hi guys and Gals!!
i am an new beagle owner and have a couple of ?'s
1. i am trying to crate train my pup and whenever i leave him in his crate he seems to be unable to cope with being in there. he is a little better if i am in there but he doesnt like being in the crate at all.
2. He also seems to be afraid of the dark. I have to leave the lights on in the room or he freaks out all night long.
just a bit of info, he is 13 weeks old and an only pet.
any info would be great i just dont know what else to do!
New Beagle Pup
Moderators: Pike Ridge Beagles, Aaron Bartlett
Short times in the crate is best to start with. 5 minutes then let him out. Add some time each trip, then let him out. After a while, he'll learn that crate time isn't permanent and you can condition him to accept longer times if he knows there's an end to it. Crating up for a treat is a good way to communicate that crating up (or quiet time) isn't always bad. Too bad you don't have 2 puppies in there!
You might also try playing a radio or TV during the times you are in the room with him in the crate. Make sure he has something of comfort in there like a sturdy toy of some sort. When you leave the room, keep the radio or TV playing. If this seems to comfort him, perhaps you can slowly lower the volume to where he can hear it but it won't bother you.
There are folks that visit this board with much more experience in crating than I. They will probably give you some other answers. Good luck with the puppy!
You might also try playing a radio or TV during the times you are in the room with him in the crate. Make sure he has something of comfort in there like a sturdy toy of some sort. When you leave the room, keep the radio or TV playing. If this seems to comfort him, perhaps you can slowly lower the volume to where he can hear it but it won't bother you.
There are folks that visit this board with much more experience in crating than I. They will probably give you some other answers. Good luck with the puppy!
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Boomer
A little night light wouldn't be a bad idea if he doesn' t like the dark. If you don't think the pup will tear it up, a warm water-bottle wrapped in a towel or t-shirt is good for them to snuggle up to (just like his mommy or another pup). A clock's tick-tock can help relax some dogs. With my first pup, I'd put the t-shirt I wore that day in there with him for the night, but you have to be aware that it could be ripped or soiled. Scents on the shirt can be very powerful reminders of your presence, plus it will still have some of your body warmth, too, for a little while.
You may even want to feed all of his meals in the crate for the time being to help him associate the crate with good things. At this point, he probably just associates the crate with being left alone. We also reward dogs by throwing a treat or piece of dog food in the crate. Most of them get to the point that they'll run to the crate at bedtime to wait for their treat.
We almost always keep the TV on at a low volume when we're gone, and with new dogs, we give them Kong toys. They're a very hard rubber toy that is hollow inside, and if you buy the right sized treats, you can put treats inside that are hard to get out. It keeps them busy, helps wear them out a little, and is good for their teeth and gums.
You may even want to feed all of his meals in the crate for the time being to help him associate the crate with good things. At this point, he probably just associates the crate with being left alone. We also reward dogs by throwing a treat or piece of dog food in the crate. Most of them get to the point that they'll run to the crate at bedtime to wait for their treat.
We almost always keep the TV on at a low volume when we're gone, and with new dogs, we give them Kong toys. They're a very hard rubber toy that is hollow inside, and if you buy the right sized treats, you can put treats inside that are hard to get out. It keeps them busy, helps wear them out a little, and is good for their teeth and gums.