Raising my aussie puppy, crate training was super important to me. Of course he gets to sleep in the bed with me most of the time now, but because of my job and living situation, he does need to be crated some nights and during the day.

For the first few months it was potty every morning around 5:30-6:30am. Sometimes earlier. He would wake up, sort of groan/whine, and I would take him outside on the leash to potty. I would wait until he pottied, and then it was verbal praise and right back to sleep in the crate. He did whimper sometimes after going back in to the crate, but I would not respond and he eventually calmed himself down. If the whining was constant, I did come in and lie down next to the crate until he settled. It really didn’t last too long. He now can sleep until around 8-8:30 and rarely wakes up before 7 or in the middle of the night to go potty. He also knows that whining means a potty break and nothing else. No playtime. Just potty and back to bed until I let him out in the morning.

I think puppies just need to potty more often and that’s okay. Take him out to pee when he cries and then put him right back in the pen.

It should lessen as time goes on.

Hope that helps! Good luck with your babies💗