# help! my pup keeps crying in his crate



## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

my 4-5 month old labrador/mix keeps on whining/crying in his crate. i dont know if he is hungry/thirsty, has to go peep or poop, or just wants attention. sometimes i take him out and he does nothing. no pee/no pee. he just bites at the leaves/grass.

when i offer him water, he doesn't drink. i put him back in his crate, and try to ignore, but he keeps on whining/crying, so i let him out for a bit, and watch him constantly, b/c i dont want him peeing/pooing on the carpets. he has peed on the carpet about 15 times now, and can't let him do it anymore. my house is stinkin. 

what can i do, what is his problem? thanks.


----------



## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

Hi, I think you meant 4-5 months old, correct? The first thing you need to do is train him to relive himself outside. Be patient, keep an eye on him, and try not to let him pee in your house. You need to clean the pee spots up in your house as well. They sell enzymes you can put on the spots. Nature's Miracle Stain & Odor Remover for Pets | PetFoodDirect.com You can also use white vinegar mixed 50/50 with water in a spray bottle. Don't yell at him if he makes a mistake. Just take him out right away and try to make him go outside. Than clean up when you get back. Also keep a feeding schedule. I think at this age you can feed him twice a day. Maybe you should not let him drink water at night, until you have him trained. Let him drink after dinner time and than cut him off until the next day.

He's whining because he wants to get out of the cage. I think its separation anxiety. He wants to be with you all the time:smile: My sisters lab was like that too. If you have a tv in the same room as his crate, try putting on the animal channel. My sisters dog actually watches it, pretty funny. Hopefully it will help him calm down. Give him plenty of chew toys. Leave a couple in his crate. Chew ropes are great. Also labs need alot of exercise. I wouldn't walk him too much, until he's finished growing. You can tire him out by playing in the house. Play tug a war with a chew rope. That will maKe him sleep, when he's in the crate. I think at this age, you can start to walk him more and longer distances. You gradually increase the distance until he reaches around 1 years old. Good luck and be patient. Maybe other people here can help you out with more ideas.


----------



## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

cast71 said:


> Hi, I think you meant 4-5 months old, correct? The first thing you need to do is train him to relive himself outside. Be patient, keep an eye on him, and try not to let him pee in your house. You need to clean the pee spots up in your house as well. They sell enzymes you can put on the spots. Nature's Miracle Stain & Odor Remover for Pets | PetFoodDirect.com You can also use white vinegar mixed 50/50 with water in a spray bottle. Don't yell at him if he makes a mistake. Just take him out right away and try to make him go outside. Than clean up when you get back. Also keep a feeding schedule. I think at this age you can feed him twice a day. Maybe you should not let him drink water at night, until you have him trained. Let him drink after dinner time and than cut him off until the next day.
> 
> He's whining because he wants to get out of the cage. I think its separation anxiety. He wants to be with you all the time:smile: My sisters lab was like that too. If you have a tv in the same room as his crate, try putting on the animal channel. My sisters dog actually watches it, pretty funny. Hopefully it will help him calm down. Give him plenty of chew toys. Leave a couple in his crate. Chew ropes are great. Also labs need alot of exercise. I wouldn't walk him too much, until he's finished growing. You can tire him out by playing in the house. Play tug a war with a chew rope. That will maKe him sleep, when he's in the crate. I think at this age, you can start to walk him more and longer distances. You gradually increase the distance until he reaches around 1 years old. Good luck and be patient. Maybe other people here can help you out with more ideas.


whoops, not 4-5 years, 4-5 months. thanks cast, i will try that. i usually feed him once in the morning around 7am, then at 4pm at night. what if he gets really thirsty? thanks.


----------



## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

coolstorybro said:


> my 4-5 month old labrador/mix keeps on whining/crying in his crate. i dont know if he is hungry/thirsty, has to go peep or poop, or just wants attention. sometimes i take him out and he does nothing. no pee/no pee. he just bites at the leaves/grass.


