Dog Community

Crate Training

Posted : 7/15/2006 9:14:57 PM

This isn't receiving any real attention over at the Training board so I thought I would ask here.

I am new to Crate Training, when I got Panda he was already potty trained and he sleeps in my room and all that good stuff. Yesterday I took home Buddy, he was just adopted, and I have a crate for him. He had one accident this morning but I took him outside and everything, and I have been taking him out constantly every few hours.

Two problems, he keeps crying in his crate, and the other is, since he was neautered (sp?) he can't be active or the stitches might open, so it's hard getting Panda to keep away from him. So I have to keep him in this crate for a week more then I want to start letting Panda play with him. Panda plays rough, he gets hyper with him, and it's hard taking Buddy out to do his business when Panda is on his tail trying to slap him around and nibble on his ears.

Any advice will greatly be appreciated, what I have been doing is, everytime I let the Buddy out, before I do I let Panda out in the yard. Or if he wants to go to the restroom, I leave Panda in my room and take Buddy out real quick.

Again advice would be great and thank you much in advance.

Julitza

Posted : 7/15/2006 9:20:07 PM

What I do with Lizzie so she keeps seeing the crate as a positive treat is to throw a treat in at night so she can munch on it before going to bed. I would also put a Kong or some other yummy toy/treat in the crate. Ignore all whining and only let him out after he has been quiet for a while.

Try feeding him in his crate also, so he learns that the crate means food/toys/treats and all things good.

Dario Medina

Posted : 7/15/2006 9:27:14 PM

Hmm... I haven't been ignoring the whining, but I am doing something right, I have his food and water in there! I'll also do the treats. Back to the whining, if I firmly (Not shouting mind you) so "No" and he stops, should I keep using that when he whines again? Or as you said, simply ignore the whining all together? I know how saying No alot can start having less effect when abused. Again thanks and sorry for the noobish question.

Julitza

Posted : 7/15/2006 9:35:32 PM

Sometimes Lizziecan get a bit bitchy when in her crate and if she starts to whine I tell her 'hush' in a strong voice then ignore her completely. But 8 out of 10 times she gets ignored and sometimes when shes super quiet i'll throw in a treat and go away

Justine Freeman

Posted : 7/15/2006 11:20:06 PM

I would ignore the whining altogether. Any sort of attention (even negative) is reinforcing the behavior. Make sure that you reward how you want him to act by letting him out when he is NOT whining. I agree with the treats and stuff...remember that the theory behind the crate is that dogs are den/pack animals...and they feel like their "den" is a safe place.

Keep working with him. He'll get it! Marley goes in his crate now no problem...sometime he hangs out in there with the door open without being asked to go in!

Xeph

Posted : 7/15/2006 11:27:48 PM

I disagree with the ignore thing for one reason, and that is that a dog needs to know how to shut it on command.

Also, if you are ever going to tell a dog "No" and it's not random, you need to name that specific behavior "No whine, no bark, no sniff" etc. So either tell him "No whine!" or "Quiet". Carry cookies with you for a few days. When pup starts whining, say "Quiet!" and when pup is quiet, give him a cookie "Good dog."

Also, I don't recommend keeping food and water in there all the time (Forgive me if I've misinterpreted). Dogs should eat in their crates I believe, but not have water, because even older one's are apt to have an accident and spill. If puppy needs to be in crate for extended lengths of time, put a kong or hard sterilized bone in the crate. Something that you KNOW your pup can't break. Allow him to chew and play in his crate, so he's not bored.

Once he gets older, you can still put a bone in there, but most likely, he'll just sleep.

Justine Freeman

Posted : 7/15/2006 11:34:11 PM

I disagree with the ignore thing for one reason, and that is that a dog needs to know how to shut it on command.

Well, Xeph...I ignored it when training my pup and guess what? My dog NEVER whines in his crate. So I guess it depends on the dog. Plus, he knows he's not getting anything from me if he whines...so it's not worth it!

