I am going to start Crate training my new puppy...?

Question

I want to crate train my puppy so I can get him to not eliminate in the house. I know I need to crate him while I am at work, or if I leave the house, but shoud he go in the crate at night time? He has been waking me up at night when he as to go... is this a good sign, or should I still crate him?

What should I do about food and water, I read that he should only be fed 4 times daily, and after 6 months, 3 times.

Also how often should he go outside... 3-4 times daily?

He is a 10 week old, Papillon. Please help.. any advice on how to begin and follow through with this training would be a huge help.

Answer 1

I am surprised that a ten-week-old is waking you so that he can eliminate, but if that's the case, I think it's fine if you don't crate him, provided he is not being destructive (which may happen soon).

At his age, he should be going outside about ten times a day. As an adult, three or four times daily is just fine.

I highly recommend the book Before and After Getting Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar for new puppy owners. It has wonderful info on crate training.

Answer 2

It is good that he's waking you up; if he's not making a mess at night then I would leave the door to his crate open.

Some crates offer containers for food and water. You can feed him in the morning, leave enough for two feedings in one of the containers and water in the other and then feed him again when you get home. HOWEVER...Dogs usually need to relieve themselves after eating. Talk with your vet on this issue.

Your puppy will need to go out often. They can hold for one hour for each month of age. 10 wks = 2 to 3 hrs. He needs to go out as often as possible until house trained.

Answer 3

If the dog cries at night, let him cry. It won't pee in the crate (at least mine didn't). Let him out first thing in the morning. I would also get him trained to take walks on the leash ASAP and then he can pee and poop all he wants. Ask your vet or breeder about feeding. Four times a day seems like a lot to me, though I'm not familiar with that breed. After he's crate trained it's up to you if you leave him in there at night, though if you let him sleep elsewhere, you run the risk of him waking you up and getting into trouble. Puppies tend to do that, you know.

Answer 4

Crate him at night. He needs to be taken out every 2 to 3 hours. It is a good sign he is waking you but he should have food and water withheld at least 1 to 2 hours before bed. Do not put food or water in the crate. Good luck!!

Answer 5

Yes! He should be in the crate at night too! He will soon learn the routine and be secure in his crate! He should be taken outside everytime he is let out of the crate - immediately - then he can come inside and play. Take him out again just before you put him back in the crate! Good Luck

Answer 6

good you are crate training. yes, he should go into the crate at night. you are feeding him too much and water also. two times a day with the food is enough. and just enough to satisfy him not great amounts. water should be taken up except when you want him to drink..at meal times and two or three other times a day...never let him eat of have water after about 7pm. as your dog grows you don't change any of this except for the amount of food that you feed him twice a day. every time you uncrate your dog the first thing you do is take him outside. and pay attention to him. when he goes roaming out of your sight he wants to go to the bathroom..so take him out.

Answer 7

Hi, I understand that you are looking for some advice or resources to help fully train your dog or fix behavior problems. If a professional dog trainer is not an option at this time, or if you want to trt training your dog on your own (a great way to bond), I'd suggest you https://bitly.im/aL1h0

A friend recommened it to me a few years ago, and I was amazed how quickly it worked, which is why I recommend it to others. The dog training academy also has as an excellent home training course.

Answer 8

Greetings and congratulations on your new puppy! Crate training is a great, reliable way to teach your dog the rules about where and when to eliminate, and helps you protect your furniture and other non-chewables as well.

The first thing to know about crate training is that your dog should remain in his crate ANY TIME you cannot physically keep your eye on him. This is because it only takes your pup a few seconds to eliminate and run, and unless you can catch him in the act, it will be too late to correct him. Dogs have the mentality of "If no one said it was wrong, it must be okay." Therefore, if you're sleeping, at work, or even cooking a large dinner with your back turned to the pup for long periods of time, he should be in his crate.

The size of the crate is very important as well. You only want it to be big enough for your pup to lay down stretched out, stand up, and turn around. If it's any larger than this, he will sleep in one end and eliminate in the other. There are wire crates of the Life Stages brand that come with dividers and are easy to set up--these are great because you can purchase a crate large enough for your dog when he's fully grown, and use the divider to keep it size-appropriate as he grows. For a papillon, I would suggest a 30" crate to be on the safe side.

Once you acclimate your pup to his crate and begin crating him everytime you can't watch him, it's important to create a potty routine. I teach my students the following:

1. Put your pup on a leash and use a phrase that means we are only going outside to use the bathroom. I say, "Lets go outside to go potty!"

2. Take your pup outside and to the one spot of your yard (or neighborhood, if you live in an apartment) that you want to be your Potty Spot. Use a command that means Go RIght Now. I say, "Go Potty."

3. Wait. Keep your leashed pup with you at the Potty Spot for five to ten minutes. If your pup does not go within the time frame, take him back inside and put him back into the crate for another five to ten minutes before trying again. Remember--he does not want to use the bathroom in his crate if it is sized correctly! He will try to hold it until you go out again.

4. If your pup DID go outside correctly, be sure you return back indoors and give the command "Go Play!" before letting him back outside to play and investigate. Remember, the command "Lets go outside to go potty" meant that you were only going outside to do buisness, not play. Be sure you don't let your puppy goof off or not pay attention to buisness when you're on your potty mission.

As for food and water, you never want to leave food and water in the crate with your dog. A dog will eat and drink when they are bored, and if he is drinking away during the day, it's going to sabotage your crate training process. He won't be able to hold it and will continue to have messes in his crate. If you pick a good premium brand food, there will be less filler and more nutrients, so your pup won't have to eliminate quite so many times throughout the day, thus improving your potty training chances.

Since your pup is a smaller breed, 3 to 4 feedings a day sounds great. Just make sure you don't overfeed him! Check the label on your bag of food--the amount of food it says to feed on there is PER DAY, so split that amount into as many feedings as you wish to serve. Water should be served with meals, after first waking up from a nap or overnight, and after/during strenuous exercise (walks, play sessions, running around the backyard).

Most small pups need to use the bathroom about 10 to 15 minutes after eating and drinking, so use this knowledge to your advantage. Around five minutes after your pup has finished his meal, put him in his crate. When he starts feeling like he has to go, he'll actually try to hold it since he's in the crate instead of eliminating on your floor. However, this means that about ten minutes after putting your pup into his crate after a meal, you need to make sure you do your potty routine and take him outside with you. :)

As for how often you should take your dog outside, he will probably need to go at LEAST every 2-3 hours, if not more often as a small breed pup. Remember--he'll need to go after he first wakes up, after every meal, and every few hours in between there as well. If you have to keep him crated all day, see if someone you know can come home around lunch time and let him outside. Be sure they know your potty routine!

Hopefully this helps you out some. It can be quite a bit of work for the first few weeks, but in the long run it's very worth it!