Crate Training - Page 1

When starting crate training with a puppy, do you feed inside the crate, or outside?

feed him inside the crate. Keep the crate in the back seat of your mini Van or truck and let the dog sleep overnight in the crate in the car. Never take the dog out when he /she cries in the crate

cheers

I do lots of good things in the crate, meals, chews, toys, etc.  Quiet calm behavior opens the door,  never fussing or pawing or crying.  Crate is happy quiet time for content dogs.  I don't feed all meals in the crate, but yes some.  Also feed in kitchen, out in the car, in my office at work, outside, etc.  I have crates in bedroom, car, office, and a pen in the living/dining room. 

I have read somewhere that you should never shove your puppy unwillingly into its crate. The dog should not associate the crate with punishment. Locking a puppy in its crate over night is understandable, but even though, the puppy may need to go out to pee during the night. I'm getting my first puppy in a couple of days and am getting nervious. I don't want to make a mistake that I will have to correct it in the future.

Pups take to crate training very well.It's gets to be a safe place to rest after a few days of whining.the younger the pup the more days of whining.Get some ear plugs.

It helps if your breeder has started the pup in the crate.  When you bring your pup home, if it is daytime, have a little practice crate time.  With a treat, entice her in and close the door.  Stay near her, quietly.  Let her have a little fit if she needs to, but don't let her out until she has settled and has been quiet for a few minutes.  Then, without fuss, open the door and let her out.  If you can do this a couple of times before bedtime, it won't be as bad when nighttime comes.  First night, absolutely should be by your bed.  Let her have her fuss and then settle to sleep.  After a few hours she will probably be whining and you should immediately open the door and CARRY the pup outside to relieve herself. She will get used to this night time ritual and by the time she is 10-12 weeks she should be able to go almost through the night without waking.

Crates are wonderful and you can use them often and throughout the life of your dog.  Great for babysitting and housebreaking, great for safe transport in the car.

Congrats on the new pup!

My current pup cried for days when I first started crating him at 8-weeks-old. Haha, I must have been up and out with him every hour on the hour through the night just to be certain he didn't have to pee.

Then things shifted to him trying to run away when he knew he had to go into his crate. I swear I've never seen a more graceful dog weaving in and out of furniture trying to avoid me catching him. Sure I always threw a toy ito lure him in, but some days you just have to grab them and shove them in. I never use the crate to punish, but I am the boss and, at times, that's where I want him to be. End of story.

Now at 10 months all I have to say is "bed time" and he goes willingly into his crate. And, I'm also starting to see him go into his crate throughout the day on his own. It is his personal space. His den.

All my dogs have been crate trained and while each adjusted in their own way in their own time, in the end, every one of them came to view the crate as their personal space. And, when in their personal space, they were left alone. It is a firm rule in my house, if the dog is in his crate, he is "off limits."

Good luck with your new pup.

Oh, lucky you, a new puppy!! I think they are all different but the best thing is to make him/her associate the crate with all that is good. Most pups I have raised love their crate in short order, then there was Ivan... he hated it if the door was closed no matter what. To this day (he is 4+) he will willingly go in and nap but close the door and he gets upset. Guess he is claustrophobic, but he is not the norm. I never let him out for sniveling either, in fact I would leave for work and give him a bone stuffed with something but he would be screaming before I left.  Xtra had about a 17 hour flight from Germany so came crate trained  !! She still likes a crate, never has complained and goes in when I tell her. I am also a schmuck... puppy gets to sleep in bed with me..... I have never had one pee in the bed either, but then I get up once or twice  a night and take it outside. They are pretty darn content snuggled up to me and we all get a good nights sleep.

We crate trained Zoe, and it's wonderful!  We only put her in there for misbehaving a handful of times, and she had lots of toys to keep her occupied, and when she got older, bones and rawhide to chew on.  We also splurged and bought a crate cover which has screen windows, so it really makes her feel like she's in her own little den.  A comfy square cushion for $17 from Costco to keep her cozy.  She goes in willingly, often times of her own volition (many times we're downstairs and realize she's wandered off, only to find her in her crate half asleep).  

The fits she pitched as a 3 & 4mo old didn't last long, but she would whine occasionally if she knew we were out in the living room.  She sleeps outside now in a duplex doggie house with our other dog, which also has a bed in each side for them to sleep on.  She likes that just fine :D  

Try tossing a special treat into the crate right when you're ready to crate the pup, that way he will learn to associate the crate with a good thing. We always had good luck with that, and we don't let them out as long as there is fussing going on, that would be rewarding bad behaviors.