Town Hall Topic - Crate Training/Housebreaking - Page 5

DobieLove02 · 02-24-2008, 05:36 PM

• What type of crate do you use and what materials does your doberman lie on.

42" metal wire crate with a blanket/comforter.

• How did you train your doberman to use the crate, how long did it take?

He came to me already crate trained. I was blessed!

• What uses does the crate serve for you and how does your doberman see the crate? (bedroom, punishment, etc)

He is only in the crate when I am at work

• When did you stop using the crate?

Still in use.

• What techniques did you use to Housebreak/potty train you doberman? (puppy pads, etc)

Again, he came to me potty trained!

• How long did it take it become 100% reliable, no more mistakes.

Day 1

• How does your Doberman alert you that they need to go out.

He whines and circles around me

• Do they go on different surfaces and in new locations easily? (if traveling and no grass is available)

If he has to go bad enough any surface
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**avalonandon** · 03-05-2008, 06:15 AM

• What type of crate do you use and what materials does your doberman lie
on.
4'x3'x3' thick guage stainless steel with 3 washable 2'x2' pillows and two
blankets

• How did you train your doberman to use the crate, how long did it take?
He still does not like it and ocassionally has to be led to it by his collar. I
really think this is a Doberman thing - not wanting to be alone.

• What uses does the crate serve for you and how does your doberman see
the crate? (bedroom, punishment, etc)
It has never been used for punishment and never will. It is only when I
have to leave for more than an hour or so. It is never used otherwise.

• When did you stop using the crate?
Still do

• What techniques did you use to Housebreak/potty train you doberman?
(puppy pads, etc)
Got him at 10 months already trained. Only dog I have ever had that has
NEVER had an accident - even when sick. Amazing

• How long did it take it become 100% reliable, no more mistakes.
Always has been

• How does your Doberman alert you that they need to go out.
Comes to me and gives me a few silent barks.

• Do they go on different surfaces and in new locations easily? (if traveling and no grass is available)
Not picky. Anywhere he does not frequent.

LAdobeldy · 03-20-2008, 03:01 PM

Topic – Crate Training & Housebreaking

• What type of crate do you use and what materials does your doberman lie on.

I used both wire and vari kennels (wire are easier to transport if we have to evacuate) I used beach towels.

• How did you train your doberman to use the crate, how long did it take?

Feeding them (fosters) in it always seemed to help them adjust and like being in a crate. Usually a week maybe a little more depending on disposition.

• What uses does the crate serve for you and how does your doberman see the crate? (bedroom, punishment, etc)

All of my dogs personal/foster loved their crates. I never used it as a form of punishment. All fosters were fed in their crates, crated when I was gone (I don't work) and slept in them at night.

• When did you stop using the crate?

With Zack, when I knew I could trust him not to eat the sofa when I was gone. With fosters, most were always crated when I was gone. A "selling" point in adoption was that they were crate trained. I figured their new family could make that decision once they were adopted.

maryellen · 03-20-2008, 07:49 PM

both my dogs are not dobes, but one is a gsd and one a pitbull mix

• What type of crate do you use and what materials does your doberman lie on.i use a midwest fold up metal crate with metal pan for Rufus(he is a power chewer, not a dobe)rufus's crate has 3 fleece blankets, and 3 sheepskin blankets

• How did you train your doberman to use the crate, how long did it take?
it took me 2 weeks to crate train 2 of my dogs from 8 weeks old.
• What uses does the crate serve for you and how does your doberman see the crate? (bedroom, punishment, etc)crate serves as a safe zone and bed
• When did you stop using the crate?jesse my gsd i didnt have to use the crate for her since she turned 2 years old, she is now 7, rufus is still crated sometimes, i just gave him run of the downstairs with a babygate separating him and jesse when we are not home, he too views his crate as a safe zone

• What techniques did you use to Housebreak/potty train you doberman? i had both pups on leash attached to my hip, so that when i saw they had to go potty i took them outside and treated/praised and threw them a party when they pottied. the pads didnt work at all for either of them(puppy pads, etc)
• How long did it take it become 100% reliable, no more mistakes.jesse was 100% reliable at a year, rufus too
• How does your Doberman alert you that they need to go out.both dogs were taught to ring a bell at the door to go outside, or to bark
• Do they go on different surfaces and in new locations easily? (if traveling and no grass is availablejesse doesnt like to potty anywhere but our yard, but over the years she has gotten better to potty on grass, dirt, pavement. rufus will go anywhere he doesnt care

upst8nygirl · 04-23-2008, 05:10 PM

My husband and I are looking at a 3-4 y/o rescue who was found as a stray. They suspect she was bought, then basically tied up outside and ignored until she slipped her leash. She is crate trained and doesn't "go" in her crate, but is not "housebroken," per se from what I understand.

Is she a lost cause? Can older dogs be taught? Luckily our living room has durable floors, so I can live with a few accidents if they happen, but it is NOT practical for me to live with a dog that just pees all over the place.

Any help, please? (And/or suggestions under other threads where I can cross-post this?) Thanks!