Crate Training Survey

Not sure if you're still needing replies, but in my whole life I'd never crated, thought it was crule.  Well, I did alot of research on it, and when we got our first Rottie pup we thought we'd give it a try, shear heaven ever since.  The crate represents to the dog it's den, a place where he can go and know that no one will bother him, just like we have our own space where we are left alone if we want it that way.  We started her off slowly, placing a couple of treats on the outside of the crate, then we would put some just inside the crate and let her go in on her own.  While she stayed in there we would praise her and give more treats.  Before we knew it, we were able to leave her in there for an hour at a time and then slowly building the time up from there.
 
The other think I love about crating is, when your not home (this is the only time they are crated and when feeding) it not only provides a nice quiet area they can call their own, but it protects them.  How?  You know dogs/pups will get into things, I don't care how well trained they are.  Eventually, it's going to happen.  If not crated, hey may swollow something and it get logged in their throat, or eat something that makes them sick...jump off the bed or couch wrong and they get hurt.  My dogs are too important to me and loved, and I will never take that chance with them.  This is just my opinion; no need for anyone to attack me for it, as I have not attacked anyone for their's.  Thank you.

1) Did you crate train a puppy or an adult dog?
 
I crate trained puppies.

2)  How long did it take to train the pup (or dog) to quietly sleep in the crate all night? 
 
They slept quietly the majority of the night except for when they had to go potty.

3)Did you start a few minutes at a time?
 
No, I put them in the crate right away whenever it was nap time, when I couldn't watch the puppy, when I went out and at night.
 
4)With the door open or closed from the start?
 
Closed. When the puppy was running around, I always left the door open so he/she could go in it whenever he/she wanted.
 
5)What treats did you use if any?
 
Nylabones and stuffed Kong toys.
 
6)Did you make your pup sleep in the crate from day one?
 
Yes.
 
7)Did he fuss?
 
Not really. They were used to a crate because the breeders used them.
 
Did you ever let the pup out because he was crying?
 
Only if I knew that he/she had to go potty.
 
9)Do you think that set your training back?
 
Never had that problem.
 
10)What mistakes did you make in crate training?
 
I don't think I made any mistakes with crate training. It has been a positive experience for me and my dogs. I only wish I could've discovered crates back in the days with our other dogs. I have found that crate training helps house break a dog faster and you don't have to worry about coming home to find the house destroyed. I highly recommend it to anyone who gets a puppy/dog.  

1) Did you crate train a puppy or an adult dog? Yes to both

2) How long did it take to train the pup (or dog) to quietly sleep in the crate all night? For my puppies, probably a couple of months (I set an alarm for halfway through, so I could take them out). For the one adult I've crate trained (and have no idea whether she'd ever even seen a crate) it took a couple of nights.

Did you start a few minutes at a time? Yes

With the door open or closed from the start? Open

What treats did you use if any? Various treats, including stuffed Kongs, and I feed in crates.

Did you make your pup sleep in the crate from day one? Yes

Did he fuss? Of course!

Did you ever let the pup out because he was crying? NEVER. Genuine "I have to go potty NOW" sounds get them whisked out to potty, and re crated, but howling and whining and such get them ignored.

Do you think that set your training back? Nope

What mistakes did you make in crate training? I'm not sure.... Mine are a smidge spoiled, so they think they need a treat every time they go in, but they'll go in without it. I oblige them, most times. They could be a little quieter, but I 'm not sure how I'd go about that.

1) Did you crate train a puppy or an adult dog?
Both

2)  How long did it take to train the pup (or dog) to quietly sleep in the crate all night? 
Puppy:  Slept quietly straight away.  The crate was beside the bed at first and moved downstairs gradually later.  I did get up in the night at first so he wouldn't be forced to pee in there, stopped that after about 5 nights or so.  I did have horribly late nights and early mornings for a long while after that.....  After a few weeks I gradually moved it downstairs.  He was quiet, sleeping thru and in his permanent spot after a couple of months but I was still going to bed late and getting up early a lot.
Adult:  Slept quietly downstairs straight away. Looked indignant about being shut in but seemed to understand that it was just his "new bed" and didn't make a noise.  Think we just got lucky on that one.

Did you start a few minutes at a time?
Both: Yes, if the dog wasn't eating, chewing or sleeping at the time.  (Does that make sense?)

With the door open or closed from the start?
Both: Initially just closed in at night, during meals or when given a kong or chew. 

