another crate question

New Topic

another crate question

Jean

Posted : 12/14/2006 11:43:53 AM

i posted about this in "crates and puppies" but maybe this will garner some more insight here. bosco is 4-5 months, and i depend on the crate A LOT. i am here working in the same room, but the only way i can get him to calm down is to stick him in the crate (and he falls right asleep) i have tried for the past two days to close him in my office (small and pretty empty, not a lot of stuff to get into) while i am in there working, and he just barks and goes crazy. i leave the crate with the door open, but he wont go in there on his own accord (he has been excercised and done his business) i am worried i am using the crate as a crutch. i dont want to have to depend on the crate forever whenever i need him to not go crazy... is this a valid concern? or am i just rushing him out of puppyhood?

kpwlee

Posted : 12/14/2006 1:42:54 PM

mine was like that when he was that age - I still crate him when he gets overtired such as my mom was just visiting for a few days, he just would not go off some where and sleep. He started doing his insanity thing (constantly looks fopr something to get into) so I led him to his crate, gave hima treat, locked it up and he was asleep before I left the room. He goes in at night now on his own accord but that is recent - he's 15-16 months old

calliecritturs

Posted : 12/14/2006 8:55:03 PM

ARe you getting a 'playbow' before all the barking? Is he just tryng to get you involved?? I honestly think this is just setting him up to do good things rather than allowing him to get into behaviors that will garner negative responses.

You probably need to work with him in short spurts -- out of crate and 'sit' and reward. And give him a toy or something and keep him quiet so you CAN reward good behavior and THEN put him in crate.