Crate Training Questions

[kilee]

Okay- I'm open to all your crate training tips and secrets. We crate trained our 2 yr old little guy- and it had it's bumps along the way. HOWEVER, this pup will relieve himself w/o issue in his crate (both liquid and solid).

First, I've reduced the size of the crate already. It has the divider wall- and it's down to the appropriate size. Secondly, I'm following a pretty set schedule. He does have to go about a 4.5 hr spand during the afternoon for 4 days/wk.

The problem being he won't always go outside. He tugs and yanks--and tugs and yanks to get back in the house. We can spend 10-15 min outside and he still won't go. Then he gets put back in the crate and he messes. We cannot conceivably stay out any longer. Actually every book I read says give them 15 minutes maximum, put them back, and try again in 15-20 minutes. The other thing w/ not staying any longer is we have had temps below zero w/ the windchill-- it's not exactly possible to stay out too long.

The truth is his so concerned w/ getting back in the minute we get outside he won't take 2 seconds to try and go. Pee Pee pads would be out I think because he'd chew 'em.

So, any suggestions.

 

[slo]

I used to take small treats and put them in my pocket, so after my dog went potty, I would give him one right away.

After I didn't have to go out with him anymore, he would still get a very small treat everytime I left him back into the house, to reinforce the good behavior.

Good luck, dogs are sometimes a big challenge, since they can't talk to us and tell us "why" they do the things they do.

 

[drag n' fly]

Okay- I'm open to all your crate training tips and secrets. We crate trained our 2 yr old little guy- and it had it's bumps along the way. HOWEVER, this pup will relieve himself w/o issue in his crate (both liquid and solid).

First, I've reduced the size of the crate already. It has the divider wall- and it's down to the appropriate size. Secondly, I'm following a pretty set schedule. He does have to go about a 4.5 hr spand during the afternoon for 4 days/wk.

The problem being he won't always go outside. He tugs and yanks--and tugs and yanks to get back in the house. We can spend 10-15 min outside and he still won't go. Then he gets put back in the crate and he messes. We cannot conceivably stay out any longer. Actually every book I read says give them 15 minutes maximum, put them back, and try again in 15-20 minutes. The other thing w/ not staying any longer is we have had temps below zero w/ the windchill-- it's not exactly possible to stay out too long.

The truth is his so concerned w/ getting back in the minute we get outside he won't take 2 seconds to try and go. Pee Pee pads would be out I think because he'd chew 'em.

So, any suggestions.

We ended up crate training in the dead of winter too. It was -38C out so we completely shovelled the deck off and put out newspapers and peepeepads and let him decide and of course rewarded him if he went outside. If he soiled in his crate we would bring out the poop and put it on the paper outside and also put out the peed on bath mat(we used an old bath mat that could be washed lots for the bottom) and put it on the papers upside down and stomped on it so some of the pee would soak in the paper and then give him a new bath mat for his crate. It was very time consuming...yes. I feel the number one thing that makes the difference is actually dressing and going out with the dog. They are less inclined to want to come in if you are out there with them. Depending on how old your puppy is and how much time you have 4.5 hours may be too long. I was taking mine out every hour and a half (even in the night) until he learned and eventually the time got further apart. We never scolded him but if we sensed he was going to have an accident in the house out of kennel(circling and sniffing) we immediately took him out and gave a voice command...go pee pee and eventually he did catch on with enough treats. Now he barks at the door to get out and barks at the door to get in and sleeps on our bed at night....no troubles whatsoever. This training method can be done with older dogs also who have housetraining issues. Dont know if that helped you at all but it worked for us hth

 

[Aimeedyan]

Try feeding him meals in the crate - dogs instinctly don't want to eliminate where they eat. Try that for several days.

If you can get him to not want to eliminate in the crate, I bet the potty training will fall into place.

 

[kilee]

I do take him out on a leash- he won't ever go out alone, as we don't have a fenced yard, and I'm really not the chained out type.

Funny thing, he can keep the crate dry and clean during the 4.5 hrs during the 4 days I work (sometimes it's less than 4.5 because often dh and me overlap being home).

This is what he does:

I take him out of the crate (we'll say after 1.5-2hrs)-- he'll got potty. I'll bring him in and feed and water him. I'll let him run on the linoleum w/ our other dog for 20-25 minutes after he eats. I take him out again. He won't go- he pulls and pulls to come back in. I then bring him in and put him in his crate. I wait 15-20 more minutes and take him out again (at this point the crate is still dry) and he still will refuse to go-- or he'll literally go a few drops. Then I'll put him back in the crate since he won't go-- and not 2 minutes later he'll soil the crate.

Now because he's timid we are still being very cautious w/ the stearn voice. He seems to scare and cower easily- so we're really trying to build trust right now too.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Where did you purchase your dog? I've heard that some disreputable puppy mills and pet shops never let the puppies out of their crates, even to relieve themselves, so they just get used to doing it in their crate. I can imagine it would definitely be an uphill battle from there! Our 2 Boxers learned pretty quickly, without much coaxing from us. I wish I had some advice, but I do wish you good luck...potty training can be a royal pain in the neck!

 

[kilee]

I hadn't thought of doing meals in the crate- I'll try that w/ his dinner meal and then follow through on it for a few days and see if it helps.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Where did you purchase your dog? I've heard that some disreputable puppy mills and pet shops never let the puppies out of their crates, even to relieve themselves, so they just get used to doing it in their crate. I can imagine it would definitely be an uphill battle from there! Our 2 Boxers learned pretty quickly, without much coaxing from us. I wish I had some advice, but I do wish you good luck...potty training can be a royal pain in the neck!

Yes, people who buy puppy mill dogs often have this issue as the poor things never get out of their crate so they get used to sitting in their own waste.

 

[goofy!]

Yes, people who buy puppy mill dogs often have this issue as the poor things never get out of their crate so they get used to sitting in their own waste.

If this puppy came from a pet shop/puppymill, feeding in the crate is not going to make any difference as it will be used to eating in its cage. In fact, it will just reinforce the behavior that it is used to.

If it is not a pet shop puppy, you should call your breeder and see what has worked well for their particular line of puppies.

Other things that might help:

Take the paper towels you used to clean up the crate and put them in the puppy's bathroom spot outside.

Always take the puppy to the same spot so it gets the idea of what it is supposed to do.

Praise/treat like crazy when it does its business in the right place.

Always take the puppy outside immediately after releasing from the crate. Don't play with the puppy, feed, pet or anything. That all gets to happen after he finishes his business and comes back inside.

Good Luck - housebreaking can be such a struggle sometimes!

 

[kilee]

He's not a pet store puppy. He comes from a breeder---BUT-- the guy isn't an exclusive breeder either.
He's not a "puppy mill" but--- ahhhh I don't know exactly what to call him. I've been to puppy mill's- 1 in our area and a few on Amish farms in PA. They all made my stomach turn. This is nothing like that. This is pretty much a family that breeds several different types of dogs and sells them.
He would of been kept in a crate/pen and the guys house. He shared a pen w/ his sister and they slept on a bed. The gentleman said him nor his sister ever messed on the bed area.