What treats did you use if any?
Both: Fed meals in there.  Stuffed and frozen kong.  Also hid bits of kibble, shop bought treats (like Schmackos) and cubes of cheese as well as chews and toys amongst the bedding

Did you make your pup sleep in the crate from day one?
Yes

Did he fuss?
No (but he was beside our bed)

Did you ever let the pup out because he was crying?
Puppy:  Only a couple of times because I suspected he needed to wee!  Otherwise not sure if I would have or not..... I tried my utmost to let him out before he started crying and it seemed to do the trick.
Adult:  He's quiet anyway.  Maybe its because I always tried to reward that or maybe I'm just lucky.  He never tried crying as a way to make me let him out.

Do you think that set your training back?
Puppy:  No because they were isolated incidents and I was more careful about making sure he was "empty" afterwards.  If it had happened more often it probably would have done, but then I think letting the dog sit in there crying is also counter productive because he should love being in there.... IMO if he starts to cry its Lose-Lose!

What mistakes did you make in crate training?
Puppy:  He did have one accident in there and he was very upset about it.  He seemed wary about being shut in after that and we had to build up again slowly. 
Adult:  I forgot about him once!  The downside to a quiet dog.  I put him away so I could get on with house work and then got carroed away and forgot about him.  I felt so guilty.  I made him have lots of short, very pleasant stays shut in there over the next couple of days.

How long did it take to train the pup (or dog) to quietly sleep in the crate all night?  Year and a half and counting...

i feel you r pain! sydney will only sleep until about 4:30 or so. maybe that is his whole night, but it sure aint mine! []

I really appreciate so many replies (and I'll still be reading if there are any more).
 
I've never really considered having my puppies eat in separate crates (I'm talking around 6 weeks old) but that may be a good idea. I do give them beef ribs and/or bully stix in individual crates but at that age the beef rib is only interesting for a few minutes. Of course, at that age anything is only interesting for a few minutes.
 
I'd like to have them sleep in separate crates at night after 6 weeks but that doesn't work because they need to be near the litter box.
 
Here's the basis of my whole concern: We tell people to use the crate to help in housebreaking but that would work best if the pup is crate-trained from the day it gets to it's new home. I'm trying to figure out how best to do that (or at least move closer to it) without setting them back in litter box training - which is more important. Taking them out individually in the middle of the night is not an option.
 
Some of the pups I send out are fine from day one. Others cry for a couple of nights (or so I'm told. I'm not sure they actually cry all night).
 
Thanks again and keep 'em coming

I never really crate "trained".  Never had to.  They both go right in at night.  Dash was one and Scruffy was five when we got them.  They sleep in there crates at night which makes us sleep better at night since we know they are both staying out of trouble.
 
One other question that wasn't on your list is what kind of crate to use.  Both my dogs prefer the closed in plastic kind.  We tried the cage type and Dash did not like that one bit.  He kept getting into Scruffy's crate.  So we ended up getting him his own.  Hope that helps.

I never really did train Max to sleep in his crate all night. He got up too early in the morning for my liking when he slept in the crate, but when he slept in the bed with me he'd sleep until I made him get up most of the time. So, that's what we do now. The big mistake I made with Max originally was letting him have the good treat before the crate was closed. If I needed to lure him in, I should have used lower value stuff, then given him the big prize when he was in and closed. That's the way we do it now. He goes in, I close it, and he gets his treat. He does bark when I do this, I think because Millie used to bark at him when he went in, so he barked back. He usually settles down after a few minutes as long as I leave the house. If I stay he will try to get me to take him out (but only me).
Georgie was about 11 months old when we got her, and I think she slept in the crate through the night right away. All you have to do is throw something in there, and she goes in. I wait to give the really good thing, but can't speak for the rest of the household.

Ive never crate trained.  I gave a half hearted attmpt with Kayla and Bailey but after feeding them and giving treats and they were both covered in saliva when we got home I never did it to either of them again. 
 

1) Did you crate train a puppy or an adult dog?
2) How long did it take to train the pup (or dog) to quietly sleep in the crate all night?

Other questions are these: Did you start a few minutes at a time? With the door open or closed from the start? What treats did you use if any? Did you make your pup sleep in the crate from day one? Did he fuss? Did you ever let the pup out because he was crying? Do you think that set your training back? What mistakes did you make in crate training?

1. I have crate trained my five dogs - two as puppies, and three as adults (one of them a senior).

2. Puppies - one took about three days, the other five days to sleep quietly, (until potty time then back in the crate quietly). Adults - two were quiet from day 1, the third took about two weeks. Now only the puppy is crated at night, the others are free.

With the puppies they started in the crate from the moment they came home. They all get treats for going into the crate, even now. The door was closed from the start, and they're never let out for making a ruckus.

The only thing I regret was not going slower with my senior dog - he never will *love* the crate but he does accept it. It took quite a while just to get to the acceptance point. But, he was 11 years old the first time he'd ever been in a crate.

