advice on cage training puppy

[madmax]

I have had max now for 6days-he's nearly10 weeks old (my first pup). When i first got him we didint have a cage-i have been sleeping downstairs in the kitchen with him as he gets very very stressed when he's alone-i know this isnt the best option as I cant sleep downstairs with him forever! He has been sleeping in his bed though and each time he tries to lie on me i tell him to get in bed and he does but he will try to sleep on me again. I decided to buy a large cage for him to sleep in-its big enough for him to stand up and turn and move around in. He was in it for the first time last night but everytime I close the door he cries and cries! I did wait to see if he would stop but he never so in the end i left the door open and each time he tried to come out he was told to get back in bed(except when i let him go outside to toilet). If anyone has any advice on how to cage train properly or if I'm doing anything wrong please let me know. thanks

[BigBrownDog]

It's crate - not cage. And he is going to complain some - you will not be able to avoid that.

You might do better if you put the crate in your bedroom so that he can hear/see you when you are sleeping.

What I did with my younger Lab when I first got him (at 8 weeks) is I started with him in a laundry basket next to my bed. If he whimpered, I put my hand on him and settled him back down. (yours is probably too old/big for this - Blaise was not trying to escape) After a few days of that, I put the crate in place of the basket. He did settle quickly in the crate. Then after a couple of weeks of that we moved the crate to the place is still is - in the kitchen near the sliders. He LOVES his crate and goes in all day long, even though he really is not crated anymore at night or when we are out.

Try making positive associations with the crate. Feed him in the crate, throw treats into the crate - happy things happen in the crate.

I would also caution you not to put bedding or chewable items (toys or other) into the crate unless you are actually watching him. Too many things are choking hazards. Kongs are OK. Nylabones are OK. He'll be just fine on the crate tray without bedding. Most Labs much prefer a cool surface to sleep on anyway.

[madmax]

thanks for the reply. I think he just needed time to get used to the crate and see it as his own safe place-he sometimes wonders in there in the day now and he had his first night in it on his own in the kitchen last night! he cried a little but soon settled which was a relief.