for her. Right now, that's not happening.

The crate should be one of those little cat crates. This will feel more secure. Also, put a blanket over the crate to give it more of a warm den/cozy feeling. You can either put the blanket all the way across the front door or leave it a little bit skewed so the baby can see you. You should be able to leave the crate at the foot of the bed, but being on the bed is an important factor. After the puppy gets larger, it will be safer for her to sleep in the bed with your son. Every Boston I know of sleeps under the covers with their owners. I'm sure there must be exceptions,but I haven't ever met one... All of our Bostons have slept under the covers, and right now we have two.
Dec 09, 2010
 Crate Training
by: Mary

+
We have trained 4 Bostons using the crate. They are all a little different but they do all get used to their crates. My Step-daughter put her puppy on the night stand next to her bed and close to her pillow. It took about a week to get the puppy to stop crying. Now her puppy loves her crate and uses it for safety and comfort at times (she leaves the door open when she is at home).

We have one puppy (now 4 years old) that still doesn't really like her crate but will tolerate it as long as you get her out of it when you are home. When we are not looking, though, she will creep in there and just sit down as long as the door is open. This one belongs to my daughter. She sleeps with my daughter at night under the covers, but that wasn't possible until she was about a year old because she would still have "accidents" at night.

The other two bostons we have are 2 and 3 years old. They sleep in our bedroom in their crates with their door closed but mostly because they move around at night and I am a light sleeper who hates to wake up in the middle of the night with a cute little nose nudging me. The 2 year old female loves her crate like my step-daughter's dog does and the 3 year old male will stay in there overnight but he really wants out immediately when you get moving around or arrive home.

Give it at least a week or maybe two and show that little guy who's boss! Some people say that right before you get him out of the crate tell him to "Be Quiet" and as soon as he is quiet take him out very quickly so it's a reward for being quiet.

Oh...one day my daughter was out of town and we kept her puppy in it's crate in the den. That dog howled for hours until I got up and put the crate in our bedroom. Then she went to sleep in her crate for the rest of the night.

Good Luck!

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