I think you need to either get your pup into a training class or hire a private trainer to teach you about dogs. A put that is 4 - 5 months old should have been potty trained by the end of 3rd month at the latest.



> when i offer him water, he doesn't drink. i put him back in his crate, and try to ignore, but he keeps on whining/crying, so i let him out for a bit, and watch him constantly, b/c i dont want him peeing/pooing on the carpets. he has peed on the carpet about 15 times now, and can't let him do it anymore. my house is stinkin.


You need help in understanding dogs and how to handle them. You are babying him BUT ... am I understanding this correctly that the dog is in his crate while you are home? If I am correct this shouldn't be. If you are home the dog shouldn't be in the crate. A crate is a wonderful house training tool but he can't be house trained if he spends time in there while you are home to teach him.

Don't feel bad. I made a good living teaching people exactly the things you need to learn. I had many many clients that were exactly were you are now.
Petsmart used to sell a very good booklet explaining how to house train a puppy.


----------



## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

RawFedDogs said:


> I think you need to either get your pup into a training class or hire a private trainer to teach you about dogs. A put that is 4 - 5 months old should have been potty trained by the end of 3rd month at the latest.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


thanks! should i let him free in the house then? i am afraid he will pee on the carpets.


----------



## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

Yup, perhaps a trainer would be helpful. It sounds almost like you gotta start from scratch and take him out every 2-3 hours, and after every meal. RFD is right, when you are home and can supervise leave him out of the crate but keep your eyes and ears tuned to him. Many times you can catch them just before they start to go. If that's the case get him outside right away. If an accident happens, take him out immediately whether he goes again or not. Reprimanding him after the fact does no good, dogs learn in the here and now, not after the fact. Be prepared with cleaning products when you come back in so you can clean up the area when accidents happen.

Also, dogs can learn to drink when water is presented to them. We did it for years travelling with siberians to NY for training runs. You can pull his water up an hour or two before he goes out the last time for the night. As long as he is well hydrated throughout the day he will be fine. 

Crying in the crate when you know he is healthy, has been fed, has gone potty both pee and poop needs to probably be ignored. If you keep getting him out when he whines/cries he will keep doing it because you have taught him that is what will happen. Toys in the crate can be beneficial, but I would also let him be out of the crate playing and exercising so he tires himself out during the day while you are there to supervise. Try not to let him wrap you around his paws. lol Also, I have found our dogs settle well when we put Soundscapes on TV. They know if they are crated during the day and that music is on the TV, that they need to potty and drink because we are going out for a while. We have conditioned them to know that.

Best of luck, and get ready for some tough love. Consider where his crate is placed at night as this may help as well if he whines at night. Just some thoughts to ponder.


----------



## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

I would not let him drink water after 8 PM and take him out to relive himself at 10pm if you could. Let him free in your house, but make sure your watching him. If he looks like he's going to pee, take him out. Once he goes out side, give him a treat and praise him for it. It's alot of work in the beginning, but it will get easier. Never yell at him or stick his face in the pee spot. If you see him peeing, just say no, and take him out. Does he poop outside yet?


----------



## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

cast71 said:


> I would not let him drink water after 8 PM and take him out to relive himself at 10pm if you could. Let him free in your house, but make sure your watching him. If he looks like he's going to pee, take him out. Once he goes out side, give him a treat and praise him for it. It's alot of work in the beginning, but it will get easier. Never yell at him or stick his face in the pee spot. If you see him peeing, just say no, and take him out. Does he poop outside yet?


yes he poops ouside. he has only pooped 3 times indoors. 1st time was when he came home, i guess he was nervous/scared, 2nd time was my fault, i fell asleep while letting him free in the house, and the 3rd time was in his crate, i ignored him, but he needed to pee/poo. so pooing is not the problem, peeing is. he is chillin on the couch right now lol, i will put him back in his crate when its bed time. thanks yall!


