The best practice these days is a crate next to your bed to start with.
Get a crate that suits your puppy’s size. They should be able to stand up, turn around and stretch out comfortably. If you get a wire crate, cover it with a blanket so it is comfortable and snuggly and put in a comfy but not very expensive bed (they might destroy it).
Throw a few treats in so that the puppy can explore and if they are comfortable give them something to chew on in the crate. During the day you should not lock the door until they are fully crate trained. For more information on crate training…….
At night, put the crate next to your bed or sleep with the puppy in a spare bedroom. Do not put the puppy in the laundry on their own, they need to learn to sleep alone but this is not going to happen over night. By leaving them isolated you will create a puppy that is scared of being left alone and letting them cry themselves to sleep will cause a feeling of abandonment and potentially causes a separation issue.
Make sure the puppy has been to the toilet and put them in the crate with a chew, a bit like a dummy, and he should go to sleep in no time. If the puppy vocalizes, put your hand in so they know you are there. They should go back to sleep unless they need to go to the toilet. If they do not settle, take them out, reward for going to the toilet and put them back to bed.
Once they sleep through the night start moving the crate very gradually towards its final position. Within a few weeks your puppy should be able to sleep alone in a room of your house.
Written By: Barbara Hodel
On: May 19, 2016
Views: 584 Views