XP again: Crate training question

tlv204 · November 2009

I know I just did this last night, but apparently I just am too attached to P&E and need to get answers from you guys too. I just posted on the nest pets board about this, and since so many of you guys have dogs, thought I should get your opinions too

Sorry for all of the random NWR questions. Good thing I'm not pregnant or you guys would really get sick of me. Here goes: DH and I want to adopt a dog (going to look at shelters for the first time this weekend), and we think we would like to crate train it, but I'm not sure exactly how it works. I grew up in the boonies where dogs were pretty much expected to roam around, so this is new to me

So you train the dog/puppy to go in the crate when it's home alone or at night, right? Once you train them this way, should they always go in the crate during those times? Or can you gradually let them in different areas of the house until you know it won't destroy everything, then eventually just leave them in the house when you're gone? I've only ever seen completely one or the other, always crated or always left loose in the house, so I'm not sure what the best way to transition is. Any advice or suggestions for resources to help with our new dog friend so we're prepared? Thanks!

tlv204 · November 2009

PS that was not a dig towards the baby carriers

I just mean I am over-verbal and ask too many questions already. A baby would just make it worse for me.

FutureMrsTR · November 2009

Don't be offended by the title, but Dogs for Dummies is a great book

Crate training is great and actually dogs really prefer to have a place to go and feel safe. With our dogs growing up, we usually crated them at night and anything they were alone until maybe about a year old. Make sure they have something to chew on in there, but nothing they could choke on obviously. Then we'd confine them just to the kitchen or bathroom, somewhere where there wasn't a lot of stuff to get into and eventually let them roam the house. We'd still randomly come home to things torn up, but mostly they were ok. And if we left the crate up, the dog would usually go in there on his own just because he felt safe sleeping in there.

sarahmk5 · November 2009

We crate trained our dog, and we pretty much put him in it at night when he sleeps and when we leave the house. We give him treats everytime he goes in the crate.You can eventually not use it if you don't feel the need, but we've had our dog for 2 years and still use it, since he likes to gnaw on the furniture. FWIW, he loves going in his crate to sleep and definitely thinks of it as his home.

niffycat · November 2009

We got Sam at the pound and she was already crate trained. She has actually abandoned me to my knotting in the living room to go sleep in her crate in our bedroom.

Nebb · November 2009

We put the dog in the crate at night, when we were at work, if we had to shower and couldnt supervise him. It was padded with towels and had toys in it, it was his little home. After about a year and a half we stopped crating him because he was fine left out, but it really depends on the dog.

tlv204 · November 2009

Thanks! I might actually have to get that book

Also, where do you think we should put the crate? I know you don't know what our house looks like, but like would the office be ok? We don't have room in the family room or kitchen, and I'd feel bad putting it in the basement even though it's finished. Our bedroom upstairs? I think I'm overthinking this. PS I'm glad I posted here. No one has even answered on the nest yet

brittjoy84 · November 2009

Our dogs have their crates in the office.

sarahmk5 · November 2009

I think your office would be ok; ours is in the living room. I know if we put it in a bedroom, he'd be crying to get out at night. (This is actually my parents dog that I've helped raise and FI had to sleep in the living room one night with the dog in his crate, and he (the dog, not FI) cried to get out until FI let him sleep with him on the couch. I could also just have a weird dog...)

Brie2010 · November 2009

The Pets board is generally much busier during the day, FYI.Our dog has cage issues from being a puppy mill dog, so we have been working with him by giving him a really "high value" treat when he goes in the crate and only then. We use Kongs with peanut butter or canned pumpkin and he loves it. The Kongs also keep him mentally stimulated and distracted, at least for awhile.Generally speaking, you're supposed to put the crate in the place where you guys sleep or hang out a lot, not some random corner where you never go.We hope to leave him out during the day at some point but we're still working on his housebreaking! We do not crate him at night because we think it's a little excessive to crate him from 8-5 and then 12-6 again, so at night he sleeps in his bed (or our bed) in the room and we can hear if he gets up and needs to go out.Good luck!

vicmo5 · November 2009

Yay! Adopting a puppy is so exciting! We adopted our pug when she was 7 weeks old. We crate trained her immediately and I'm so glad we did. She loves her crate and can't wait to get in it in the morning. She's been staying out of her cage for shorter amounts of time for about a year (she's two now). We just wanted to make sure she didn't want to chew and that she was fully potty trained. I think it would be best not to confuse her at first. My biggest suggestion is that you leave toys and bones in her cage only if they are indestructible because I've heard of a lot of dogs choking (one of Oprah's Golden Retrievers choked on a ball while he was alone). Ruby really likes the nylabone dinosaurs and the bones with the marrow or without. I can't wait to hear what happens!

vicmo5 · November 2009

Also, I just wanted to mention that we left our shih tzu in the office (she liked it in there), but we leave Ruby in the dining room because if she had an accident she'd kick it out of the cage and we didn't want to clean it off the carpet. Now she just stays in there because it's by the tv and where we have extra room.

carrieoz_76 · November 2009

This is the book that I found the most helpful for basic dog training issues like getting them house trained, dealing with problem behaviors, and how to crate train. I love it - it's by the guy who really made positive training huge. It's based on creating a positive relationship with your dog, and it's really worked for us. Before and After Getting Your Puppy by Dr. Ian Dunbar [url]http://www.amazon.com/Before-After-Getting-Your-Puppy/dp/1577314557/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257472440&sr=1-4[/url]

carrieoz_76 · November 2009

I tried crate training with Ozzie, but he never took to it. Instead, he hangs out in the laundry room with some water and his pillow the baby gate up when we're gone.

brookelynpaisley · November 2009

We rarely use a crate for Paisley anymore - pretty much just if we need to confine her to a space. She'll go and lay in it on her own though, if she's tired and there's a lot going on. Our process basically consisted of testing to see how she did: once she could hold it all day in the crate, she got the kitchen. Once I knew she wouldn't destory the kitchen, she got the kitchen and part of the dining room. She now has the majority of the apartment during the day. I'll do the same with Clover. So long as I'm confident they won't destroy anything or have accidents, I'm fine with them having free reign. Paisley sleeps with us, Clover in her crate.

jamiefour · November 2009

Congrats on adopting a puppy. Two helpful tips. My dog has been crated since I got him at 8 weeks. He is now 4 years old. He absolutely loves his crate. In fact when I am getting dressed to go out he just runs in it and sits until I leave. This took repetition of giving a treat everytime he went in there. First tip. Be prepared for them to cry at first especially if they need the bathroom, but if they have just been out then let them cry or bark. (almost like a baby in a crib) Second piece of advice this worked wonders for me. Puppys can only hold their pee for 1 hour more then how many months they are (3 months=4hours) What I did was make sure that my dog in the beginning went out that much even in the middle of the night. They mostly won't wet their crate but just remember they can only hold it short times when they are real young. The middle of the night shift is annoying but my dog rarely has accidents now (like 2 in the last 2 years) Good luck and enjoy! HTH

tlv204 · November 2009

Thanks for all the advice! If we do phase out the crate when we're gone/at night, should we keep it in the house in case they want to sleep there? Or maybe move the pad from the crate outside of the crate so it's used to sleeping on it? Why do I have to make all of this stuff overcomplicated? I'm sure my mind will change 234095872354 times after we actually get the dog anyway. We might end up with an older one that doesn't even need a crate.

XP again: Crate training question

Re: XP again: Crate training question

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