Crate training questions?

Question

So my puppy is not 12 weeks old, and I've had her for a little over a week. I'm concerned she's getting a little spoiled and I'm wondering if it's too late to crate train her. 1.) Is it too late to crate train her? She's only a little potty trained. She'd go in certain areas, but sometimes will still pee all over my carpet. 2.) I go to school from 8-6, so do i put her in the crate then? 3.) How will crate training work? 4.) How much should I put her in there to begin w/? Thanks.

Answer 1

t is up to you, the new parent, to housetrain your new puppy or dog with patience, love and understanding.
CRATE TRAINING
In the wild, wolves live in a den or cave. It is important the entire wolf pack keep this area clean. The same idea works with your family pet. Your dog’s crate is his home, his bedroom. It is likely that your dog will not like to soil his bed. Therefore, he will wait until he is let out to do his business.
HOUSETRAINING WITH YOUR CRATE
On average, puppies can hold their bladders one hour for every month they have been alive, plus one hour. For example, if you have a three month old puppy, he can wait 3 + 1 = 4 hours. If you work longer than this, the best solution is to have someone (a neighbour, a relative, a dog walker) come in at an appropriate time to let your dog out.

100 PER CENT SUPERVISION
Supervision is the key to housetraining! While you are at home, your dog must be supervised. Whether you are watching television, making dinner, on the phone or on the computer, your puppy must be watched. While it sounds like an impossible task, it isn’t. Keeping the crate in a social part of the house makes it easier. Using a house lead – a small, thin lead with a little clip on it – also helps immensely. Outside, you put a lead on your dog so you can control him. If the lead is removed after returning home, control is lost. For example, when watching television, have the lead tied to a couch leg. Your dog can have his blanket and toys with him. He’ll feel safe and comfortable. The majority of accidents happen when your pup wanders off and you haven’t noticed. You don’t want him to sneak off into the kitchen and find a puddle a short time later. If your pup is kept from wandering, the possibility of an accident is diminished because he will not eliminate where he is sitting. 100 per cent supervision means ensuring your dog is playing with you, in his crate, outside or on his house lead.

SCHEDULING
In the morning, take your dog outside. He should urinate and possibly have a bowel movement. Spend about five to seven minutes with him and then bring him in. Do not play with him yet. Feed him breakfast, either in the crate or with the lead, and supervise it. If your pup did not have a bowel movement earlier, take him back outside about 15 minutes after he has eaten. Use the lead to keep your pup moving along while outside. Otherwise, he may start sniffing, stopping and playing to avoid the job at hand. You can say “hurry up” and your dog will begin to associate these words with the task at hand. Praise him excessively when he has eliminated. Bring him back in the house and place him in his crate if you are going to work. Continue to supervise him with the crate or the lead if you are home. When returning after being out, go directly to the crate, let him out, praise him and put him back in. Feed him his meal, take him outside 15 minutes after he has eaten, praise him after he eliminates, and bring him back in. Continue to follow the same steps consistently.

While you are home, you should take your pup outside on a regular basis. Even if your pup is in a crate or on a house lead, he still needs the opportunity to eliminate. Also, be careful what you wish for! A pup who barks to go outside may be cute and clever now. However, you must try not to fall into the habit of leaping up every time your dog wants in or out. It is a very submissive gesture on your part. Have your pup wait a moment or two.

Setting up a schedule is also a good idea. If your pup is under four months of age, take him out for five minutes every hour on the hour. If your pup is over four months old, take him out every second hour on the hour. The schedule will help you remember when to take him out. Go out for five minutes only. It provides the opportunity to eliminate even if your pup may not need to go. Take your dog out after active play and also after napping. If an accident occurs, you may have forgotten to take him out .

FEEDING TIME
Having a puppy drink a lot of water and then placing him in his crate is much more unkind than letting him be a bit thirsty for an hour or two. Adult dogs should have access to drinking water at all times. However, this is not the case for untrained pups. Most parents will not allow their children to drink a big glass of water before going to bed. Avoid setting your pup up for failure. Restrict his water intake to three or four drinks daily and make sure you remove the water dish about three hours before bedtime. This will help your dog sleep more comfortably.

If it is a hot evening, supply your pup with a few ice cubes. They will enter your dog’s system at a slower pace. When feeding your pup, provide a high-quality food that is a good source of protein. The food must be concentrated so your puppy’s body doesn’t require much of it. If you feed less, your puppy eliminates less. Food is directly related to how well puppies do in their housetraining.

