# Help!! I feel like a failure already!



## nelsongang (Jun 25, 2008)

Well, we brought home our new addition to the family....8 week old Sammy! Summer (our other 1 year old Hav, and Sammy's half sister) is still trying to figure it all out lol! 

Anyway, we REALLY wanted to successfully crate train Sammy...something we were lax on with Summer and wanted to do right this time. Anyway, we got home from the airport with Sammy about 1pm yesterday. All seemed to be going smoothly with Sammy being in the crate, entertaining himself & napping and then coming out for potty & play breaks. Once evening hit however, when we put him in the crate he went berzerk...barking, whining & crying very loudly forever. He just would not let up, and I know he did not need to eat, drink or potty because he already had....this was pure LET ME OUTTA HERE!!! It went on for the rest of the evening and throughout the majority of the night. I know giving in and letting them out of the crate is giving in to what they want, and once you do it one time that it will get worse the next time. 

After his early morning breakfast, potty & playtime, I tried again to crate him (while in the same room as I was) and he again went crazy...barking, jumping, biting at the crate door. I tried to sit there and put my fingers in to calm him but nothing would work so I gave up and let him out! He calmed down almost immediately and went to sleep right by my feet. 

Do any of you have any advice? Am I overreacting? :help: !!!!!

Thank you so much,

Jen


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

I would love to offer you some advice, but I didn't have much luck with crate training any of my dogs, except for them eating their meals in them. Good luck. I am sure you will get some good help from forum members and know it is discussed in many other threads. Just do a search for crate training.

One more thing, where are the pictures?????


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## Gableshavs (Jun 19, 2007)

I stayed with my breeder/great friend/professional dog trainer and witnessed how crate training should work. First the crate has to be a wonderful place, it should contain toys, something to chew. Her dogs (and now my dog) are fed in their crates, given treats in their crates. They are let out often to exercise and play. But when it's time to go in the crate to sleep they are first walked then are put in for the night. Your dog is barking for attention, which you are giving him, thus rewarding the barking. You really need to ignore the barking, if you must use ear plugs <g>. But if you want to succeed, that's what you need to do.

Here's a link from the Havanese Rescue site specifically about Crate Training. That site has so much information which I'm sure you'll find helpful.

http://www.hssv.org/docs/behavior/dog_crate_training.pdf

Good luck, you are doing the right thing and I know you can succeed, but you need to be consistent.


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## Gableshavs (Jun 19, 2007)

Oh, BTW, I was reading the document and they suggest covering the pup when barking with a light weight sheet or towel. I did this with Dorie and it really does work.


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

Do you have an ex-pen? An ex-pen gives them a little more room to move around and play, while still having a pee pad. I only crated mine at night.

BTW--8 weeks is very young.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Maybe the crate is scaring him from the airport experience...all the *noises* of the plane, etc, and he has a bad association with it now?

You'll have to make it a non-scary place for him and just take your time, sit there with him and reassure him and build up the time. Add treats/praise, etc.

I am not one to give crate advice, since I didn't do it, lol but I think you'll just have to change his perception of the crate and that will take a little time and work, but it can be done! Hang in there!

K.


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

I never really had much luck crate training either. But I didn't put a lot of effort into it really. I live in a condo and all the barking wasn't appropriate. The funny thing is when I brought home my second Hav, Brando, he wouldn't go in it but everytime I looked for Bogart he was in there sleeping and he hated using it as a puppy. I now have no crate in my home because they only place they would sleep in it was in the living room. It was too much of an eye sore in the living room so now I have 3 pillows throughout my home.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Did your breeder do any crate training with him at all? I was lucky since my breeder crate trains so my little one was off to a great start! 8 weeks is very young, most breeders don't let them go until 10 weeks old. Do you have an ex-pen? I use the pen and the crate both. I think you may be having way too much time in the crate. The crate here is for nighttime only and they rest of the day we use the ex-pen inbetween playtimes.