----------



## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

If you are not 100% sure about him, then you will just need to watch him very closely while he's free in the house. If you are there he should be with and not in the crate. I would also suggest you get into a very regimented routine. Dogs love love love routines, and habits. Getting up around the same time, going outside, eating, playing, whatever that routine is, that's what he will come to understand. For his size, @ 4-5 months he should be able to make it through the night without going potty. Especially if you regulate his liquid intake in the evening.
Remember, don't use the crate as punishment. 
What's that saying, when a dog potties in the house, take a rolled up newspaper and hit yourself on the head...because YOU weren't paying attention! LOL!
I also suggest you get with a trainer. At 4-5 months he should be in a puppy class getting socialization as well as strengthening the bond between you two!

Good Luck


----------



## chocolatelabguy (Nov 17, 2009)

Lots of great advice here. What I always do when housetraining is when I take the dog outside and they look as if they're going to do their business, I give the command "hurry." Then, once their business is completed, give a treat. If you do this consistently, they will begin to associate the command with doing their business. You can use any command you like - we use "hurry" because it is appropriate when North Dakota winters make waiting for your dog to answer nature's call can be a bit uncomfortable for all parties involved. As your dog gets comfortable with this routine, you can slowly eliminate the treats and offer praise instead. Soon, your dog will bascially go on command, which can work very well around your schedule once this is accomplished. Also, if you catch the dog "assuming the position" in the house, give the no command sharp enough to startle him/her into stopping, go outside, and give the command to hurry again, and praise/reward. I trained my labs very quickly with this method. And I can't stress enough what the previous posters have stated about routine and consistency - very improtant. Good Luck!


----------



## Jodysmom (Jan 9, 2010)

When I am potty training a dog, I attach the leash to myself so they don't wander off and potty. I also keep them on the leash when they go out to potty. If it is dark, bring a flashlight so you can tell if they go. Once they go, I like to unleash them and let them play fetch or something. I follow a pretty strict schedule of doing this every couple of hours during the day. It sounds extreme but it is worth it to have a dog potty trained correctly.


----------



## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

Labs are great and in my experience easy to train. They just seem eager to please. Awesome dogs and great hunters.


----------



## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

I have two lab mix puppies that are 6 months old and I know all about the screaming and crying business that goes on in the crates.

You have received a lot of good advice and I'll probably end up saying most of the same:

Your dog should be housetrained by now but, of course, it all depends on when you got your dog. If you just got your dog, then of course housetraining isn't going to be instant. If you've had your dog for a bit, it should be housetrained by now.

Puppies have to go out often. As they get older, they can hold it longer but at 4 months, every 3-4 hours is about right. Keep in mind they will have to go about a half an hour to an hour after eating and drinking. They will have to go out after waking up. They will have to go after exercising.

I put the pups in the crate when I'm home while they eat. I will also put them in their crates if I am going to bed. I do not let dogs out in the house to roam freely if they are under a year, if I'm not there...physically or mentally.

If your dog is peeing on the floor, as someone else mentioned, while in the house, instead of locking them in the crate while you're home, tether them to you with the leash. This way you will know when the dog has to go. It only takes about 5 seconds for the dog to sneak off and start piddling on your floor so have them tethered to you. When you see your dog start making signs that they have to pee or poo, take them outside.

When outside, work on giving a command. Mine is, "hurry up". When staring the word you use, the pup isn't going to know what it means so say it when they pee and poo. Eventually they will learn that your word means, "we are out here to go to the bathroom. Do so."

Every single time your dog goes to the bathroom outside, praise, praise, praise. 

As for routine, yes, another poster is correct, dogs do well with routines.

I get up in the morning, I take the dogs out. (For me, with two, it's one at a time.) I come back in, get ready for work and just before leaving for work I'll take them out again.

When I come home from work, I take them out. After they have gone to the bathroom, I let them run around a bit, and then I start training other things. I used to be able to do an hour each but with daylight savings time, unfortunately that has been cut down so now I'm going to have get up earlier in the morning, (groan!!!), and give them some exercise time then, too.

When that is done, they come in to eat. They eat in their crates. I also have cats so the dogs are not allowed out until the cats are done eating. Once I have all of that picked up, I let the dogs out of their crates.

