Crate Training Basics

[RubyJeansMom]

This topic comes up so often, I thought it deserved it's own thread.
I copied the following from Lynner's post in the Housetraining 101 thread...

My 5 Tips for Successful Crate Training

1. Pick a good spot for the crate. Your puppy's crate should be in a relatively high traffic area, such as a living room or kitchen. This allows them to learn that it's okay to be alone without the shock of total isolation.

2. Keep initial crate time short and frequent. On the first day, start with simple ins and outs. Work up to longer periods of time as house training and conditioning to the crate progress.

3. Use yummy food! The fastest way to create a good association between a dog and a strange situation, is by pairing it with something they find delicious. Everytime your puppy goes into the crate, give her a a treat. Better yet, give her a treat that will keep her occupied, rather than something that can be scarfed down immediately. A good choice is a Kong toy, stuffed with bits of cheese, boiled chicken, peanut butter, sugar & fat free yogurt, kibbles, etc.
**Introduction of strange foods can cause stomach upset! It's always a good practice to use limited amounts of new foods. Peanut butter has been known to cause loose stools in some dogs, for example.
In the beginning of crate training, you may need to toss bits of food in first, and your puppy will go in after them. Eventually, puppies will go into the crate willingly and wait for their special treat.

4. Decide on a cue word. Many people use the crate for the first few years of their puppy's life. Rather than physically putting their dog in the crate every time they have to leave, people give the dog a cue or command which tells the dog that they should go into their crate. "Kennel", "crate", and "go to bed" are common cues. Use your cue word or phrase every time your puppy enters their crate. This cue will help in establishing to your dog the fact that yummy things come once they are already in their crate.

5. Show some tough love! If your puppy fusses when they are put into the crate with the door closed (such as whining, barking, scratching, crying, etc), it is very important to not open that crate door until the puppy is behaving calmly. By allowing the puppy out of the crate when they are fussing, they can quickly learn that making such noises means that their person comes and lets them out. It's hard to ignore, but believe me (and everyone else here will tell you the same thing!), you and your puppy will be much better off in the long run if you are able to ignore their demands.

[hines923]

I adopted a 10 week old golden retriever mutt from a shelter last Friday. I put him in a kennel on the way home and he cried the entire way home. At night time, I left him in the kennel and he continued to cry/bark on and off. I took him out 2 times to pee (he went only once) and put him back in the crate after. I was expecting this the first time as he is completely new to this environment and still a baby taken from his siblings/friends.

The second day I brought a small dog tent/kennel and put in my bedroom for him at night and he slept perfectly. During the day I left him walk around with my supervision. 2 days later, I put him in the kennel (in the living room and large enough for him to move around) for an hour during the day so I can get some errands done and he barked/cried the entire time. Yesterday was the first time I left him in the crate for 3-4 hrs during the day as I went to work. I came back to give him lunch and walk him and then put him back in the crate. He keeps on barking/crying the entire time, including today. I set up a webcam just to track his progress and it seems he is up barking 75% of the time and sleeping the rest. It also seems he is kind of losing his voice.

I’m a little nervous that he might be getting separation anxiety because I even if I left him alone in the kitchen for a while, he will start to cry/bark. Whenever I let him out of his crate, he will come out and just fall asleep by me, and if I go to another room, he’ll follow and continue to sleep by my feet. I also feed him in the crate but he doesn’t eat much and only eats if I am close to the crate and keep on showing him the food. I put his beggin’ strips in the crate at random times to help him get comfortable with it.

Is there any need for concern? Is this normal, both the crating and him following me? Should I continue to crate train or just block off an area and leave him there with the crate door open? Did I force him into the crate too early?

I’m trying my best not to be one of those crazy moms. Any advice/tips?

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Since I just merged a thread created by "hines923", perhaps not all of the questions posed in his/her thread remain unanswered.

I am not going to post until "hines" has had an opportunity to read what is already there.

[Lana'sMommy]

Hi everyone! Since a separate Crate Training thread has been created I thought I would post my update on Lana here. As a reminder, here is what I posted several weeks ago:

"I also wanted to give more of an update than seek advice, in case any newbies are reading and experiencing the same thing. At first, Lana was great with her crate. She would go right in to get her treat and never really fussed much when she was in there. She still isn't too bad once she's in there, she settles down fairly quickly, but now, at 15 weeks old, she knows that when she goes in there we will be shutting the door. Since she never had any issues with it before, we didn't do a lot of the "crate practice" with just hanging out in there with your favorite toy and just going in to get treats without shutting the door. Well, now we are going back to the basics and doing what we should have done from the very beginning. The moral of my story to anyone reading and starting the crate training process? DO NOT slack on teaching that the crate is fun even if your puppy doesn't seem to mind it at first, because before you know it they will be smart enough to realize whats going on and it's even harder to convince them that you aren't always going to shut them in there. Lesson Learned. "

Since then Lana has been doing much better with her crate training. She goes in much easier and still only wimpers/barks for a couple of minutes before settling down. At this point I would say we really couldn't expect better from her, and hopefully as time goes it will continue to improve.