EXERCISE
It is important that your pup gets a lot of exercise, especially while crate training. You can play fetch, chase or hide and seek in your home. You can call ‘come’ at the same time to provide further training. Anyway you do it, your pup needs to be able to run and play.




Every year, millions of dogs are surrendered to the pounds and humane societies because they are believed to be "untrainable". Their "bad behaviour" includes chewing furniture and shoes, barking too much and ignoring commands - all problems that are not permanent and easily corrected if you take the time to do so.
As difficult as it may be to remember, your dog is not a little person. You cannot reason with a dog to get him to behave the way you would like. Even though they have shared our homes for thousands of years, dogs still retain many of the instincts and characteristics of the wild dogs from whom they are descended. Bred from ancestral wolves, dogs are both pack and den animals and for this reason, most dogs will accept a crate as part of their lifestyle. Like a baby's playpen, a crate or cage is a place in which your dog can stay when you are unable to keep an eye on him.
Choosing a Crate

A crate is a dog's very own special place. When you choose a crate, be sure to select the correct size for your dog. The crate must be large enough for the adult dog to stand up straight, turn around and lie down in a stretched position. Crates usually come in two varieties: fiberglass and metal. A fiberglass crate will provide a greater sense of security for your dog; a metal crate is collapsible and will allow for better circulation.

Introducing Your Dog to the Crate

For crate training to be most successful, your dog must be properly introduced to the crate. Crate training should begin as soon as you bring your new dog home. Equip the crate with water and a blanket or towel. Start off slowly and increase the time gradually. Place the crate out of the way, but not away from the action: your dog is one of the family, and needs to feel he is not being banished when confined in the crate.

Introducing your dog to the crate should be positive and fun. Never place your dog in the crate after disciplining him. Your dog needs to feel the crate is a happy, secure place. Select a command such as "Into your house". Encourage your dog to enter by tossing a treat into the crate. Leave the door open at first. Once your dog enters readily, close the door for a few minutes, and praise him with a cheerful, positive voice. Leave your dog with a special chew toy, just for the times he is in the crate.

Scheduling is very important. Ideally, young puppies would not be crated for more than three hours at a time - they cannot be expected to hold their bladders for more than a couple of hours. Adult dogs should not be crated for much more than eight hours. If you must leave your puppy or dog for longer than the ideal length of time, be sure the crate is arranged to provide a bedding area and a papered area to accommodate "accidents". If your dog needs to use the papers in the crate, under no circumstances should you scold or punish him.

Any complaining your dog may do at the beginning is not usually caused by the crate, but by the new controls set by this unfamiliar environment. Do not let your dog out when he whines or complains. By doing so, you will only reward his bad behaviour. When your dog settles down for five minutes, release him from the crate.

Once you feel your dog can be left on his own, you may practice leaving him alone for short periods of time. Allow your dog access to only certain areas of your home. As with children, place breakables and dangerous items well out of reach!

Your dog's crate is a tool that should allow you to have a smoother, happier relationship with your dog. It is not intended as a place to leave your dog and ignore him.

While crate training is a very effective method of training your dog, it may not be the answer to every behaviour problem your dog might exhibit. If your dog seems to be taking a long time to come around, do not give up! Your dog can be trained to be a fastidious member of your household regardless of age. Just be sure to give your dog every chance to do the right thing, at the right time, in the right place, and let your dog know you love him for him!

The Golden Rules of Crate Training:

The crate belongs to your dog. It should be off-limits to children.

You are the "pack leader", and you are in charge. Your dog needs to learn this!

Never let your dog out when he is whining. Giving in will make it more difficult to train him.

Remember, you are doing your dog a favour by keeping him safe and out of trouble when you are unable to supervise him.

Your dog's crate is not intended for long hours of use. When you are at home, your dog needs to be out of his "house" and in your company.

Never use the crate as a means of punishment.

Do not place the crate in a draft or in direct sunlight.

Do not leave a collar or tag on your dog when he is in the crate. It may catch on the bars and cause injury to your dog.