Here's the basis of my whole concern: We tell people to use the crate to help in housebreaking but that would work best if the pup is crate-trained from the day it gets to it's new home. I'm trying to figure out how best to do that (or at least move closer to it) without setting them back in litter box training - which is more important. Taking them out individually in the middle of the night is not an option.

Some of the pups I send out are fine from day one. Others cry for a couple of nights (or so I'm told. I'm not sure they actually cry all night).

I can tell you that a lot of dogs don't generalize very well. I had my puppy (Nick) well crate trained... silent at night at home. Then we went on a trip at about 12 weeks where we slept in a hotel - him crated of course. He didn't generalize that quiet in the crate at home also meant quiet in the crate in a new place - he whined the first two days. So, even if you do crate train them before their new homes (very cool idea, btw) they may not generalize well and still may cause ruckus the first few days.

I think it's pretty normal for puppies to be upset the first few days in a new home. I think its just as much being away from mom and littermates as it is the crate specifically.

That being said, my breeder kept two pups from Nick's litter, and started crating them at about 8 weeks.

A crate gives a dog a coping strategy and helps them to feel secure..... you don't know how much WORSE your dog may have been at the hotel without it!  Sit at home may not equal sit at the park, but Sit at the park gets picked up a lot quicker, and each successive time he has to "re-learn" something it gets easier IME...... So having a head start on the crate is a good thing IMO if you can achieve it..... They might "regress" a little but I think it would help them to settle into their crates in the new home faster.... the new owner just has to be aware to still take it a little slow and not push them too fast so they keep a positive association with the crate.

dogslyfe - I agree they don't generalize well and that may be why they fuss in their new homes. I try to give them some time in the kennel they'll be flying home in and to leave the same bedding in it so that they are not in a completely alien place but it's definitely a factor that they are alone - or at least without other dogs - which they never have been. I always remind the new parents of this - and to give them a big stuffie they can cuddle with.
 
Your breeder did exactly the opposite of what I do. If I'm keeping any they sleep with me once the others are gone. I teach people - and dogs - all about crate training but what I really hope is that they are snuggling up with the little ones.
 
Chuffy, The ideas of coping strategy and security in a crate are true for some breeds (and some dogs) more than others. My Eskie mix loved the crate from day 1 and chose to sleep in it. I took the door off after a few weeks but she still slept in it and did until she was way too big for it. (She didn't want the newer bigger one either).  The poodles however, are not crate dogs. Mine will (most of them) run to their crates and sleep quietly in them but that is a matter of training, not nature. No matter how well trained any of my dogs would rather sleep with me than in a crate. (And most do at least half the time - I really save big on blankets)

A crate gives a dog a coping strategy and helps them to feel secure..... you don't know how much WORSE your dog may have been at the hotel without it!

 
[sm=biggrin.gif]  Oh, but yes I do!  lol  No doubt he would have been a terror - I never, EVER travel without crates for any of my dogs.  In their moments of insecurity they typically feel much more comfortable in their crates. 
 
What I'm trying to get at is that yes, I think crate training prior to going to their new homes would be fantastic, but the new owners should be prepared for some ruckus the first few days anyway.
 

Your breeder did exactly the opposite of what I do. If I'm keeping any they sleep with me once the others are gone. I teach people - and dogs - all about crate training but what I really hope is that they are snuggling up with the little ones.

 
Some of that, I would imagine, reflects a difference in breed and purpose.  While a lot of working dog owners allow their dogs in the bed, a lot do crate, kennel, or restrict bed access at night.  I would love to have my dogs in the bed... but with a queen sized bed, me, husband, four dogs over 25 lbs, and a 10 lb Pap, there'd be no way.  I'd never get any sleep for all the body parts in my face.  [sm=rofl.gif]
 

Chuffy, The ideas of coping strategy and security in a crate are true for some breeds (and some dogs) more than others.

 
Agreed!  While four of my dogs do take haven in the crate, the Pap is not such a big fan.  He's far more comfortable being close to me, and when I travel and sleep alone (with dogs) he gets a spot on the bed.  []

1) Did you crate train a puppy or an adult dog? Pup.

2)  How long did it take to train the pup (or dog) to quietly sleep in the crate all night?  One dya.
 
Did you start a few minutes at a time? Nope!

With the door open or closed from the start? Open until bed time.

What treats did you use if any? None.

Did you make your pup sleep in the crate from day one? Yes.

Did he fuss? the first night, she fussed.  After that, no problem!

Did you ever let the pup out because he was crying? Nope--I am MEAN (just ask my kids!).

Do you think that set your training back? Nope--made it easier (why is this typing in purple?)
 
What mistakes did you make in crate training? Nothing--it has been a dream!