Hines, I wish I had some advice for you, but being a new puppy-momma I'm afraid that I don't. I'll be sending positive thoughts your way though and look forward to hearing updates from you.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Lana's Mom - thanks for the update. That is very helpful to new puppy parents, and old ones doing it again for the first time in more than a decade.

It is amazing how much difference it can make in the overall life of a dog when the foundation is properly laid.

[Lana'sMommy]

Hey puppy lovers! Sorry I've been MIA lately. I have an update on Lana's crate training, so wanted to share (she just turned 5 months old yesterday):

She's been doing so well with it. Now, in the mornings or at bedtime, I hardly have to say "Goodnight" (that's our word) and she goes right in. Sometimes she still whimpers for a minute or two when my hubby or I leave the room, but this morning my husband texted me saying she didn't whimper at all, which is just amazing (and could be a fluke, but I still think it's cool). We are still giving her the special "crate" treats that she's obsessed with. We give her one after she walks in, then another after we say "down" and she lays down, and then one more after we close the door. These treats apparently are her favorite and she only gets them during crate time.

This weekend I took her to the Poconos with 5 other girls, 2 babies, and 3 other dogs. She did great. She's such a good puppy. She didn't love going in her crate at night, but it was a strange location, so I can totally understand that.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Yay for Lana! It sounds like she is doing very well with her crate training. Going away with her was a wonderful opportunity to teach her that her crate is her safe place. She knows that all the time she is in the crate, you will be there or will return shortly.

Every trip you take with her will become easier and easier! What a tremendous opportunity! We did that with Oliver at 7 months, and he can go anywhere with us as long as he has his crate and usual blanket. Henry is another story, but we've not had an opportunity to travel with him the same way.

I'm glad to hear that such progress is being made.

[Shorkie*Gypsy]

I recently went on a 3 day vacation with my boyfriend and we left our puppy with 2 babysitters. I thought as long as she is home in a familiar area with people she knows she won't freak out as much.
WRONG!! she cried and whined almost the whole time. I was told she kept freaking out if you didn't look at her.

She had started digging at the carpet a couple months ago..but while we were away she went digging in new areas and shredded a whole area in my apartment. My brother said there was a little hill of carpet ringlets, the stuffing and even pieces of wood! she also started snacking on her own poo. which is a HUGE "NO, NO" , she always has plenty of food too.
I think she just had way too much room to wander and do as she pleases while we are away at work/vacation.

I must say I was hesitant at first when it came to crate training...but! we have been doing for almost a week now and she does swell. She would go in and out before this past week, we just used it as another area for her to play in. So i think that helps with her being familiar with it. She doesn't bark or whine when we leave. And when i get home she is wagging her tail.

My house smells fresh! We are not able to leave all the doors open to let some breeze in..and my carpet is not getting worse.
Now, we aren't sure if she is crying or whines during the day but we hope not.

During the short time of crate training I would highly recommend it.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Thanks for the post "Shorkie"! You gave perfect examples of why puppies should be crated, or kept in a small, safe area, when not being watched 24/7. Not only did the pup damage your apartment (which you'll have to bear the cost of repairing) but she is also safe, and can't hurt herself on edging nails of carpeting, and/or choke from eating carpet!

My neighbour's 13 year old Lab will act out if she smells another dog on her Daddy. He lives with her, alone. The last time, he left her for less than an hour after she had smelled another dog on him, and she ate so much carpeting, that emergency surgery was required to save her life, to the tune of $4,000.00.

He is a very conscientious doggy parent, and at age 13 one would think that she wouldn't do things like that anymore. Never say never when it comes to Labs, but that's a different topic. He now crates her, in a "double wide" that he created, and if he's gone for any length of time, I go over and babysit...let her out, feed her, play with her, and then put her back to bed.

Keeping a dog confined when no one is around is as much for their safety as anything. With smaller dogs the crate and dog become more transportable, and you'll find as long as you bring their "safe place", they will generally be quiet in a hotel room (advise the staff NOT to enter the room!) and everyone wins.

[Lana'sMommy]

I'm so glad to hear that crating is going well for you Shorkie! I agree with everything O&H said and I'm glad you are finding the same success with it.

O&H, my hubby and I are also taking Lana with us this weekend/next week to a cottage on Lake Ontario. It's our 1 year anniversary and the cottage allows dogs, so we are excited to bring her. I was glad to have a mini getaway with her to prepare her for 5 days. She's been great in the car (we have a doggy seat belt for her and goes to work about 2 days a week with my husband), and I'm excited for her to experience more new things. We try to put her in as many different situations as possible so she ends up being a well adjusted dog. Hopefully.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Stacy, that sounds like a wonderful getaway! I am rather familiar with most places on Lake Ontario (on the Canadian side) and if you don't mind, may I ask roughly where you will be? A broad description will suffice. The "Thousand Islands" are a beautiful area.

It will also give Lana the exposure and experience she needs, and what a wonderful time of year to take her. I am quite sure the weather won't matter much and it is not expected to snow, so it's all good. How long is the drive to your destination? It is great preparation for longer trips, as well as new places, with different doors and ways of knowing when she needs to go out.

