Puppy Won't Sleep in the Crate? Here's What Actually Works, by The Dog Fixer on YouTube. 8 min 31 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 31 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes to set up, then 1 t
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Work out how many wakeups to expect. The common guideline is one hour of bladder hold per month of age, plus one. An eight-week puppy means roughly every three hours.
Set up the crate before dark. Fit the divider so the puppy can stand, turn around and lie flat, but not much more than that.
Put a washable pad in the crate and place it in your bedroom or within sight of you for the first nights.
Tire the puppy out before bed with play and a short training session, then take it out to its toilet spot right before crating.
Keep the last part of the evening calm. Feed the last meal earlier and pick up the water bowl a couple of hours before bed.
At each wakeup, keep it boring. Low lights, no talking, no play. Clip on the leash and carry or walk the puppy straight to the toilet spot.
Give it a few minutes to toilet, then go straight back to the crate. No games, no cuddles on the sofa in the middle of the night.
Answer the crying instead of ignoring it. Check whether the puppy needs to toilet or is hurt, especially in the first week.
Set an alarm for 15 to 20 minutes before the usual wakeup time. Take the puppy out before it starts crying, then stretch the alarm later each night.
Tips and common mistakes
Clean any crate accident with an enzymatic cleaner so the smell does not pull the puppy back to that spot.
A crate that is too big lets the puppy toilet in one corner and sleep in the other, so use the divider and move it as the puppy grows.
Pick up the water bowl early in the evening, but never withhold water all day or in hot weather.
If the distress seems extreme or the puppy is still not settling after the first week, talk to your vet.
Questions
How many times will my puppy wake me at night?
Expect three or four wakeups with a very young puppy, since it cannot physically hold its bladder for a full night. The number drops as it grows and as the alarm trick stretches the gaps.
Should I let my puppy cry it out in the crate?
No, not for a young puppy. Check whether it needs to toilet or is distressed, then settle it back in the crate with as little fuss as possible.
Should the crate be in my bedroom?
For the first nights, keeping the crate within sight of you helps the puppy settle and lets you hear a real toilet need. Move it further away once nights get calmer.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