Xeph

Posted : 7/15/2006 11:58:10 PM

I guess I just prefer teaching my dog right off the bat that whining is not tolerated. I personally don't have the patience to listen to it. I figure why wait until he's 8 months old to teach him to be quiet (Crated or not) when I can teach him at 8 weeks

Dario Medina

Posted : 7/16/2006 12:23:08 AM

Since because I don't want his stitches to re-open because of Panda, I am keeping him in the crate nearly all day. The shelter told me to exercise him minimaly by taking him to the backyard and just walking him a little for about a week. That's what I've been doing, but because he is in his crate so long (I do give him lot's of attention though) that is why I have his water in there with him. Next week when he can be active and such, I will be placing his water near Panda's.

laura

Posted : 7/16/2006 2:50:37 AM

I don't believe in restricting a dog's water and I always leave water in the crate too. I've never found it to cause any problems with toilet training. If you use a bowl fixed to the crate, or a sturdy bowl on the floor, it won't make a mess getting spilled either.

I say "hush" and then ignore with whining, but I can't offer much advice as I've never had a dog that whined a lot.

Can you put Panda in another room for more than just a few minutes, so that you can spend a half hour or so with the new puppy at intervals during the day?

Dario Medina

Posted : 7/16/2006 7:12:08 AM

Can you put Panda in another room for more than just a few minutes, so that you can spend a half hour or so with the new puppy at intervals during the day?

Yeah, I just wasn't sure if it was a good thing to do, my room is his safe haven as he sleeps there. Panda is still a teenager though (10 months) so I didn't know if it was a good idea. I can leave him in my room or I can get another family member to take Panda for a walk while my full undevited (sp?) attention is on Buddy.Thanks again for everyone's here advice.

glenmar

Posted : 7/16/2006 8:39:52 AM

From the get go with pups, when I put them into the crates I tell them, shhhhh, time for nite nite. And I do ignore whining. Now in this particular case, the pup has just been nuetered and is probably uncomfortable and I don't think it's such a bad thing to offer a bit of extra comfort by speaking to him in a soothing voice.

Water in the crate isn't a bad thing.....I often leave a bowl of ice cubes when I'm going to be out for an extended period. My german shepherds don't spill and make a mess, and it gives them water for hours.

Sterilized bones are dangerous. Any heat changes the molecular structure of the bones and makes them more prone to splintering. And I NEVER leave bones in the crates when I am not home. When I give them I turn on a baby monitor so that I can HEAR if there is a problem if I happen not to be in the same room with them.

Justine Freeman

Posted : 7/16/2006 9:17:23 AM

I guess I just prefer teaching my dog right off the bat that whining is not tolerated. I personally don't have the patience to listen to it. I figure why wait until he's 8 months old to teach him to be quiet (Crated or not) when I can teach him at 8 weeks

Wow! You must have some whiney pups! I think Marley whined 2x before he learned there was no love from whining! Plus...I didn't get him until he was 12 weeks old! I just think positive reinforcement has been successful with my dog...

Also, I started training and crate training as soon as I got him home...not when he was 8 months old! I think he started puppy kindergarten 2 weeks later!

P.S. The ignoring the wrong behavior and rewarding the correct one works with second graders too! Yes, I have plenty of patience!

Xeph

Posted : 7/16/2006 10:24:15 AM

Wow! You must have some whiney pups!

I have Shepherds...they talk. They are whiney to a degree, yes. It's just a breed trait. Strauss is extremely vocal, and my Old Man speaks when he feels something needs to be said.

Strauss was in a crate the first night he came home, we were enrolled in puppy classes as soon as they started. He was the class star xD. I have don't have a high tolerance for noise...it bothers me and makes me angry (It's not a typical annoyance anger, it's very hard to explain).

I love Strauss, but boy can he be obnoxious. If I play some music he doesn't like...he howls. At which point he is sent to his crate to chill and munch a bone. I can deal with talking, but not whining, and I just don't have the patience to ignore it...I'm not that kind of person. Which is also why I'm not a teacher :-p I don't like children.

Justine Freeman

Posted : 7/16/2006 11:26:59 AM

Strauss was in a crate the first night he came home, we were enrolled in puppy classes as soon as they started. He was the class star xD.

Marley is quite the prize winning pup as well...we even have started a trophy display for him! [

] We are hoping for some titles in the spring at the LRC Specialty!

Also, I started training and crate training as soon as I got him home...not when he was 8 months old! I think he started puppy kindergarten 2 weeks later!

I meant I started puppy kindergarten at 14 weeks.