Answer 2

Crate Training -
Crate training can be used on both a puppy and an adult Dog and is probably the most effective and efficient way to housetrain your pet. No Dog will want to eliminate in a place it considers to be its own and therefore, unless left in its crate for too long, it will not eliminate in its crate.
Once every hour, place your Dog on a leash and walk it in the area where you want it to go potty. If it has not gone in five minutes, return it to its crate for another hour. After another hour goes by, the dog that did not go last time will most likely go this time. When it does go, be sure and praise it profusely and return it to its crate. The excitement in your voice when you are praising it will help it better understand that THIS is the place you want it to go.
Once that is established, it will do its best to make you happy by eliminating in its designated area. Once you feel it understands where it is to go to potty, you may lessen its crate time, and begin opening up its area to more than just its crate. Be sure and open up its area a little at a time so it clearly establishes the larger area as "its area", increasing the desire to keep its area clean. Eventually, you will be able to open up your entire home, but this is only after a lot of time has been spent training and proof that it understands.

Answer 3

It is not too late to crate train her. It is the best way to train. The poor dog should not be left alone for that long in the cage though. I think four hours at a time is max. Think if you were in a crate and had to hold it for 10 hours. You need to put her in the crate when you leave, as soon as you get home, take her right outside DO NOTHING ELSE! When she goes potty priase praise praise. Then come back in. You need to get someone who can let her outside when you are at school. NEVER use the crate as punishment. The crate is their little happy place. They should not be afraid to go into it. I used it for 2 of my 3 dogs. They were both 16 weeks when I got them and it works in a couple weeks.

Answer 4

No, it is NOT too late to crate train. However, 8-6 is a long time for a little puppy to be in a crate. More than likely she will not be able to hold her bladder or bowels that long. If you have someone that can walk her that would be great or if you can come home on a lunch break. Otherwise don't get angry with her for having an accident in the crate. Her bowels and bladder are still developing and she won't have the ability to hold it that long until she's a little older.

Answer 5

your puppy is never to old to learn potty training, the use of a crate is just one of the options you have. Just keep in mind that a puppy less than 12 week sshould not be left in a crate for more than a few hours without the opportunity to go out for a "potty break."

there is a formula for determining how long you can leave a puppy alone If my memory is correct you take the dogs age in weeks and divide by three to get the number of hours you may safely waite between potty breaks. So that a twelve week old puppy could be left alone for up to 4 hours after a potty break.( I would recomend no more than 2 hours for a puppy at less than 12 weeks. but this fomula gives a maximum time allotment not an ideal time. A six month old puppy would be allowed up to a 8 hour maximum as would an adult dog.

Some key pointers for successfull potty training are take the puppy to a designated area to "potty" then walk (exercize her and take her back to the same area) this prevents the sent of her "Potty" for being all over the yard. also wait for your puppy to go potty before you allow her to play as you want her to go potty as soon as she gets outside and in the designated area. Be consistant, patient, and reliable. prevention is another key point to remember. as the scent of aprevious mistake may cause the puppy to make another mistake.

Answer 6

So get the dog used to the crate little by little. Let her walk in on her own. Give a treat. Let her walk in a shut the door, treat. The treat should be given as a result of going in the crate not of leaving it. Do not let the dog think that the crate equals you leaving. Let them think that they crate equals treat. I even fed my dog in his crate. When he was really little we both had to work so we had his crate, left the door open are surrounded it with a playpen. We also left a pee pad at the end of the playpen, away from the crate. Whatever you do, do not let the dog think going to the bathroom in the crate is OK. This is especially hard for kennel dogs.

I would do this play pen idea in a tiled area or buy a really good carpet cleaner.

I hear the rule of how long a dog can hold it in hours in their age in months plus 2.

Answer 7

The puppy stays within the crate always. Whilst you take her out you are taking her potty correct away. Play along with her then put her back. First thing she invariably does when she first comes out is goes potty. Then that you can play. (Be definite to praise her when she goes.) do not let her roam free. Food and water must be stored outside the cage and fed when you convey her out. Are attempting again after eating and earlier than putting away to head potty. Just right good fortune. I have an 8 yr historical canine who has certainly not went in my house because of this training. It is the best method.

Answer 8

It's never to late to crate train, but she is alone so much it would be kinder to give her away to someone who can spend more time with her.
Crate Training is to involved to explain here, get a book on the subject.

Answer 9

No it is not too late to crate train.. Just put her in with some toys or chew things . as soon as you take her out be sure to take her outside.. immediately so she can potty.she should be able to hold her pee for a few hours at least..

Answer 10

not its not to late u just have to work on it more of crate training. im guessing that your try to get her potty trainned. if u are its not to late.

Answer 11

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