How do i get my puppy to sleep in her basket.

by JACKIE
(LIVERPOOL)

I wanted to get my puppy to get used to sleeping in the kitchen in her basket ,but she is having none of it.

I bought a baby gate so i don't have to shut the door and she can see all the family> i want her to sleep in there so that if i ever need to go out and leave her she will not be upset.I have put the gate on put her in the kitchen and she just cries to come in, Also she hates her new bed and has took a likeing to my rug in the living room she had everyone awake last night howling and my son slept downstairs so she could sleep on the rug.

I know i am too soft but i havn't got a clue, do i treat her like a baby and keep going in the kitchen starting with 5mins and then leaving it to 10mins gradually leaving it longer and longer before i go in again say nothing and guide her to her bed and walk back out. thats what i did with my children it worked after a week and they got fed up with it and just didn't bother crying anymore.




Hi Jackie
You've started off in just the right way, with the stairgate and her bed. It is definitely the best thing to do to confine her to one area, and as she can see the family and so on she isn't being 'banished' or ignored.

Of course, she'd much rather be in the thick of things, but that isn't her choice to make and you just need to 'stick to your guns' and let her get over her pouting!

If she cries when you leave her in 'her' area, just totally ignore her. I know it's really difficult, and some puppies can be incredibly loud and stubborn, but be strong and don't give in. NEVER take her out of her area while she's crying and complaining. Only take her out when she's been quiet for a few minutes. If she thinks for one minute that her complaints will get her released, she'll be louder and more persistent the next time.

What you did with your kids is similar to what I did with mine, and it works well for them. But your pup isn't as good at reasoning, and if you keep going back in with her when she cries she won't understand and it will confuse her.

Just bite the bullet and ignore her and you'll be amazed at how quickly she'll get the message.

As for getting her to sleep on her bed, that's a different matter. You really can't force her to use her bed, all you can do is make it accessible to her, if she chooses to sleep on it - fine. If not, she can sleep on the floor. I don't want to sound harsh, it's not being mean, just practical and to be honest most puppies don't start off loving their bed! A bit later on you can train her to 'settle' on it, and to 'stay' and eventually she'll understand to stay there, but right now she's too little.

It's up to you to set the rules at this point, and just like kids, your puppy will 'test her limits' intermittently just to see if you really mean business. Just be firm, consistent and loving and she'll respect you and do what's expected of her.

Always remember to give her lots of praise when she's doing something 'good' - like chewing on her own toys instead of the table leg, or staying quietly in her room instead of howling. She desperately want to win your approval and do what you want her to, but it's up to you to show her exactly what you expect.

I would also suggest that you buy her a crate/kennel (check out my Crate Training Page to find out more about crate training and how to pick the right size crate. Contrary to some people's belief this isn't cruel, it's actually quite comforting for a puppy once they get used to it. And it's an invaluable tool for housebreaking. It's also much safer to transport a puppy by car in a crate, and helps prevent destruction at home if she needs to be left alone for any amount of time.

Hope this helps some, you're on the right track!