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

:welcome: to the Forum Jen,

Crate training can be hard, but not impossible. I only crated Bugsy at night and during the day, when I couldn't watch him, I put him in a play pen. Did you buy a play pen for him??


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Eight weeks is a little early. That's also the time when they go through that fear stage. I so didn't want to get Bailey before he was a little older so he had as much time as he needed with his mama and siblings but he arrived, unheralded as it turned out, just before he was nine weeks old. I was lucky. He's fearless.

As for the crate training. I too only used the crate at night and had no problem after the first night with Bailey settling into it quickly and falling asleep. I do keep them in a confined area since I've had ongoing potty training issues with Milo. I just got an ex-pen (I was keeping them gated in the kitchen before this). It's a process. Don't be hard on yourself. It takes time.


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## nelsongang (Jun 25, 2008)

Cheryl,

Thanks for your reply. I am going to look into an ex. pen because it looks like a lot of you on here use one. Also, you mentioned that 8 weeks is young....too young for what? I want to make sure I am doing the right thing.

Thanks!!!


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## nelsongang (Jun 25, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies!! It helps to hear all of your ideas/opinions. I emailed the breeder this morning and she told me that she did crate the pups at night, but all together, so obviously he is feeling isolation and separation anxiety. She also told me that during the night they did not take the pups out during the night to go potty. I was surprised by that. Today I am not pushing the issue with the crate but I am leaving it in plain sight with the door open so he can go in and out as he wants to today. Otherwise I am just going to keep a close eye on him and take him outside regularly.

Oh and I WILL get pics posted of Summer and Sammy later today 

Jen


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## Salsa's Mom (Mar 18, 2008)

I also use the x-pen during the day and the crate at night. To me it sounds like Sammy might have had a scary experience with being shipped on the airline. 

I would try to feed him and give him yummy treats in the crate with the door open several times throughout the day, but use the x-pen for when he needs confining during the day.

At night keep the crate raised next to the bed, facing you so you can put your hands on the bars to comfort him.


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## havaone (Mar 25, 2008)

What type of crate are you using? Havanna absolutely went nuts when we were using the plastic crate that she couldn's see out of, except through the door. We switched to a wire crate which is less confining; she can see all around her now, and it resembles the ex-pen (if your pup is used to that).

Michelle


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

Maybe you should try putting something with your scent in the crate to cuddle with :grouphug:


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Gableshavs said:


> I stayed with my breeder/great friend/professional dog trainer and witnessed how crate training should work. First the crate has to be a wonderful place, it should contain toys, something to chew. Her dogs (and now my dog) are fed in their crates, given treats in their crates. They are let out often to exercise and play. But when it's time to go in the crate to sleep they are first walked then are put in for the night. Your dog is barking for attention, which you are giving him, thus rewarding the barking. You really need to ignore the barking, if you must use ear plugs <g>. But if you want to succeed, that's what you need to do.
> 
> Here's a link from the Havanese Rescue site specifically about Crate Training. That site has so much information which I'm sure you'll find helpful.
> 
> ...


 good advice. Only let him out when he is quiet.


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Jen, 
You can play a game with him, throw toys and treats in the crate, making it a happy place. I used an xpen with the crate attached to it(door open) So the pup went in and out but could walk around a little. When we went out, I would put them in the crate, and close the door and give a frozen stuffed kong. They would spend hours getting the food out! And at night, I am sure he is missing his litter mates. Do you have the crate near you so he can see you? Best bet is to put a chair right next to your bed so he can see you in the night. Good Luck.
Laurie


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## Eva (Jun 20, 2008)

My puppy Todd has been home a week and he hated his crate at first. 
I thought that I was going to go crazy listening to him yip and howl all night long. I finally covered his crate with a towel and he settled down and slept through the night. 
He get's a puppy kong stuffed with chicken jerky when he goes in his crate and this has also made a huge difference. 
He actually goes into his kennel and brings me his kong when he's tired now. 
It gets better, hang in there!


