Dog Community

Crate Training an Adult (2yr) Dog

Posted : 1/10/2007 3:44:41 PM

We are picking up our newly adopted 2yr old husky from a shelter this Saturday and I have some crate training questions.

I've read steps on crate training and know we'll need to bribe him with treats/food to get him to go into his crate. However most articles imply that this will be a fairly long process (getting him to go into his crate and stay there without a major panic attack.)

1) If thats the case, where do most people keep their dogs until they get used to the crate? (ie. the first night and then a couple days later when they go to work.)

2) His crate is huge (42";) and very heavy; we have it set up in our family room near the door to the backyard. Is it recommended that we carry it up to our bedroom at night so he can stay with us everyday? Is it possible he'll sleep on an unrestricted dog bed in the corner of our room without peeing everwhere?

3) Are there any helpful tips/tricks to crate training an adult dog quickly? More specifically, can you recommend a method/plan for getting him semi-used to staying in his crate for a 4 hour period of time so we can go to work on Tuesday?

Thanks in advance!

houndlove

Posted : 1/10/2007 4:52:15 PM

1. You can keep him in a very well dog-proofed room and if his housetraining is questionable, make that room with washable floors!

2. Is there a reason the crate needs to be downstairs at all? Why not just make the move to the bedroom a permanent thing? I do think that for training for night times having the crate in the bedroom is a big plus. Also, adults generally don't pee everywhere in the middle of the night. That's a puppy thing because puppies physically can't hold their bladders for more than a few hours. Exercise the dog thoroughly, make sure he gets a chance to empty himself right before bed and he'll most likely sleep through the night with no need to potty.

3. It all depends on the dog. Some dogs take to their crates more quickly than others, and have a greater "denning instinct" than others. You'll see pretty quickly which kind you've got. If you've got one that isn't so fond of the crate, there's no way that I know of to speed up the process. It has to go in baby steps, first with you in the room, then you leaving the room, then leaving the house. And at each new phase you have to go back to just a few seconds, then a few minutes, then longer. There's just so many factors going on there. Every dog is different. Some like their crate to be covered and dark, some like to see out, some like to chew in their crates, some prefer just sleeping, some like a crate with a view, others are too over-stimulated by that. You may find yourself doing a lot of trial and error.

CMarshall

Posted : 1/10/2007 10:07:03 PM

I found that your dog will adapt quicker if you stick with a routine. If you want to crate train I would do it from day 1. Your dog is coming from a shelter so you know he/she was kept in a dog kennel. I agree with houndlove it will be a lot of trail and error.

snownose

Posted : 1/11/2007 9:37:15 AM

Huskies are a difficult breed.
Don't let the dog out of your sight, they can be very destructive.
Training should take place in increments. Use a high value treat and keep the dog in the crate for a short period.
Increase the time, each time you put the dog in the crate.
Also, moving the crate to the bedroom will help the dog understand when it's time to go to sleep.