Our 12 week old pupp was fine in the crate. Took a couple of days of getting used to, but now, he’ll walk in there on command (after spending a few minutes with us on the bed). He doesn’t cry at night, but usually after our alarm wakes us up in the morning. We always waited to get him until he was silent for a bit.

Two days ago, he cried at 5:00 am and my boyfriend got up, took the dog outside to go potty. He did the same yesterday, at 4:00 am.

Today, the dog started crying at 3:00 am (seeing a trend?) and I really don’t remember him stopping at all. Boyfriend get’s up at 5:00 am, but I told him not to. Boyfriend sais “maybe he just has to go really badly”… so I waited for 15 second silence and I was up to take him outside.

Few things to take into consideration: He doesn’t drink after 8:30 pm; we take him out between 10:00 pm and 11:00 pm (usually the time we go to sleep) and our usual get-up time is 5:45 am. I have tried a night light which made things worst. So I have put a blanket over his crate and that worked PERFECTLY… he slept until 8 am one morning, no interuptions; crate was clean.

So now that I do the same, but with the two days of answering his cry’s, it’s becoming an earlier shift every day.

I’m thinking about putting him in the living room (in his crate) tonight and getting him at 6:00 am, nomatter what happens. I know he can hold it.. he’s done it before. Anyone have any better ideas?

I’ll have a lot of questions to come, I’m sure… so thank you in advance!

I wouldn't have him on the bed at all.
It may sound really harsh ignoring his cries - and he probably will at first being moved out of your room and put on his own - but I think you have the right idea. Put him in his crate just before you go to bed (no night light) and let him out in the morning. There might be the odd accident until he gets used to his new routine but this is normal so don't back down and let him out when he asks. Wait until he is quiet if he is making a noise when you want to let him out at 6.00.
Lara x

Well, this is where the boyfriend and I disagree. If it were up to me, the dog (as much as I adore him) would never be on the bed or the couch, at that. But bf sees no problem with it and I guess I am too now, provided the dog will get down when I tell him to.

And I have a feeling the cat will love tormenting him while he’s crated. =) I’ll have to think of something to do about that as well.

I don’t know if I’ll go through with the living room. We have a roommate until the end of the month and I don’t want him not getting any sleep just because of this.

But I definitely won’t let him out until 6 am. He will have to get used to this routine. In the meantime, I’ll buy some earplugs hehe.