[Sinister]

Any suggestions? I've fed her in it, put treats in there randomly so its a good thing, tossed her toys into it, put in stuffed Kongs whiles she's in, gave her treats while in it.. heck, I've even gotten in it myself!
Any other suggestions? I want her to love her crate, just having trouble with it..

 

[sam&macksmom]

check out crate games: Crate Games

 

[arankin]

What troubles are you having?

How long have you been trying to crate train her?

Puppies are different, some take longer to adapt than others. We had problems with Scarlet for a few weeks. I would say she wasn't fully comfortable with the crate being hers until she was about 3.5 - 4 months old. Now at 5 months old, after playing crate games over and over, as soon as we grab a cookie she runs to her crate. She is even starting to just walk in there on her own for a nap with the door open.

You'll get there! It takes lots of patience and time lol

 

[Sinister]

Dang, $37. Guess its worth it! Ill check it out.

Crying, pawing, and today she had a bad accident in it. Poo caked in every inch of the crate. I don't leave her in it all day, just over night & 15 minutes or up to 90 minutes at the most during the day.

 

[Adara]

Dang, $37. Guess its worth it! Ill check it out.

Crying, pawing, and today she had a bad accident in it. Poo caked in every inch of the crate. I don't leave her in it all day, just over night & 15 minutes or up to 90 minutes at the most during the day.

Was the accident overnight? At that age my puppies were still getting up 1-2 times a night to go potty. Make sure to let her out IF she really does have to go potty - not sure if this happened at night or not.

 

[StarlightDobe]

Bella likes her crate, and we have only been doing it a week, well, I should say she likes it when the door is open, and she can come and go when she wants. We had to begin late, she is 7 months old, and had never been crated, we had been using a baby gate to confine her when we had to leave her alone, but she was chewing my baseboards and door frames so we had to get a cage for her. Its the wire dog cage, and I have a blanket over it so if it hits the wall it wont leave marks on it, plus for more of a den feeling for her. I put her bed in it, and some of her toys, and I opened the front and side door and laid down beside it, and she went right in to investigate, I let her sniff, and look around and go in and out as much as she wanted, and then when she laid down in it I stayed with her for a bit, and got up and she stayed in it. We got it on a Monday night and I did not confine her to it until that Wednesday when I had to leave for a physical therapy appointment, and I was gone for a couple hrs., and the little stinker had gotten out of it! Its possible I didnt latch the door properly, or its possible she figured out how to get out, Im not sure, but she still does not like when she is closed in it and I leave. But she loves to lay in it when I am home. Im not sure what to suggest, all I did was encourage her to go in, with her bed and toys and she did, she now thinks of it as her place. She will let Nexus go in with her too.

 

[OliviaB]

Where is the crate located? Gunner's is in the living room. That way even if he has to be crated while we are home, he can still see us and feel like part of the family. As long as he can see me, he doesn't care if he's in there. He's definitely a velcro dog though and will bark briefly if I leave the room. He whines for maybe 5 minutes tops at night but that's it. Always make it a positive thing which is sounds like you're doing. Just give it some more time

 

[StarlightDobe]

Bella's is in the computer room, so I can close the door when I leave, because if I cant close the door, Nexus would be in there, and that would be harder on her than just being in the room alone.

 

[Sinister]

Her accident was this morning. She was in the basement, either way she will cry. I keep the room dark & quiet.
She was in for 90 minutes, with a walk before. I needed a break from her to get things done.

Ill play with her in/around the crate later today.
Thanks everyone.

 

[StarlightDobe]

Speaking of the crate, both of mine are laying in it behind me, chewing on their bones. lol, they are so cute.

 

[Lori Z]

I use a crate at night when puppy is very small and an Xpen during the day or a larger kennel space. I like this video by Michael Ellis.

How We use Ex-Pens to Raise Puppies in our Home - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWQLfq7tpVE&feature=related

I am not as fond of crates as some people are. I use crates to potty train and that's about it. I do not leave my puppy in the crate while I am gone I use and xpen or kennel. Just another way of doing things, interesting video I think you will like it. All of my dogs are fine with crates in case we need to use them but I think puppies need space to stretch and move around for longer than an hour or two. Eli was very floppy in his crate at night, he could sigh and turn this way and that. At around 5 months I used a tether, got him a dog bed and he has slept on the dog bed since then. At about 6 months we didn't use the tether but the room was picked up and I trained him to "go to your place" stay in the bed. The door was also closed. I think dogs need to be with us, in our rooms by our sides, in the living room, kitchen areas etc. to learn to be with the other animals and the family but they also need to be contained until they learn manners.

Eli will go into a crate with no problems and that is important for a vet visit or a dog show but overall we just don't use crates much here.

 

[Sinister]

I use a crate at night when puppy is very small and an Xpen during the day or a larger kennel space. I like this video by Michael Ellis.

How We use Ex-Pens to Raise Puppies in our Home - YouTube

Managing Your Puppy in an ExPen - YouTube

I am not as fond of crates as some people are. I use crates to potty train and that's about it. I do not leave my puppy in the crate while I am gone I use and xpen or kennel. Just another way of doing things, interesting video I think you will like it.

I want to use your idea, but she cries/gets upset whenever I leave. I'd be afraid she'd get out. Ill look for an ex pen on Craigslist.

 

[Lori Z]

I want to use your idea, but she cries/gets upset whenever I leave. I'd be afraid she'd get out. Ill look for an ex pen on Craigslist.

I think in his video he says pups often tolerate xpens when they may not be so accepting of crates. Frankly I don't know if this is so but I do know Eli learned to be alone and not stress in his xpen and then the kennel I had (6x4 foot kennel I kept in the garage with a dog house (blankets), toys and very much the same set up as Ellis has in his xpen. I put Eli in that because it was a bit larger. The garage had windows and he was in it when I went to work. I put papers down and soon he waited until I came home at lunch and didn't poo or pee. The xpen was set up in the kitchen which opened up to the family room so he was always around us but couldn't get into trouble if I wasn't was busy. I did basically the same with most of my puppies. Your girl is new, she will be fine and learn the ways of your household. You sound like a very good owner. I do enjoy the Ellis video's too.

Oh I wanted to add she can be in the xpen while you are home but are busy, like cooking, doing laundry etc. she can see you but has to stay in her safe place. That way you can make sure she stays in it, make it a tall one and you can put it next to a wall and put a chair in front to stablize it if she jumps on it a lot. Be sure to put chewies, toys and interesting things in there with her.