| When we first go Roxy she was 8 weeks. She too did not spend her first days in a crate, but with in her 1st week @ home I started her slowly getting acquainted with the crate.
I tried to feed her a meal in the crate, but she would not touch her food...I really wanted her to associate good things with the crate, so I got a few of her favorite treats & tossed them into the crate. It worked like a charm! I did this a few times a day. I then moved on to closing the gate & sitting right outside of it talking to her in a clam voice, and yes she hated it! I would only leave her in there for a few minuets & then let her out. We then mover to longer & longer intervals...I too found that putting a towel over the crate made her calm down quicker.
Every night for the first month or so before we put her to bed she went outside to do her business. I would then get up @ 2am & take her outside to again do her business.
Now Roxy loves her crate!! There have been times when we have let her sleep in our bed & she tosses & turns all night. When she goes into her crate she is out like a light!! Don't get me wrong if she had her way she would sleep in our bed every night!
It is so hard to hear the crying! It broke my heart, but I knew it came with the territory.
By the way, we still have to give her a treat when she goes to sleep. It has just become part of her routine:D  |