Few things a dog trainer will ever suggest cause more confusion, worry and even anger than a shipping crate. Or, as new dog owners inevitably, call it a "cage", as in "I'm not going to put my puppy in a cage. It's cruel!" Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the fastest, easiest and most humane tool to house-train a puppy could be more accurately described as a "den." That's how your dog sees it, and seeing things the way a dog does is crucial to developing a strategy for getting your point across. If you stop thinking like a person and start thinking like a dog, it's easy to understand just how valuable a training aid that much maligned crate is. Have you ever noticed how a dog's favorite spot is never in a well traveled area, but in some comfortable corner of the room? Man dogs take it a step further and seek dark hiding places to curl up in -- behind the couch or under a table or down the side of the bed.
A dog feels secure in such a spot: No one can approach unseen and no one can pry him out without getting past a set of rather formidable teeth. It doesn't matter that your dog would never use those teeth in a million years. Settling into a dark, safe place is just the kind of thing a wolf would do, and every dog, from the tiniest toy poodle to the biggest mastiff, is still a little bit wolf, down deep inside.
Here's the second thing your dog knows: Wolves love their dens so much they wouldn't dream of leaving them filthy.
Put the love of dens together with the instinctive need to keep the place clean, and you've got all the information you need to understand why crates work, and why dogs feel comfortable with them, and in them. The rules of crate training are simple: If the puppy's not "empty" he's either outside taking care of business or he's inside, in the crate. Remember that puppies need to relieve themselves after they wake up, after they eat or after a session of vigorous play. Bear in mind that a young puppy can't "hold-it" very long, and set up a schedule that goes something like this:
- Morning: Puppy wakes up in the crate, wakes you up and both of you go outside. Puppy goes, you praise. Puppy eats, and it's back outside. Puppy goes, you praise. The puppy can play freely for a while, then outside again (praise!) and back in the crate for a nap.
- Afternoon: Puppy wakes up, goes out. Puppy goes, you praise. Puppy eats, you praise. Half an hour of vigorous roughhousing, followed by another trip outside and more praise. Time to hit the crate for the afternoon nap. - Evening: Puppy wakes up, goes out. ... You get the idea: Everything's the same except for the final step, putting the puppy to bed for the night. With very young puppies, of course, there's at least one nighttime outing, and maybe two, but puppies are fun, so nobody really minds, right? If you work, you'll have to drop home at lunch or make arrangements for a friend or neighbor to handle the midday outing. The rest of the time, the puppy will be quite content to nap in the crate (tuck in a few toys). Does the dog spend its whole life in the crate? Of course not. Gradually, as the puppy learns that outside is the only appropriate place to relieve himself, he's allowed more and more freedom, until finally he doesn't need the crate at all.
But don't be surprised if you dog never stops sleeping in his "den." In my house, where the dogs are middle aged and were house trained years ago, there's always a dog asleep in a crate. And since I took the doors off after Andy was house trained more than four years ago, you know it's by choice. Crate training allows you to shape a puppy's behavior in a positive way, using his own instincts. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that such a method is more humane than the old "shove puppy's nose in it and swat him with a newspaper" method - which no competent trainer recommends any more.
No matter what, I would not give up on crate training. The benefits far outweigh the short-term inconvenience of having to endure his crying. It hurts us much more than them, as long as its being applied in a humane way. With a lot of patience and consistency, you will soon find yourself with a well adjusted dog with respect to housetraining. The book that I love is by Brian Kilcommons and it's called, Good Dogs, Great Owners." He elaborates on everything from adapting to your particular environment to scheduling crate-times. If you do decide to take puppy to bed, do it from the start. If you wait until he's cried for an hour, you'll only be sending the wrong message, that he gets rewarded when he cries. If you are going to use the crate at night (highly recommended for the first 6 months or so), try putting him in it next to your bed, with door closed (once you have shown him, with door open, that it is a safe place. Cookies and toys usually work) where he can see you, with a warm blanket inside his crate. Make sure that the crate is not much bigger than puppy, but enough for him to stand up and turn around comfortably. Keep an empty soda can filled with 8 pennies inside that is taped shut. When you go to bed and put puppy into his crate and he cries, tell him firmly (no need to yell) "no cry," or whatever command you choose. If he continues, shake the can from out of his view. I kept the "penny can monster" under the blanket where Paco couldn't see it. As soon as he stops crying, you stop shaking and then praise him. You want him to think that it's his crying that is causing this gosh-awful noise, and not you. At 11 weeks, you may very well have to take him outdoors during the night. Consistency is the key with respect to scheduling his crate/outdoor time, when he eats, drinks, etc. Stopped all water and food after 5 pm with my puppy, and only gave him ice after heavy evening play periods. Knowing that he's cleaned out gives you much better peace of mind when putting him into his bed, the crate. Don't give up! We didn't, and now have 3 dogs that are respectable canine citizens (our fourth was miraculously housebroken when he adopted us). No matter where they go (ie hotel, auto, visiting. Even at home, when an unruly child comes to visit. Eek!) they know that they have their crate. It's their refuge during such times. Best wishes. Jeannie Fazio
