I just picked up a 7 week old English Springer Spaniel on Friday evening, It was a four hour trip one way, on the way home the puppy started out stitting on my wife's lap, Until she got sick and threw up on here. . We had a meduim size crate with us, Which was suffient size for her. I had planned on placing the puppy in for the trip home. She started out pretty good riding in the crate, About half way home she started crying and whimmpering and Howling( which I expected most of it) I also didn't expect every time we go to place her in the Crate she starts all over again until we let her out. As soon as we place her in there to go to bed at night she is trying to get out faster than she went in there. and back to the howling and all the above again.

Sunday evening my wife and i went out to eat, when got out of the truck we could hear her yelping, we were gone for 2 hours at the most.

Do I need to try something different as in the crate? Did i ruin her from ever being able to be in a crate ever? What advise can i get? i'm open to any and all.

Thanks for reading

Jason

[Yogi]

7 weeks is still a little young to be away. Rule of thumb nothing younger than 8 weeks. Believe it or not, that extra week in many cases can be a great deal of difference. If you could have obtained some bedding where the dog previously slept with the scent of the dam and litter mates that would have helped a great deal. Dogs do rely on scent and in many cases this can relax them. You will need to use the crate as a good place not for discipline otherwise you will be sending mixed signals as to the purpose of the crate. Feed the dog in the crate. Make sure it is just large enough to stand, turn around and lay down in. At night, keep it in your bedroom and try covering it up. This will help with potty training issues also. When I am away, many of mine are crated, covered and I leave the tv on. Anything to imply to the dog that I am still there.
Good luck.

[Lara's mom]

Crate training was a complete failure with both of my girls. They both screamed non stop until I took them out of the stupid thing and put them up on the bed with me. From that point on, they slept like babies! We all still share a bed!

Don't give up on the crate. What's happening is completely normal for a puppy of that age who's been removed from the comfort of his litter mates and mother.

I agree with Yogi, make the crate a good place. And I'd add, go to a pet store and get some Comfort Zone spray. It contains DAP; dog appeasing pheromones. It mimics the pheromones mother dogs produce when they're nursing puppies. Give the inside of the crate a quick spray when you place your puppy inside.

And don't give in when the concert starts. That just teaches your puppy that barking, whining, howling works.

Palette came to us when she was about 10 weeks old. Very first night with us was awful. When we went to sleep,she was in crate but start whiney,barky,very loud whole night. We thought what we got ourselves into but the crazy cry faded away as days passes by.Maybe calling for mother or siblings.

If you like your puppy to sleep in the crate,I think you would be better off not offering bed with you. Stick with rule:he will sleep in crate.

And once whiny started,try ignore it. He will stop whiny at some point,tired and go to sleep.

It is also good idea to use crate in your training. What I did was tossed treats in the crate and my dog went in to get it and I praised her. And I gave treats every time I see her going into the crate. I kept the crate door open when I taught her to go in the crate,and day time so that she can use anytime she wants to.Eventually,I labeled the behavior as "To your den,den" and she goes in and she gets treat and go to sleep.Now,I do not need to say any cue at night.She knows. she goes potty,run to crate and sit and wait for me to comes up.Then,she does "down" and I give her treats,shut the crate door,and we go to bed.

Also, comfy bed and den-like atmosphere could help too.I got crate cover for my dog's crate (I-crate) and cover the all sides except front side so,it looks like "under the bed" where she likes to take a nap sometimes.

With car ride whiny,I recommend to play classical music rather than rock or heavy metal when trip long. We usually play Celtic music for long ride.She is less barky and sometimes sleep in the car. When rock or heavy metal,she is all awake and bark a lot.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by JasonJ1469

I just picked up a 7 week old English Springer Spaniel on Friday evening, It was a four hour trip one way, on the way home the puppy started out stitting on my wife's lap, Until she got sick and threw up on here. . We had a meduim size crate with us, Which was suffient size for her. I had planned on placing the puppy in for the trip home. She started out pretty good riding in the crate, About half way home she started crying and whimmpering and Howling( which I expected most of it) I also didn't expect every time we go to place her in the Crate she starts all over again until we let her out. As soon as we place her in there to go to bed at night she is trying to get out faster than she went in there. and back to the howling and all the above again.

Sunday evening my wife and i went out to eat, when got out of the truck we could hear her yelping, we were gone for 2 hours at the most.

Do I need to try something different as in the crate? Did i ruin her from ever being able to be in a crate ever? What advise can i get? i'm open to any and all.

Thanks for reading

Jason

Try putting a little clock (not electric of course) that ticks in the crate--the pup associates it with the mother's heartbeat and may help calm her down. I would try putting in a corner of the crate with a little blanket or small pillow over it--but not too thick a covering--you want her to hear the tick.

OOPS! Just noticed that this post was made almost 5 wks. ago---Problem prob. solved by now!!--but maybe this can help someone else that may have the same problem so will not delete it!!