Crate Training Question

Theresa · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:41 am Post subject: Crate Training Question

Ok, Titan hates his crate. He barks and cries the entire time he is in there. It is a battle to get him into.

My question is............Do you place toys in the crate with your dog? I moved Titan's crate into the living room and leave on the light and television for him while I am at work. I usually place a few chew toys into the crate for him.

He only has to go into the crate when I am at work and the kids are at school. Any ideas to make this easier on him and myself would be appreciated.

Beth · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:42 am Post subject:

Daisy hates it too, but my view on this is TFB (Too F* Bad), just like when kids hate school!

puppylove · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:48 am Post subject:

There are tons of tips on here if you search the left side of the site for "crate." My suggestion is the Kong!!! I had the same problems you did but now when I get the Kong out of the freezer they start running upstairs to the kennel...I don't even have to say anything. I change up my Kong recipe but I usually plug the bottom with peanut butter and put in chicken broth (low sodium) with some of their dog food and pb at the top and freeze it. Sometimes I do applesauce or yogurt (both plain, unsweetened) and freeze it or other fun recipes. I am telling you this thing is a God-send!! Also put some clothes in there that smell like you or your children to make him feel like you guys are close.

We were putting a sheet over the top to make it more "den-like" which helped her sleep while we were gone. But Reagan got smart and decided it was more fun to work on pulling the entire sheet into the crate and then shredding it...

Good luck...it gets better Smile

Cal · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:49 am Post subject:

I'm new at this just as you are, but I have got a lot of helpful tips regarding this.... Fortunately for us, my wife's dad is a vet (who'd thunk that marrying a vet's daughter would pay such high dividends!) and he has parted some words of wisdom as well... some things I have picked up here that help a lot so far are:

Play games such as fetch using the crate... we did this last night, throwing in his favorite toy and he would go in and out of his crate (though he did hesitate sometimes).

Realize that he is not whining because he hates his crate, he is whining that he is not with you... he will realize soon enough that he cannot be with you 24/7, and begin to settle down.

After speaking with the vet assistant about crate training, she said that her dog hated the crate at first as it was seen as confinement, but after awhile, he got so used to it that he no longer takes naps on the living room floor and opts for the crate instead.

Hope this helps, it has helped us so far, but for us, it's only the beginning.

puppylove · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:52 am Post subject:

Oh and you can get plenty of recipes on the Kong website to change it up and to help know what is safe and what isn't.

AmyB · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject:

He needs to start having more time in his crate when you guys are home and remember not to let him out when he barks and whines, wait until he's quiet before you let him out.

DukesMom · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject:

Please read the other post on this. I went into detail about how I crate trained Duke (now 5 months old). It's never a problem to get him to go in, he doesn't cry in it and often times goes in on his own to sleep.

Ellinorianne · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:56 am Post subject:

Sophie goes in her crate willingly, but she gets a treat every time Smile

When she fusses I do let her out, but not until she's sitting and quiet. She gets out time to play and hang out, but if she steps out of line, she goes back in, willingly, but she knows why she is in trouble sometimes and goes to her bed outside her crate when she bites and I say "Crate". Like, okay, I will be good.

jamie8dc · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:31 am Post subject:

Logan goes into his crate on a regular basis. Any time I give him a treat he goes in there to eat it. He just whines and pisses in it when I'm gone. My problem is "alone training," not "crate training."

luana80it · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:19 am Post subject:

TOMMY AND TYRA GO TO THEIR CRATES WITH NO PROBLEMS. THEY ARE USED TO IT. WE GOT THEM USED TO THEIR CRATES SINCE WHEN THEY WERE BABIES. BUT THEY DON'T LIKE TO BE IN THEIR CRATES WHEN WE ARE AT HOME. I DON'T THINK LEAVING TOYS IN THE CRATES WHILE YOU ARE GONE IS A GOOD IDEA. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SUPERVISE YOUR DOGS WHEN THEY ARE CHEWING ON A TOY, ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. IT'S RUBBER AND YOU NEVER KNOW IF THEY SWALLOW A BIG PIECE OR NOT. EVEN IN EVERY BOX, WHEN YOU BUY A TOY, IT SAYS TO ALWAYS SUPERVISE YOUR DOG WHEN PALYING WITH A TOY. I DON'T KNOW THAT IS MY THOUGHT. I ALWAYS LIKE TO BE SAFE.
TRY WITH TREATS, AND IGNORE HIM WHEN HE BARKS AND YELL...THAT IS WHAT WE DID UNTILL THEY GAVE UP