rusty

This is SO hard for me. He cries and yelps for me when in the crate and it breaks my heart! But, when I'm busy and can't watch him I know he'll have an accident. How do you do this? Does it get better?
I feel like I'm keeping him caged and he'll hate me for it or not be socialized properly being in a crate so many times in a day.

2gooddobes

You have to stick with it even though it's hard. If you don't you'll regret it. All the dogs i've crate trained have whined in the beginning. Some like the crate more than others but if you stick with it they will learn to use it as a place for security. I don't believe in using it for punishment,if you always make it into a positive expierince( giving a treat for going in the crate) they will learn to like it quicker.

Kratty

Yes it does take time to crate train, especially if the breeder didn't introduce them to a crate before you get them. Some folks have the crate in their rooms at night and drape their hand down by the pup. Some folks feed in the crate. You just have to make the crate a positive experience for them, but boy can they howl in disapproval.

When we bring home a new pup, I take the next week off for pup-turnity leave just because of this type of training. At night, I had to sleep next to the crate waiting for the pup to fall asleep and then I moved them into the crate. Then after keeping that up, I started to close the door when I moved them in.

I never get a good night sleep anyway during the first week anyway, with potty breaks at night too. Be creative, but try to keep it a positive experience.

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GunnersMum

Feed and water him in the crate, keep his toys in the crate so that even when he doesn't have to be locked inside he still has to go to it for play and basic needs - make the crate his room/space in the house. If he lays down for a nap while you are home put him in the crate and leave the door open - he'll likely come back out but keep putting him back in.

For nights - do you have one of those old style clocks that tick? you can wrap it in a blanket and it will sooth him. Be firm and consistent and try and keep a routine - at a certain time it's outside and then into the crate. With my guy I always gave him a couple of cookies when it was time to go to bed. Now, at one year, as soon as he hears my hand in the cookie bag, he's running for his crate and waiting with his head poking out the door for me to catch up. lol.

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rusty

Once they are 100% toilet trained do you let them sleep whereever they want or do you continue the sleeping in the crate routine for life?

robinb

Puppies need 100% supervision until they are hold enough and proven not to get in any other trouble, like ingesting something. I would continue to crate at night for sometime. I don't crate at night but mine sleep in bed with me.

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dobermansrule

"Once they are 100% toilet trained do you let them sleep whereever they want or do you continue the sleeping in the crate routine for life?"
I think you will find that the dog gets to where they like the crate and will go there on their own throughout the day for a quiet place to be. What you'll find is you'll be able to leave the crate door open and dog will hang out there and bed down there at night. We use a Furrari plastic crate versus open wire crate. Seems to offer a little more privacy which seems to be appreciated.

dobebug

he's not going to "hate" you for confining him in a crate--dogs don't think in those terms.

yes, it gets better provided you don't go running to his rescue each time he cries.

i don't know what constitutes "busy" for you but new puppies in my house spend a lot of time "tethered" to me with a leash so they are never "out of sight, out of mind". i try not to crate them unless i'm doing something that demands so much of my attention that i am really NOT able to keep track of them. for instance if i'm doing laundry i take the pup out for a potty break just before i start--then they go to the laundry area with me & i put up a baby gate, take them off the lead--fold the dry clothes & start a new load. if i'm cooking i can baby gate a pup into the work area (in this house a baby gate works--in a different house with a more open kitchen floor plan i used a small ex-pen) with me.

socialization takes many forms--keeping the puppy with you provides one type. just having a pup crated at night in the bedroom near your bed provides another. pups go with me everywhere--to the store--i crate the puppy in the vehicle & walk them around the parking lot before i go in to shop (weather permitting). i take the time to go to parks & malls once the pup has completed puppy vaccines--any place to meet other people. he goes to dog shows, agility trials etc.

it's not that my puppies don't spend any time in crates but i make sure that they spend a fair amount of time out of them as well. i also have found that some outside time as part of a potty break also helps to get them to settle in the crate. and i make sure that once the pup in crated that no amount of crying gets them out.

Kratty

I crate them until they become reliable and earn the right to be left unsupervised. Its not all about toilet training, but includes destructive behavior like chewy couches, etc. During the puppy stage and into the teenage years, they can be destructive without any notice. I crated my first girl until she was 15 months and my current one is 12 months and is still crated. Once the start to mature, then they start to be reliable. I test periodically for very short periods of time to see if some un-supervised time is working or not. I rather crate longer than necessary, than not to do it long enough and run into issues.

Mine see the crate as their place, which they will go into on their own at times. Crating is a good thing.

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Lexxsmom

Hold in there! That crying certainly does break your heart into little pieces but yes, it does get better. lexx used to HATE his crate, now at bed time he trots in and curls up on his soft blankies right away. Not to say that he wouldn't rather be on the bed with US, but he knows that bedtime is crate time and goes willingly.

you can do it! listen to what everyone else has said, its all excellent advise

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Leanne and Lexx


Dragon Slaying Dobermans Incorporated, member #001, President.
" I don't need to sit for the cookie, I hunt dragons all day dammit!"
Lexxington's blog: http://lexxslife.blogspot.com/