We just got the crate a week ago - and Jake will not stop barking when he is in it. We only put him in it at night and we always give him a treat when he goes in so he knows he is not in trouble. Do you have any tips on making him stop barking so we can get some sleep?
2006-09-07 05:30:58 · 14 answers · asked by wjoz13 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
In response to Broken:
we tried letting him be in the house while we were asleep but the area was too big and he pooped in the hallway every night. I've read various articles and all of them said the only way to house train a dog when you can't watch him is to crate train him. It is not cruelty. Thanks though.
2006-09-07 05:40:10 · update #1
Jake's still a puppy, and he's probably feeling separation anxiety when you "leave" him at night. Try a radio playing softly in the background and a light left on low to see if that reduces his stress level.
The main thing is NOT to reinforce Jake's bad behavior, even to correct him for the barking. He wants attention, and even negative attention will do. Once he's in the kennel for the night, he's in there. . .no scolding him or talking to him.
I think the person who mentioned putting him in the crate for short periods of time during the day is spot on. The crate should be such a secure place for him that he loves to sleep in his "den." I suggest tossing a treat in his kennel and letting him go in and out when you're in the room.
Kennel him for short periods of time and stay in the room, ignoring his barking. Just go on about your business, and when he's quiet for a period of time, praise him and release him. That way, you're reinforcing good behavior ("When I'm quiet, I get out -- not when I bark") and letting him know that he's not being punished by loss of your companionship.
Hope that helps.
Edit: It's never too late to crate train a dog. I've trained a couple of supposedly "uncrate-able" older dogs in less than a day, and they love their dens now. Email me if I can be of any further help.
2006-09-07 06:22:02 · answer #1 · answered by Wolfeblayde 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Crate training usually takes baby steps. Some dogs take to it immediately, but others need to take it slow and have lots of practice. It's not necissarily because they don't like being in a crate per se, they usually just don't like being seperated from you and would fuss just as much if you shut them in a room and left them there. Crate-training is more "alone-training" than anything else.
Here's the baby-steps (but remember, never open the crate door if puppy is fussing, that just teaches that fussing causes the door to open):
--Leave the crate door open and throw treats in there for puppy to find whenever they walk by (the crate now becomes the Magical Treat Dispensing Location)
--Feed meals inside the crate (the crate now becomes also Puppy's Dining Room)
--While feeding a meal, shut the crate door for just a second, then open it again.
--Get a special toy (a stuffed Kong or other puzzle toy is best because it occupies a dog for a lot longer than just munching down a cookie) and only give it to puppy when they're in the crate.
--Shut the door while staying in the room for varying periods (a few seconds, a minute, a couple minutes)
--Shut the door and leave the room for varying periods (seriously at first it may only be a couple seconds)
--Once the you can shut the door and leave the room and puppy doesn't fuss (or quickly stops fussing) for 15-30 minutes, you can say the dog has been crate-trained.
You can practice this any time of the day and should probably do 2-3 sessions per day, gradually working through the steps and evaluating how puppy is doing before moving to the next step. I know it sounds like a pain, but crating really is an excellent option for managing your dog, with house-training, controlling unwanted chewing and also for if and when you travel with your dog, you can just take the crate right along with you.
2006-09-07 06:30:49 · answer #2 · answered by tenzo0 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You need to create a calming atmosphere for him. Give him treats and let him know he's a good boy. If he is howling and barking while in the crate, maybe you should put it in a room where he can't see you all the time.
The crate is like a dog's sanctuary. When he goes in there, he should feel protected from everything around him. Once he learns that it is "his" place, then he should get better.
Work with him as much as possible. The reason he is barking now is because he knows that you will come get him when he starts making noise. Try to break him of the habit, while still maintaing the dominant role.
2006-09-07 05:33:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes a little time but they get use to it. Spend some time working on it during the day or when you are up. Put him in the crate with some of his favorite toys, its comforting and it will give him something to do. Start putting him in there for short periods and either leaving or staying home. Maybe like 15 minute intervals and then let him out. Always make it a positive experience and never use the crate as punishment. I always give my dog a treat when he goes in and now he just walks in and lays down. It took a little time for him to get comfortable with the whole thing but he stop barking in a couple of weeks completely. You might want to have the crate in your room at least he knows you are there and it might ease his anxiety.
2006-09-07 06:08:22 · answer #4 · answered by TritanBear 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could try putting him in the crate for short stints while you ARE home and walking around. Just put him in for 15 minutes at a time or so, with his treat...and go about your business. That way, he'll know you haven't abandoned him and you're still around...and will let him out soon. So you crate him when you leave the house, too? If not, he may do just fine at night without the crate, but I assume you're starting to crate him at 5 months old for a reason. Did you just get him recently? Crate training can take a little while,especially at his age... but I know what you mean about getting no sleep! LOL! Good luck!
2006-09-07 05:34:22 · answer #5 · answered by Lisa E 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had the same problem with my lab puppy. I found that if you put a sheet or a blanket on the top of the crate and make it as much like a den as possible, then after a while it calms them down and they actually begin to like it. I tried the treat thing and it worked really well for my dog too. Now she likes to be in her crate and knows to go in there when I pull out a treat.
Don't worry about other people saying 5 months is too late. It's not. My lab was about a year old when I got her crate and now she's perfectly fine.
2006-09-07 05:43:14 · answer #6 · answered by Sleepy Shona 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just a tad late to put a 5 month old dog into a crate. He obviously doesn't like the change. Try to insure that the room is dark when he goes in for the night and maybe put a blanket across the top and sides to darken it up a little more. Be very patient. He will adjust to it. Dogs are den animals and it will become comfortable for him. Include his favorite toy too.
2006-09-07 05:36:23 · answer #7 · answered by clyde 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a petsafe bark collar. Petsafe will work with you and your dog and replace it if it EVER becomes unusable. They are not inhuman either. They allow a dog to bark 3 times and beeps before it shocks them and it will not continuously shock if they go crazy. Most of my fosters that have needed it have adjusted better than a human. My kid shocks herself with them all the time. Its not an electrocuting type shock.
Crating is the SAFEST form of training. Your pet must be able to crate at anytime. Even if he no longer needs it do put him in on occasion. I do mine every few months when cleaning to get them out of the way and make sure they can handle it.
Broken: What if your pet needs to be hospitalized?? He will have to survive in a cage. Would you want him to have added stress of not being able to crate?
2006-09-07 05:59:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you ever put him in the crate for short periods of time when you are with him? I wonder if he would bark if he could see you. Then he could get used to it. Usually crate training is started right away. Good Luck, that must be awful.
2006-09-07 05:34:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put him in his crate near you with his leash on, run it through the bars and watch TV, eat dinner, do bills whatever. If he barks give him a gentle tug and a firm "NO" he'll learn what "no" means. Then do short times when you aren't near him you should be able to tell him "no" without going to him. He'll learn that barking in the kennel is unacceptable.
2006-09-07 06:36:28 · answer #10 · answered by emily 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