Hello,

We first got our Husky puppy Jazz @ 8 weeks old and we knew from friends and training advice that we had to cage/crate train her as these if left alone in the house can destroy sofa etc very easy! So before we were due to get her we got all the items needed (What a shopping list!) and we also got a god quality cage in large (Husky size) At first she wouldn't settle at night and we had some very bad nights in that she as alwasy looking for us if she woke up! But she would be happy to go in the crate as long as the door was not closed. Now @ 10 weeks we are now getting sleep and she normally stays quiet through the night! But to do this we are having to put a bed outside our door and put a baby gate on the door to stop her getting in! But to cut a long story short she is not happy being in her cage alone and locked!!! She howls, barks and whines all night and gets quite distressed. So much that we have arrange for a dog whisperer to come out and help us cage/crate train her. But, I was wondering if anyone has gone through the same thing and come out the otherside to tell the tale?...

Sorry for the long message! LOL

I'm afraid you'll just have to be patient. Huskies are very social dogs - much more so than many breeds, and they really don't like being alone. For 80% of her short life, Jazz spent 24/7 with her mum and her littermates. Suddenly at 8 weeks, she is taken away from everything she knows and is expected to settle without the comfort and warmth of her brothers and sisters. It can be a very traumatic time for a baby puppy. Persevere and you'll get there. When you get your second, third, fourth and fifth husky, it will be much easier - Did anyone tell you they are seriously addictive???

Mick

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DREAMCATCHER SIBERIAN HUSKIES
Siberian Husky Welfare Association (UK)
"For I am a raindog too!" - Tom Waits
"Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see" - Benjamin Franklin
"As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities" - Voltaire

Hi there Raindog... we knew there would be a period where she would have to settle and at least we have got her to the stage where she sleeps on her own @ night... be it outside our door! We have spoken to other peeps with huskys and i think they are saying the same thing too... once they get used to it they are more than happy to spend time in the cage and most say they like it!... How old would you recommend to really start training her wih the cage?... Or will it just come with time? And no I wasn't expecting her to be so addictive but my god she is!!!... And im also so surprise at how quick she is catching on to this like training and potty training! Not too sure about getting a second puppy as our place is not big enough but when and if we get a nice size house it could be on the cards to keep her happy!

If they are very social - she will not want to be away from you. We had the same problem with our Yorkie - after 4 sleepless nights we took advice and put her crate in our room to sleep - instant result he started to sleep through with only a couple of toilet breaks.

After a few weeks we put it outside our room, then a few days later downstairs on the landing, then a few days later in the living room - he was fine for a couple of nights then started the whining again, so we brought him back upstrairs and he sleeps in his crate outside our room and has been for about 5 weeks and he never cries and sleeps right through (he's 19 weeks now).

Everyone is happy with this arrangement (my dh won't have him in our room but is fine with him outside our room) and so I think his crate will stay there.

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Proud owner of Rocky the Yorkie, born July 2008, who came to live with us at 8 weeks old