How to Train a Labrador Puppy to Sleep Outside

Hello Nell, The best solution might be for her to sleep in her crate inside your home. If she was not disturbing your neighbors, then you would need to let her cry it out outside until she gets used to sleeping out there again. By using a crate, you can teach her to sleep by herself but she will be inside so she should not bother your neighbors. When she goes to the breeder's house, if they work on crate training with her, then she might come back used to sleeping in the crate. If that happens then it will be extremely important for you be firm and let her cry if she pitches a fit when she comes back home. If the breeder has already gotten her used to the crate, then it should only take a couple of nights before she gives up and starts sleeping in the crate at your house. If you give in and go to her or let her out, then it will take several days before she stops crying and you will need to be even firmer. If the breeder does not train her for you, then you will need to place her into the crate with a safe chew toy and night and let her cry. Sleeping in the crate is not only safer but it can also help her learn independence, self-soothing, self-entertaining, and prevent future separation anxiety. It also makes it far easier to crate her later in life when she needs to be boarded, is sick, injured, traveling, or needs to be left alone inside. Essentially, crating a puppy during the first couple years of life prevents bad habits from forming, keeps them safe when you cannot supervise them, helps prevent separation anxiety by teaching independence, and leads to a lot more freedom later in life. Try to remember the benefits when you are trying to be firm. She is old enough to go all night. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Amanda, There are outdoors dogs who are happy. The key is how much time will you be spending with him in any location realistically. At this age he will need a lot of mental stimulation, a moderate amount of exercise, and a LOT of socialization. If you are able to take him lots of places, spend time walking and training him multiple times of day and generally giving him what he needs in the kennel and day to day, then he could be happy, but that will require a lot of time, intentionality, and commitment from you. Right now is the most crucial age for familiarizing him with people, puppies, new places, and other things he will experience in life. If you do decide to re-home him, many reputable breeders will take puppies back or there are pure bred rescues who foster dogs in there homes before adopting them to a carefully selected family. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Omar, I would need a bit more details about the situation to answer that question. Is the room flat or slanted? Can pup wander off the edge? What is the temperature outside at night? Is this a long term situation for nightly sleeping. Please describe the location and situation more, and I would love to help you. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Ashley, First, at this age pup is vulnerable to other animals in the yard - even raccoons, so I would begin the sleep outside in an area where other animals can't get to her, like a kennel run with a dog house, or a porch that's screened in, or even chicken coop type area with a top and side wire fencing for protection. Make sure she can't be prey for another animal while a puppy unable to defend herself, and make sure she has a secure location to go to to sleep in, like a dog house. The secure location will also help her feel a bit more secure - although I would still expect some crying at first. Check out the Surprise method from the article linked below. Practice that method with her for 1-2 hours at a time during the day without the small dog present - to get her used to being outside by herself. That method was written for crate training, so you will modify it. When she barks, ignore the barking. Whenever she gets quiet, toss several treats out a window or door - toss the treats in an area where she can easily locate them - but not right in front of the door - since you want her to learn to hang out further from the door, not right at it. Surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Also, know that pup is bored. Make sure you are giving her interesting bones and toys that she can't tear apart and won't chip to occupy her. You will have to endure some crying. Typically it takes puppies two weeks to adjust to being alone, and every time you give into the crying it will continue for that much longer. Start the process earlier in the evening so that the crying isn't happening while everyone is trying to go to bed - and especially practice for shorter periods during the daytime without your other dog present. Allow the dogs to spend time together stuff but give her opportunities to adjust to being outside on her own as well when everyone isn't so tired. A lot of this process is also dependent on how close your neighbors are and whether pup will keep them up. Also, be sure to practice a lot of mentally and physically tiring activities during the day. Have training sessions where pup practices new or slightly more difficult commands that what they already know, incorporate a lot of obedience and focus work into heeling walks, and give pup interesting mental toys to play with during the day. Mental stimulation can actually make physical exercise twice as tiring for a dog and encourage a calmer mindset. You want pup to be tired and calm come nighttime. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello, letting Bruno sleep on the balcony at night depends on several things. Is it a safe environment? Will he disturb others? Will you be able to hear him out there if he needs you? Will Bruno be in a crate? Personally, I would keep him inside for safety and as well for him to feel secure and not afraid. I would set up an exercise pen area where he still has room to move around but feels safe - he'll sleep better that way and won't feel uncomfortable at every noise. He's pretty young to be left on his own at night. Here is a great article on setting up the pen: https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/how-to-set-up-puppy-long-term-confinement-area. You can also crate him inside at night - many dogs prefer this "den" area. Here is a guide on helping a dog like a crate: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crateAll the best!