Crate Training

[dirtywilks]

Ok, well, I am new to this crate training procedure.. I've looked in a number of books, and a number of internet sites, and it seems that so many people have so many different approaches to how the crate should be used.. My situation is this.. I am at work everyday, but my wife and 4 year old son are at home. We obviously have the dog in the crate at night (although that dog will bark and bark). We finally have him not barking all night long (we finally just put the crate next to our bed and if he started barking or whimpering we would put our hand next to the crate to calm him down). I don't know if that is bad or not, but it is working..
My questions are the following..
During the day, as a puppy and not being housebroken, should he be in the crate all day, with the exception of going outside to go the bathroom?
How long generally does it take for all of you to housebreak your dogs?
Anything that we can do that will help?
Right now when he is out of the crate and we can't watch him, we block off the kitchen, so he can wonder around.. But very sporatically.. If he is out with us, we keep an eye on him like a hawk.. Although there are some little accidents when we turn our heads..

Any help would be appreciated, or any more advice.. Thanks..

Chris

[AustinDogs]

Hi there! Here are links to two articles that give you step-by-step help and answers to exactly when your dog needs to be crated for housetraining.

http://www.austinpetsitter.citymax.com/CrateTraining.html

http://www.petsitusa.com/news/2006/jan06p1.htm

Also, for the crate training, take a kong and stuff it with something really good, like peanut butter or Mighty Dog Lamb and Rice canned dog food (for some reason dogs will do ANYTHING for that flavor and brand). Put your dog in his crate and give him the kong - let him start eating, then shut the door and open it right away. Tell him to come out and take the kong away. Then, repeat, but this time, let him eat for thirty seconds before opening the door and letting him out. You want him to think "hey, I was eating in here - put me back and go away silly person!"

Repeat this working up to 15 minutes, then half hour, then 45 minutes and so on.


Cara

[JR0579]

Ok, well, I am new to this crate training procedure.. I've looked in a number of books, and a number of internet sites, and it seems that so many people have so many different approaches to how the crate should be used.. My situation is this.. I am at work everyday, but my wife and 4 year old son are at home. We obviously have the dog in the crate at night (although that dog will bark and bark). We finally have him not barking all night long (we finally just put the crate next to our bed and if he started barking or whimpering we would put our hand next to the crate to calm him down). I don't know if that is bad or not, but it is working..
My questions are the following..
During the day, as a puppy and not being housebroken, should he be in the crate all day, with the exception of going outside to go the bathroom?
How long generally does it take for all of you to housebreak your dogs?
Anything that we can do that will help?
Right now when he is out of the crate and we can't watch him, we block off the kitchen, so he can wonder around.. But very sporatically.. If he is out with us, we keep an eye on him like a hawk.. Although there are some little accidents when we turn our heads..

Any help would be appreciated, or any more advice.. Thanks..

Chris


What breed and how old is your dog [puppy] ?

[Evanescence]

We finally have him not barking all night long (we finally just put the crate next to our bed and if he started barking or whimpering we would put our hand next to the crate to calm him down). I don't know if that is bad or not, but it is working..

I did the same thing with my dogs to keep them from barking and whining all night and they turned out ok!

During the day, as a puppy and not being housebroken, should he be in the crate all day, with the exception of going outside to go the bathroom?

You need to exercise him for at least 20 mins a day also, but I have kept my pups in their crate but occupied with sleep, or a kong or another toy all the time I could not keep a direct eye on them.

How long generally does it take for all of you to housebreak your dogs?

With my first dog, who was 8 weeks old when I got him, I would say it took about a week, and after that week it was my fault for not noticing he had to pee when he had accidents. I would say at about 3-4 months he started asking to go outside and stopped having accidents in the house. My second dog, who was 16 weeks when I got her, took 3 times getting praised for going outside, and 2 times getting scooped up and put outside when she peed inside...she also had amazing bladder control for a 4 month old pup, and was an unsocialized rescue so the scooping her up scared the heck outta her!

I took both of them out into the backyard on a leash and ignored them until they went potty. They were not allowed to run and play off leash until they pottied, and never were allowed to play at night when I was woken up...haha. I also got up every time they whined at night to take them out so they never pottied in their kennel.

How long it'll take your dog depends on the age, breed and individual. Pups under the age of 3-4 months don't really have bladder control, let alone training. Toy breeds are notoriously hard to house break.

Good Luck!

Lisa

[dirtywilks]

What breed and how old is your dog [puppy] ?

Been on vacation.. Sorry. Mogli is a Portuguese Water Dog, and he is 11 weeks old now..