Yesterday I was celebrating our little wins, today I broke down in tears. I feel so bad about this, but I am just exhausted. And I guess my pup is also exhausted. I need some help with forcing naps for my 10 week old Labrador.
The cycle looks a bit like this: Wake up, potty, back to the flat and do some training using his kibble (focusing on "sit" and "crate") but then he gets bored and starts biting furniture. I try to redirect to a toy, or something else, but eventually he starts biting hands and trouser legs. I cannot do a reverse timeout, because we don't have a pen for him (not enough space) and the living room (where the crate is in) is not dog proof.
I know that he needs more sleep. How do I correctly do the forced nap? I have been taking him down for a potty break, coming back, offering him water (he sometimes doesn't drink it when offered) and then lure him into his crate with a treat. When I lock the door he barks and whines and I don't know if he's barking for attention, or because he actually needs something. I sometimes sit by the crate, I sometimes leave the room and wait 5-10 mins for him to calm down. I really do not want to poison the crate, I want him to like it. I don't want to create separation anxiety. How long do I let him cry/bark for? I am at my wits end. Thanks for your help.
submitted by /u/Limp_Parfait
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