I used "Supernanny" tv prog's advice about settling kids down and we now have a routine. Out to the garden for a poddle around, a pee and pooh. Inside, back to the sitting room. Then I pick Paddy up for a cuddle, I walk round turning the table lamps in the sitting room off while talking to him quietly. We head for the kitchen together (still cuddling him), I sit on a cushion on the floor with him in my lap, stroking and talking quietly for a couple of minutes, then I lift him into the crate, sit there stroking and talking for a minute, then door closed, low level light left on (do others leave their dogs in the dark??) round the corner from his crate, and off I tootle to bed. If there's any whining - ignore it or else you're "rewarding" the behaviour with attention and only prolonging the problem.
Not a peep out of him since I started doing this - all the cues are there that bedtime's coming, it calms him down before he's crated with a couple of toys and a "me-smelling" blanket - no surprises for him. OH tried putting him to bed when he wanted to watch the Superbowl and Paddy wasn't having any of it - the table lamps were still on, so there was obviously action to be had (well, a human foot to snuffle against).
By the way - is Holly's crate covered with towels or blankets? If not, try this too, as the "cocooning" often calms them too. Also useful in the car if you use a crate in the car.
Hope this helps.
Denise