"Good Owners, Great Dogs" book advocates putting newspapers outside of a crate with the door open in a confined room for people who just can't get home to let the pup out frequently enough. I would not recommend putting papers in the crate because it's teaching the dog to "go" in his "den" which is what you're training him not to do, and which is naturally against their nature. Dogs don't usually go where they sleep, which is why it's important when "crate-training" to have the crate not much bigger than the pup. Only big enough to stand, turn and lie comfortably. If there's room for pup to soil a corner and then sleep in a clean area of crate, it's too big. Not an expert, either. Just what I've read and learned from my two. Jeannie
Question:
Simon is 7 months. My main problem seems to be, How long do you leave him out of the crate? During the evening when I get home from work. He goes after I take him out of the crate after eating, but then continues to go every hour until I go to bed. I usually don't put him back in the crate. Should I? Kathy
At 7 months, Simon should be coming out of the crate consistently every two to no more than four hours each day. Being at home, I am able to take my pup, who is six months, out of there frequently, only because I know I can watch him while he's out. That's important, because if he is allowed to soil the house without you seeing him, then he is not being corrected for it, since we only correct bad behavior as it is occuring, not afterward. This is counter-productive to the whole process, since the basis for crate-training is to teach pup that they go from crate to outdoors for one reason, and that is to do their business. If you work, the best situation is to have someone come in midday to give Simon water, to be let out, played with for 30 minutes or so, then back in until you return, in four hours or so. Eight hours in there during the day alone just seems way too long of a stretch, even at 7 months, considering that they spend that much time in there during your sleeping hours. The other problem that you're probably dealing with is guilt. When you get home from work, the last thing you want to do is crate him again, but it's necessary, the only way to ensure that he learns what you're trying to teach him. It makes no sense to take on the endeavor of crate-training if it's only going to be applied 80%. Any setbacks will only confuse the pup and hinder the process. Just try to remember that the training is only temporary, until he is a responsible young man that you can trust (9 months or so, given the fact that he's had consistent training up to that point). At night, when you get home, take him directly outside to his soil area, give him his one word command to "go", bring him in, and maybe barracade your kitchen area, so that he can be with you while you make dinner, and more importantly, so that you can watch him at ALL times. Then, when dinners' ready, you crate him, and maybe let him eat his meal at the same time, in his closed crate. After a nice 30 minute rest in his crate (to prevent bloat), give him some water, say "outside" so that he knows that that's where you want him to do his business, then right to soil area with the "go" command. If he hasn't gone, then he goes back in his crate if you can't watch him 100%, and back out every thirty minutes or so. Once he goes, then he should be okay until bedtime, providing you don't feed him anything additional or give him any more water. I give Joshua an ice cube if he appears thirsty 3 hours or less before bedtime. Closing off the living room should allow you to be able to have Simon with you at night, providing he's already gone. You want to be able to see him at all times. Otherwise, he should be in his crate. If you think he's still going to need to go out every hour, then take him out every hour, but without additional water and food/treats, he should be okay. Again, the two books mentioned should really help you with this. Jeannie
The Vari Kennel 100 is big enough for a dog up to about 15 to 16 pounds. If Winnie is truly a Mini, she should mature at under 11 pounds.
The Vari Kennel is the best quality and type of crate. There are imitations that cost less. When you go crate shopping, look at the Vari Kennel 100 as a comparison and it will tell you the size you need to be looking for if you decide on another brand.
Your best place to buy a crate is through a Dog Show where there are always vendors selling all manner of dog supply stuff, or through one of the dog supply catalogues like Dr. Foster and Smith or Econovet or any of the others. Pet Shops generally charge a much higher price for crates, though Petsmart isn't too bad for pricing. Cherri Thomson
Sandy, owned by Pumpkin and Bandit
In response to how long folks leave their puppers in the crate, my rule of thumb has always been (that is, once my puppers were adults) to try to not let my pups go over 8 hours in their crate. Since I used to have four dachsies at once, I used the extra-large vari-kennel, where they'd all pile in. I tried to separate them at first (two to each large kennel), but they'd bark and yip and whine to be together. (they just LOVE to piggy-pile)
Now that I've only got two puppers, they relax in leisure in their extra-large kennel during the day. Since my girls are older, they spend the majority of the time snoozing anyway. Both girls have pilfered and buried various and sundry of their favorite toys for munching or mashing should boredom overcome.
I used to feel badly about crating them all day, but after the "accidents" and the "oh-my-goodness-which-one-of-you-ATE-the-whole- roll-of-toilet-paper???" game when I'd get home, I found it healthier for them and for me to know they were safe and sound while I'm at work.
Adios!
Lueree and the Red Dog Brigade (Pookie, Clover & Ecco) and Miisha & Bogie at the Bridge
P.S. Ecco (retired greyhound) is not kennelled because he's VERY well behaved, and had spent the first 2 1/2 years of his life either on a track running or kennelled. He is gated in an area of the family room (where the girls' kennel is) because he LOVES to sleep on my new sofa.... ;-)
Norm and Chris Littig
Ebony, Zorro, and (honory doxie) Meika Meow