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## CaseysMom (Jun 10, 2008)

Salsa's Mom said:


> At night keep the crate raised next to the bed, facing you so you can put your hands on the bars to comfort him.


Raising the crate on a chair so that Casey was eye-level with us seemed to do the trick almost immediately. I did put my fingers in through the bars and left them there basically until she settled, which is easy when the crate is level with the bed. We have slowly moved the chair away from the bed to the point that the crate is now on the floor next to the bed, where it will probably stay.

Also, I only crate her at bed time. Ex-pen during the day. She is perfect in the crate at night -- only lets out the slightest whimper in the am when she needs to go pee/poo.

Patience and consistency! You can do it!


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

We used the crate like a laundry basket...and tossed in out socks each day. ound: I gathered them up about every three days. I left the door open and when Cicero didn't know it I would toss a few Cheerios inside - and he would later find them. Now he goes in to look for a treat and decides it's a nice place to rest and wait for the Cheerios!! I only shut the door at night or when we leave the house for a short time. Keep up the work and it will work.


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Dale, I love the socks and Cheerios idea. That's so funny. I agree with putting a towel over the crate - just make sure to leave a little room for air to circulate. Just don't give in when you crate him. A few soft bonks on the top with the word, "quiet" or "no bark" can also help. In extreme cases, I've resorted to using a squirt bottle of water, but only intermittently.


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## nelsongang (Jun 25, 2008)

*Thanks everyone!!*

Thanks for all of your feedback and suggestions! I think it is starting to get a bit better. I tried having the crate right next to the bed at bed level but that didn't work, it only made him wail louder. Then I tried covering his crate with a blanket and keeping his crate in the family room. He did continue to cry and whine but he calmed down faster last night :whoo : I am keeping his food dish in his crate during the day so he can go in and out as he pleases and toss in a little treat every so often for a nice surprise.

I can still hear him at night from the family room if he whines to go potty, and I now can tell the difference between "I want out of here!" and "I need to go potty!".

We went to the vet today for Sammy's 72 hr (since we have gotten him) check up and all went great! He is 3 lbs even and had a clean bill of health :smile: He was a big hit in the office...everyone kept wanting to hold and snuggle him.

Again, thanks for all of the replies...you all are the best!

Jen


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## Kathy (Nov 9, 2006)

nelsongang said:


> Well, we brought home our new addition to the family....8 week old Sammy! Summer (our other 1 year old Hav, and Sammy's half sister) is still trying to figure it all out lol!
> 
> Anyway, we REALLY wanted to successfully crate train Sammy...something we were lax on with Summer and wanted to do right this time. Anyway, we got home from the airport with Sammy about 1pm yesterday. All seemed to be going smoothly with Sammy being in the crate, entertaining himself & napping and then coming out for potty & play breaks. Once evening hit however, when we put him in the crate he went berzerk...barking, whining & crying very loudly forever. He just would not let up, and I know he did not need to eat, drink or potty because he already had....this was pure LET ME OUTTA HERE!!! It went on for the rest of the evening and throughout the majority of the night. I know giving in and letting them out of the crate is giving in to what they want, and once you do it one time that it will get worse the next time.
> 
> ...


Jen,
I suggest to my puppy buyers they put the small crate with the puppy in it next to their bed on the nightstand or a chair pulled up the side of the bed you sleep on. That way, when the puppy fusses, you can gently touch the crate door and comfort him/her. I have all my dogs crate trained typically either before they leave my house to their new home, or by the time they are 10 weeks old. It is no different then comforting your human child when they needed it as a newborn.

I have a great article on this subject written by another Havanese owner/breeder on my web site that might help you.

Be patient and it will work. No food or water after 8:00 pm and take the puppy potty immediatly before you put him/her in the crate to bed which should be at the same time you are going to bed.


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