# Whining & Barking in crate - Inconsistent



## philips2 (Jan 4, 2009)

We just got our new puppy (12 week old male Maltese) on Friday and he's "effectively" crate trained. He cries sometimes but not other times. Today, I had him in his crate while I was in the same room and he was fine for 2 hours (not one whimper). Later, I crated him alone in a different room for 2 hours. Again, he was fine.

When my wife came home tonight, we crated him while we were in the living room with him. Again, he was fine.

However, when we left the room, he started whining, crying, barking, and moaning. It was really loud and he wouldn't stop. What gives?

Also, he whines/moans/barks/growls at night when we crate him next to our bed. It goes on for 2 hours. Any advice (the post just previous to this by JackStraw was helpful)? Is this just something we have put up with until he stops?


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

That is pretty normal. To make your leaving less exciting, do it often. Step just out of the room and back in. Do not say a good-bye or a hello to him. Just ignore him and act like this is thoroughly boring. Slowly increase the time you are gone. The idea is that he learns you can walk out the door, but you'll be back soon. You can also give him a special crate treat (like a stuffed kong) for when you are going to leave. The makes you leaving=yummy treat. It is important to do this practice now and get him comfortable with the idea that it is no big deal. 

At night, sometimes it can help initially to put the crate next to the bed and drop your hand on it so the pup knows you are there. Otherwise, just wait it out (which is what I do). I find it takes my kids about a week to really seem to adjust to bedtime. The first few nights are often sleepless, but once they know the routine and that whining doesn't work, it fades.


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## philips2 (Jan 4, 2009)

Thanks JMM! That's really good advice. My wife and I just wanted to see if he'd cry when we walked out of the room and out of site. When he started crying, we didn't know what to do. Everyone says not to go back in until the puppy stops, but my wife and I couldn't stay out of the room that long. So we just walked back in and ignored him. Eventually he calmed down. We'll do it more often and get longer and longer over time. Thanks so much!

Also, the night crating advice sounds good. We'll try that. What about putting the puppy on the nightstand so he can see us? I read that in JackStraw's post. Could that work for us right now, and then we'll move him to the floor in a bit, and then eventually to another room?


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

QUOTE (philips2 @ Jan 5 2009, 07:20 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=700000


> Thanks JMM! That's really good advice. My wife and I just wanted to see if he'd cry when we walked out of the room and out of site. When he started crying, we didn't know what to do. Everyone says not to go back in until the puppy stops, but my wife and I couldn't stay out of the room that long. So we just walked back in and ignored him. Eventually he calmed down. We'll do it more often and get longer and longer over time. Thanks so much!
> 
> Also, the night crating advice sounds good. We'll try that. What about putting the puppy on the nightstand so he can see us? I read that in JackStraw's post. Could that work for us right now, and then we'll move him to the floor in a bit, and then eventually to another room?[/B]


We did that....crate on the nightstand for awhile and then on the floor. Ours still sleep in their crates in our bedroom .....maltese are companion animals, so I think they prefer to be with us if possible. :wub:


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