That sounds like a perfect 1st Anniversary getaway.

I'm sure you will have a lovely, lovely time and hopefully all the leaves won't have fallen by then.

[Beamo72]

My daughter has a 8 week old staffie and when he goes in his crate on a night he starts crying after about 5 mins and this then gets louder and louder until he starts barking , to the point where I get complaints from neighbours . She has even tried leaving television on low during the night but to no avail . Some help and advice would be appreciated . Me and my wife have a 12 week old staffie who was golden in his crate since day 1. Everything we did with our pup has not helped

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Beamo72 - You say your daughter just acquired an 8 week old puppy, but it is causing a disruption in your house. I then have to presume your daughter lives with you. How old is your daughter?

Do you live in an apartment? Have you tried giving the puppy a "safe space" other than a crate? If you were able to make it work for your dog, what is your daughter doing that is different from you, if anything?

Since pups shouldn't even leave their Mum until 8 weeks of age, I can't imagine this has been going on for very long. How long have you, or your daughter, had this pup?

8 weeks is also awfully young, so the pup may need extra cajoling to become accustomed to the crate. Is the crate used throughout the day at all? Have you tried the old stand-by of a warmed blanket, with a ticking clock and soft bedding to imitate the sounds of the Mother's heartbeat, along with the warmth of the littermates? What is the longest amount of time that this puppy has successfully been in the crate? Your post implies that these pups are only 4 weeks apart in age.

There are so many questions to answer, and I realize with your initial post, that you were simply trying to cover the most basic information. Is there anyway the two dogs can be crated side by side, or at least in the same room, or even share a crate?

It's all about the details. Your profile is completely blank, and your post suggests that you have a 12 week old puppy and an 8 week old puppy in the same house/apartment.

We will certainly try to be helpful once we have more information.

[Milo&Doc]

Hi All,

Looking for some wisdom on my current puppy crate training situation. We just adopted our second recue dog, Doc, he is about 8 or 9 weeks old and we have tried for the first time last night to have him sleep in his crate. On his first night with us we set up a little area at the base of our bed for him but he escaped and did not want to be in there, being his first night and that he was separated from his sister that day I slept with him on the couch. We got the crate yesterday and tried to have him sleep in it last night. We let him explore a bit put treats in there etc. we didn't do it enough I know is one problem before trying to get him to sleep in there. He went crazy, we waited for a bit but I was nervous he was going to hurt himself trying to get out so I let him out and Phil slept with him on the couch, I know this is not good to let him but I was seriously concerned about his safety. One thing I am curious about is that we no longer crate Milo, we crate trained him at first before we knew we could leave him and he was safe. Could that be an issue, crating one dog and not the other? We have the crate in our bedroom so that they can be separate, I definitely don't trust Milo yet with the little guy, he is still learning how delicate Doc is. We are thinking of getting a small enclosure type of corral for the bedroom and try that while still trying to get him to fall in love with the crate, any advice for us? THANK YOU!

Michelle

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Hi Michelle, and Welcome to the Daily Puppy:

I think, as you said, that you do need to spend more time during the day allowing Doc to become more accustomed to his crate. In the meantime though, you don't wish to develop habits that are hard to break later.

If you can create a safe "corral" for Doc in your bedroom, that would be wonderful. Does Milo also sleep in your room? It might make Doc more comfortable if he is in the same area as Milo, but without Milo having the ability to interact with Doc.

Puppies will cry, (most of them) for the first 2 weeks or so that they are in their new home. It is hard, and heart wrenching so the closer the pup can be to you, the better. If nothing else, perhaps you can set it up so you can reach Doc from where you are sleeping just enough so he can lick your fingers and know you are there.

I think the whole process normally takes about 4 weeks before a routine becomes established. Sleep is highly overrated.

With Oliver, he was in my room and I would put him in his crate. I held him in my arms until he drifted off to sleep and then quietly put him in there. As soon as he woke, I would rush him downstairs and outside because an 8-9 week old puppy will need to relieve themselves every few hours. I would bring him back up to bed, cuddle him again until he fell asleep and put him back in his crate. After four weeks, he had it all figured out, and generally ended up sleeping with me. Epic fail, sort of! However, having said that, his crate is still his safe place that he enjoys. Oliver is 8 years old now, and if we travel, as long as he has his crate, he's happy.

Henry was a little more difficult as he contracted Giardia so he had no control over his bowels at all. I honestly think winter is easier for housetraining/crate training than summer as the cold air makes them "go" immediately and the parasites are long gone from the frost and snow.

You sound like you have a good deal of common sense, so work out whatever works for you. It seems like a long time when you're living through this phase, but ultimately looking back, it's but a mere blip on the highway of life. You are also laying a terrific foundation for your dog(s). I noticed both of them in the Recently Added Section, but didn't have time to comment. They are lovely.

Good luck, and do keep us posted! Amongst us all, we're bound to find a solution.

Deborah, Oliver & Henry's Mum