Crate training?

Question

We adopted a 5 or 6 month old Pointer/Lab mix. He's now probably about 7 months.. a very good dog, good with the kids, a bit exciteable at times as expected...and has been OK (not great) with going into his crate when we're out of the house for a couple of hours each to go shopping or whatever. But this morning, my wife called me and said she couldn't move the dog, who was on the floor in another room...and ended up having to put the leash on him and drag/coax him outside, with no chace of manipulating him into his crate. I suspect he wasn't crate trained before we adopted him. He was given to the humane society a couple of weeks before we got him in early July. My question is, although I've been online, looking for a 'plan of action' regarding crate training, almost all of the one's I've come across talk about puppies and how to make them comfortable, etc.. and how it's good for housebreaking and so forth (our dog is housebroken already). Any suggestions would be appreciated.thx

Answer 1

Since he has not been crate trained before and has had so many new things thrown at him at once, it is no wonder he is balking. I have a sheltie that came to me at 2 years of age who "spins" when he goes into a crate and it worried me that he would hurt himself. Here are some tips to try. Any or all can work - or none.
These will get you started.
1) move the crate to a part of the house where you are (at least at first). don't let him think he is being punished or secluded.
2) you know how loud "silence" can be? try turning on some music or a tv low so as to give him something to focus on.
3) have you ever heard of a "kong"? go to petsmart or other pet supply place. you want to layer it with his favorite things - peanutbutter, chicken from supper, treats, canned food (notice I added in people food - if you feed people food off of your plate, they will see people food as their food and not eat theirs. if they do not see where it came from - kong, treat bag, etc - they they will see it as just another treat). after you layer it up, freeze it so that it takes longer to get the things out and then give it to him only when he is in the crate. (I don't want the crate but I want my kong - so I will go in the crate to get my kong.) before long they will equate the crate with getting their goodies
4) never, ever use the crate as punishment. find another place for time-out if that is the form that you use.
5) take an old towel or t-shirt and have the person (you or your wife) whom he tends to like best sleep in/on it for a night then give it to him with your smell on if for comfort.

try those things and in the mean time, while you are buying your kong, sign up for classes. even if he knows all the commands, it would open the lines of communication and would give him confidence. let whomever (you or your wife) that he listens to LEAST be the one that trains him.

good luck

Answer 2

I would personally keep him in the crate still. He is still a puppy and if you were to let him roam freely he may very well get used to it and forget about the training he already has. Dogs are like kids, give them an inch and they take a mile. Keep him in the crate until he is fully trained not to go potty in the house or do anything destructive. My Pomeranian is much older than your dog, but since I've had her I've been training her since she never was trained as a puppy. It's tough sometimes to do things to train and discipline them, but don't let them get dominance over you. I also keep my dog in the kitchen while I'm gone or if I've gone to bed with a bed, food and water. It may sound harsh to some people, but it's the only way I can break her of thinking its okay to roam the house and poop and pee where she pleases. If you haven't noticed, dogs will usually not go potty in confined areas, so continuing the crate will be best I think. If he is up at night making a lot of noise, maybe try to exhaust him of his energy throughout the day, if that doesn't work and is truely bothersome, you may want to consider disciplining him if you are okay with that. Well good luck and he is still a puppy, it'll me a few more months before he calms down and is fully trained.

Answer 3

He sounds like he is a good dog...why put him in a crate? I have 2 large dogs and they are fine in the house alone....just make sure to provide the dog with lots of toys and leave him out of the crate. I really don't think it is necessary to put him in one. As was mentioned before a crate is mainly used to housebreak a dog if he is already housebroken there is really no point in putting him in a crate.

Answer 4

I think the dog thinks it is punishment.
You could try a blanket, the toy, and leaving the door open and asking him to go to his room, then rewarding him for going.
Personally, I'd go with maybe designating some other area as his "room".
I have a baby gate and my dogs stay in the family room when I'm not around. I never did do the crate thing with them, which probably wasn't the best idea, but I haven't needed to crate them for any reason since they were puppies, so I don't think it hurt me.
Good luck

Answer 5

I am a firm user of the crate for the first year because they usually like it and it saves the chewing up of the house. You need to start young with that. It should be like their den.

Your dog is older and, so if he won't use the crate at this point he might not develop a den like love. If you have a bathroom or laundry room you could keep him in when you leave, I suggest doing that

Answer 6

Ok, here's a foolproof method. Get a box of Alpo Snaps, they're dog treats, and the dogs love them. EVERY time you want him to go into his crate, give him the command "Rover, go to bed" or "Rover, get in your house". At first, you might need to throw the cookie in to entice him into the crate, but make sure that you give him one every time. He will begin to associate the crate not with being separated from you, but with getting a treat. I train all of my dogs this way, and if I say the word "bed" all of them run for their crates, bang the door open with their foot, and jump in, and wait for their treat. Be patient, it sounds like he might take some convincing, but if you combine treat with a command, you'll make life much easier for all of you. Also, I'd try giving him cookies while he's standing next to his crate, with lots of praise. If he can understand that it's ok for him to be in there, and that's what you want him to do, he'll be a little more cooperative. Finally, make sure that he has a proper size crate, one that he can comfortably stand to his full height in, lie down, and turn around. Good luck!

Answer 7

One of the best training cd's ive ever seen said never to force your new pet into the crate. Bullshit !! Make them go in you are the boss and that is where he needs to be when you are not there to supervise. You may think you have a great toddler but your not going to leave them alone to hurt themselves or something else.

I believe every rescue I take in must learn to crate. You never know when something may happen and your pet has to be hospitalized. You don't want the added stress on them of just then having to crate.

I never crate my five on a regular basis but if I tell them they will go in. I had to have a plumber in to fix a broken pipe Monday. I had the fosters outside and mine were sent to crates. My dogs are nice friendly dogs after the initial sniff fest but they didn't need to be under feet or have any chance to get hurt with him using power tools. I did it for their safety. All pets should be able to do this without it adding to the stress of what is going on at that time.

And how to get him in. Dogs will do anything for a small sliver of hot dog!!! We have one foster mom that has a baggie of hot dog slivers in her fridge all the time. And her five dogs (One a great dane and one a chihuahua) will go to their crates when she says kennel no matter where anyone is in the house they all run to the kennels. Mine aren't that good.

Answer 8

Offer the dog treats in the crate when you are not going to be leaving or shutting the crate. Get him use to going in and not having the door shut. Then you can place a treat in the crate and when he goes in shut the door for short periods of time while you are home. He needs to realize that it isn't a bad place, that he doesn't just get shut up in there when you leave. My dogs will go get in the crate to take naps and also to get the treats I leave in them for them. Good luck.

Answer 9

I had the same trouble with crate training my dog. What worked for me was throwing a treat or a toy into the cage. That would make him want to get in.

Answer 10

Try coaxing him in there with treats. Have in the crate for a little bit why you are home. My dog used to not like his crate. After a few weeks of treats, he went in with no problem.
Try the Humane Societies web page. They have all kinds of tips and tricks and advice.