After about an hour, I take them out to go to the bathroom. 

We come back in. This is when you want to tether your dog to you. You are in the house, the dog goes where you go. The dog cannot sneak off to piddle.

About 3 hours later, out goes the dog again to use the bathroom.

Just before bed, out goes the dog again to go to the bathroom.

Sometime in the middle of the night, out goes the dog again to the bathroom.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

I cannot stress enough the importance of taking the dog out every few hours nor can I stress enough the importance of praise when they do go to the bathroom outside.

Using a key word, "hurry up", "outside", whatever, is very helpful. 

For me, having the dogs go to the bathroom FIRST, every time we go out, is very beneficial when I have to get up and take them out in the middle of the night. I do not want them sniffing every flower, bug, running around like idiots at 3 in the morning. We are there to go to the bathroom. The end.

For when the dog is in the crate, ignore the whining. Ignore it. Ignore it. It's hard but if you let the dog out when it's having a fit, you are reinforcing the behavior: "Oh! I whine, I get let out! Splendid! I'll continue to throw a fit every time I'm in here!"

Teach the dog that the crate is a good thing, not a bad thing. There may be times in the future when the dog will have to be in a crate. Travel, overnight vet visit, etc. They need to learn to deal with being in the crate. 

If you teach them that the crate is a good place, their little cave, den, their room, if you make it a positive experience, if you ignore the hissy fit they throw while they are in there, they will calm down.

I like to reward mine for being calm in their crates. They might whine a little bit, (still), so I ignore that. For example, Sakari, (my girl), likes to bark and whine to let me know that she's done eating.

I ignore it. I don't care. I will decide when she gets out of the crate, not her. When she stops and acts calm, I will wait about 2-3 minutes, get up and let her out of her crate with a lot of praise. She is learning. Things are improving. She used to throw a fit that would awe a screaming banshee but now, it's pretty much when she's done eating and it's just a bit of barking and whining. Each day, the time she does this gets less and less.

The boy, Shasta, doesn't throw a fit or bark and whine at all the times he's in his crate.

Crate training is good but it must be done properly. I do think that they should learn to be in their crate whether you are home or not, but it shouldn't be all day and all night. When you are home, the dog should be with you, out of the crate, more than they should be in the crate. And if your dog is peeing on the floor, at night while you are sleeping, I think the dog should be crated until it's fully housetrained.


----------



## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

I think that's a pretty good, detailed post, on how to potty and crate train:smile: It brings back memories, of me helping my sister, train her lab. Ohhh the whining ahahahahaha You did make a good point. If your home, but your not able to observe, the puppy should be crated. Coolstorybro, read that post well!!!!!:biggrin:


----------



## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

RawFedDogs said:


> I think you need to either get your pup into a training class or hire a private trainer to teach you about dogs. A put that is 4 - 5 months old should have been potty trained by the end of 3rd month at the latest.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I completely disagree. Your pup should be in the crate anytime you are not playing with him or giving him all of your attention. The reason being that you want to catch him _in the act_, if it happens, and firmly tell him "NO!" and then take him directly outside to potty. If you don't catch him in the act, don't scold him. He won't know why you are mad. Also, every time he successfully has an accident in the house, he is learning that it is OKAY to potty in the house. 

When you are not able to focus 100% on him, he should be IN the crate. This will help him learn to hold his bladder for longer periods of time. In addition, it will limit the opportunity for him to potty in the house without you noticing. Also, every time he comes out of the crate, he goes _directly_ outside to potty. Remember to PRAISE, PARTY, TREAT every time he successfully potties outside. 

Also, it is NOT true that every puppy should be potty trained by the end of the 3rd month. This was true for Henry, but Millie took well into her fifth month to be potty trained. Standard poodles are exceptionally smart dogs and I was about as anal as it gets about potty training. Even with all of that going for her, she still had occasional accidents past 4 months of age. Some dogs simply take longer to develop strong bladder control.


----------

