When you are outside with her, IMO, constant attention is required and fun, very interesting toys help immensely. Your pup will eventually outgrow some of the puppy "GOTTA check *everything* out" but right now, it is a new, big, interesting world! Seeing, tasting, smelling, touching everything for the first time. Just redirect and use treats too (variety is good) This time is great for teaching the pup to focus on YOU. Have you read here about the Focus Game? Perhaps someone has a link to that thread. (sorry, I don't)

As for the crate, so you had a little negative...just carry on with positive and TASTY treats. Carry on as a matter of fact, no frills or production. (keep emotions out and know YOU are the leader, what you say goes). I just used various treats, sticking my arm all the way back in the crate and the minute all fours were in, treat the pup, then close the door. This was the first dog I've crated too, and it took some getting used to...but SO worth it...If your pup has been sleeping beside your bed at night, of course it's going to be a transition and maybe a loud one, but you will be grateful later when you still have a couch to sit on when your pup hits adolescence.

Hey there,

On the crate thing..your pup is only 8 weeks old!!!!!! Don't sweat it. Probably most everyone on this board's pup cried in its crate when it was left at 8 weeks! For sure your little one thinks it is a bad thing now, but if you are consistent and matter of fact about it you will be surprised how quick things will turn around. Nothing unusual about your pup's behavior.

Cheers,

Cheers,

Oh yeah, this board is CHOCK full of posts from people worrying and/or complaining about the noise a new pup makes in the crate. It does get better if you don't reinforce the negative behavior (easy mistake to make).

Two things that I wanted to add to what everyone else wrote:

1.) Instead of popping the leash to get her attention, try taking treats with you and calling her name after you have let her sniff your treat-filled hand. This will help keep her from trying to eat other things on the ground, make you REALLY interesting, get her used to her name, and help her learn that coming to you when called is a good thing that will be rewarded. You can spice it up sometimes and offer her toys when she comes to you, too.

2.) Instead of a long line in the house, try using a drag line (sold on Leerburg). They're shorter (3 feet) and they have no handle so the odds of the dog getting caught in something or pulling something down on top of her are decreased. I actually used the drag line to tether my pup to me because it kept him close to me and therefore more able to quickly respond to any issues.

The other thing: Take LOTS of pictures. And I mean weekly, if not daily. And video, if you can. You'll be amazed and how quickly they grow. Oh, and post those pictures here!

Welcome to the board!

Another thing Susan, is whatever you do, don't force your puppy into the crate anymore. This is asking for problems. She'll come to hate the crate. Just throw in treats to coax her in. Do this several times during the day, not just when you're leaving. If you only crate her when you leave the house, that's the association she'll get with the crate.

The goal is to get her to see the crate as a place she can relax. Start over, reintroducing her to the crate calmly. Put her in calmly, let her out calmly. Try to get as consistent a schedule for her as possible. Make sure she's getting the exercise she needs, tailored of course to her extremely young age.

During the day, when you're not leaving the house throw threats in the crate, sometimes closing the door when she goes in, sometimes leaving the door open for her to go in and out as she wants. She'll come to see that the crate is not a threat and that she's not always going to be left alone when she's in there.

As others have posted, your puppy is just a baby. She's not born crate-trained, that's something you train her to accept in a relaxed manner. A nonchalant attitude on your part will make that happen. Don't be in a big hurry for her to "get it". Noise and fussing are to be expected during the training time for the crate.

Thanks for the crate info again. I think her treat of choice now is roast beef..I used some today. First just for doing good "sits". Then a little while later I used it to get her to go into her crate. It worked, then I closed the door calmly. I had also put some cream cheese in her kong. I did some stuff around the house and walked by her without eye contact. When she would see me she wouldnt cry. As soon as I left the room she cried. I did some more walking around in front of her while I was doing stuff around the house. Then I gave her a roast beef treat while she was in there. Quieted her for a couple minutes. I then left for the post office and came back and she was whinning. As soon as she saw me she stopped. I stayed in front of the crate until she quieted and let her out.

Questions:
1) Should I leave her in there longer? She was probably in there for a little over an hour.

2) I would really really like to exercise her a little more.. I have a back yard with not very much dirt/grass space. She has had only her 1st set of shots and the last ones are due on Aug 28th. Cant I take her to the park for a walk, for variety/socializing????

3) Today when I let her out of the crate and we went out side for about 10 minutes so she could do her business (she is really good about that), we came back in to her designated area and she cried and whined while looking up at me. What does that mean?? Im right there, she is not in a crate, just went potty and played for a few minutes.. Am I missing something. Or am I just being to paranoid. My friend said im to serious about the dog.
I just want to be a great mom and have a great dog.

Thoughts. And sorry for all these questions. I should be getting my DVD's today.. Will those DVD's answer these questions I have??

SBS

(6) CRATE: YES!

IMHO ... the only thing that I have done right from Day One is the CRATE, and it is a blessing.

If you're cleaning (painting/gift wrapping/doing an art project) the house and don't want the dog to help: In the Crate!

Your pup is YOUNG ... try using a KITTY CRATE for starters and TAKE THE PUP with you, if you can. I think it is important that the Crate NOT be TOO LARGE.

Helpful Hints ... find a treat or toy that the PUP absolutely LOVES. Use it to Lure the Pup in there ... try putting his toys or treats in the crate when he isn't looking, let him get used to going in and out on his own. I have the priviledge of owning too many crates in too many sizes, so I took the door off of the XL one while it wasn't IN USE, and used it to put in the CHEW TOYS and occassional treats, so he could just go in and out of it.

For his nighttime crate, we put him in with a TOWEL that either my son or I had slept with the night before. We did that for MONTHS. (Actually on his 1st & 2nd night at our house he got a towel that smelled of his litermates.)

As our puppy was a Crate Wetter, he got a new towel every night.

Even now at 9 months, and probably for Always, I will use a Crate. I rotate what I use for treat to lure him in. Craisins for a bit, then a switch to apple slices, or then one of his dog biscuits, sometimes it is a chew with frozen cream cheese, whatever works for your pup. Find something that he LOVES. My pup just LOVES food.

Cheers!

You're on the right track IMHO ...

about EATING ... putting something in the Crate that the pup wants like the KONG & CREAM CHEESE, and having the pup outside the crate, with the door closed. Making it that she WANTS to GO into the CRATE!

Also, when I feed my pup in the crate, I close the door. One I want him to know it is okay to have the door closed. Also, after FEEDING he will need to POTTY, so it is important that I control when he leaves the crate.

I don't know if we always know the answer. Has anything changed in your routine or schedule?

My son was away for a week with my mom just a week ago. While he was gone, my pup would only eat dinner at night (he skipped breakfast); and he did this little whine thing that I didn't understand, while I was playing fetch with him. Other than my son's absence, it was business as usual.

It was only after my son's return, that I made the connection that Buddy's not eating breakfast and whining during play, may have been related to my son's continuous absence.

Now fortunately I guess, my son frequently spends time at my parent's house ... so the pup is used to him being gone occassionally for periods of time, but apparently SEVEN days of ZERO contact was too much for my pup, as he is back to NORMAL for now.

Good Luck!