Hello all,

My wife and I just picked up our very first Husky pup, black & white female we named Skye!

She is currently 10 weeks old, and a good dog so far....however, the crate training is not going so well.

She absolutely freaks out when we put her in there...I actually joked to my wife that she sounds "like a tortured monkey at times".

She is only crated at night, and basically we're just doing this until she is fully potty trained...but the second I carry her into the room where the crate is, she totally flips outs...even before being put into the crate.

She is all alone in the room, and no lights are left on.

Are there any suggestions for correcting this behavior...I don't want her to fear the crate, or see it as a punishment.

Thanks in advance!

This is very common for a young puppy that was just taken from everything it knew a couple weeks ago and is in a strange environment where everything is new. Puppies at this age go through a fear period that lasts up until around 12 to 14 weeks of age.

If the pup is afraid to even be in the room with the crate, maybe it's time to back off a little and go slower with the training. Re-introduce her to the crate in a way that is 100 percent positive. Try feeding her meals in there but leave the door open. Until she's totally comfortable, you can move on to the next step of having her go in the crate and close the door. Leave the room for a minute or two and come back and let her out, but only when she is NOT crying.

A tip that really helped us when we were crate-training Layla was randomly leaving treats in the crate throughout the day for the puppy to find. It really helped associate the crate with good things.

It takes time and you'll have to take it slowly but if you take it step by step and make sure she's 100 percent comfortable before moving to the next step, you will have success.

Excellent advice, we'll give it a shot.


Thanks capellalayla!

Edit; I just noticed you're in Billerica, I live in Woburn and actually grew up in Billerica...small world.

You may want to consider crate training even after she's house broken, for her own safety and for your homes safety haha. We had a similar thought process, until our couch was eaten and various objects were destroyed. You don't want her to possibly chew an electrical cord or something and get hurt.

As far as crate training goes, stay consistent and she will get use to it. We went through the same thing with our guy and it drives you craaaaazy! It will be worth it in the end though. Don't let her out when she starts screaming, this will only teach her that by screaming, she gets out. I learned this the hard way.

Try moving the crate into your bedroom where she doesn't feel so alone. Remember, she was use to sleeping with all get brothers and sisters and this is a big change for her. Give her an old shirt of yours, so she can smell you through the night. Try putting a dark sheet over the crate, that worked best for our third husky.

I noticed you said carrying her into the room with her crate. So i assume you physically put her in there. Try using treats to get her into her cage. Make it a safe fun place. Start with just leaving a few treats in there and when she goes into it to grab them dont shut the door leave it open. Then make her stay in there with door open. Then shut door for. A few seconds.

But at night when sleeping lost important thing is, let her cry it out. It sucks and makes you sad but you cant give her any attention when she cries in her cage. Make sure she goes to the bathroom before you put her in at night and just let her go. It will get better

Ericobeasto wrote:

I noticed you said carrying her into the room with her crate. So i assume you physically put her in there. Try using treats to get her into her cage. Make it a safe fun place. Start with just leaving a few treats in there and when she goes into it to grab them dont shut the door leave it open. Then make her stay in there with door open. Then shut door for. A few seconds.

But at night when sleeping lost important thing is, let her cry it out. It sucks and makes you sad but you cant give her any attention when she cries in her cage. Make sure she goes to the bathroom before you put her in at night and just let her go. It will get better

Well, regarding the bathroom thing. We do put her out before bed, but we also believe that, when she does finally calm down and pass out, that she wakes up a few hours later...we think to pee.

So last night I decided to go and get her (against my better judgement), I took her out and she immediately pee'd.

...and when I put her back in the crate, it was right back to screeching.

Thanks for the advice.

rock_strongo wrote:

Excellent advice, we'll give it a shot.


Thanks capellalayla!

Edit; I just noticed you're in Billerica, I live in Woburn and actually grew up in Billerica...small world.

Glad to help. And small world indeed!

On another note, are you interested in getting into biking and/or skiing and sledding with your pup once she's old enough? There's an awesome local group on Meetup.com called Boston Snow Dogs. We've been members for about a year now and there are meetups with fellow snow dog enthusiasts (most of the dogs are Huskies but there are a few Malamutes and even one pit bull in the group), where we hike and mush all around eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. It's a lot of fun and a great way to meet other Husky people and get involved in "urban mushing."

Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.meetup.com/BOSTONSNOWDOGS/

Everything all the previous posters said - I would add - if you have them, wear an old pair of wool socks, then tie them in a knot and toss them in the crate. Ditto for an old wool sweater. Maybe just outside the crate, an old-fashioned tick tock clock (rhythmic - Mom's heartbeat).

Also, and I don't know the size of your crate (or you  ) but one way I acclimated Ami to crate and doghouse was for me to physically climb in there with him. We have a bedtime ritual - I climb in with a baggie of kibble and his kong - fill the kong slowly with puppy (well, he's 20+ months...will always be my baby) sitting beside me - 1 for puppy (hand fed) 2-3 for the kong, repeat until kibble gone, saving last piece for puppy.

And covering the crate - son suggested that to me and Mr. Dog loves it - it's his "dog cave".

Well, another rough night (or ruff if you will)...have a potty question.

Last night, no water after 7pm....walked and pee'd around 8pm....fell asleep on the floor (wife and I on the couch)...woke up around 11:30, took her out...she pee'd again.

Put her in the crate, she freaked again, we let her cry it out until the morning....checked the blanket in the crate...more pee.

Is this normal, seems like an awful lot of pee for one little pup who hadn't drank since 7pm the night before.

Sorry for the peppering of questions/concerns...just really want my night's back! LOL

Puppies that young have very small bladders, so they can only hold it for a few hours max. She hadn't had any water since 7 p.m. but I'm guessing there was still some working its way through her system between 11:30 and the morning. Maybe she hadn't totally emptied her bladder.

The peeing in the crate was probably due to the stress of being separated from you. It also sets you back a bit in her potty training because she has soiled the place she's supposed to sleep. I would take the training back a few steps and start putting her in the crate during the day for a few minutes at a time (when you are relatively sure her bladder is empty!). Close the door and walk out of the room. Wait until she stops crying, even for a few seconds, and go back into the room and let her out. Praise her like CRAZY and give her a treat. Then repeat a little while later. Continue doing this for a week or two, leaving her in for longer periods each time once she's totally comfortable.

What also would help is giving her a small Kong with frozen peanut butter, mashed banana, plain yogurt (no added sugar), or a moist treat like Red Barn when she goes in the crate. This will keep her occupied and will associate positive things with the crate. Make sure to put something extra yummy in there that she can't resist.

Amy's suggestion about putting a blanket over the crate is also really helpful. It really does make the crate seem more like a welcoming "cave."

All this training does take time and you may have quite a few more nights you will have to get up to let her out, but trust me, eventually it will work out! The first few months after we brought Layla home we thought she'd never go in her crate willingly and without crying, and while she doesn't go in there on her own, she will go in happily when we give the command (we still give her treats every time she goes in and a treat when we shut the door) and stays quiet and calm.

OK, thanks capellalayla, we'll give that a shot.