Crate training techniques

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trasmuson
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Crate training techniques

Post by trasmuson » Sat Jun 23, 2012 9:58 am

I know every dog is different, and different techniques work on each individual dog, but when it comes to crate training, what are some techniques that you all use to teach your dog “kennel” and also to teach them not to whine in the crate? I have tried multiple things, but nothing has helped her feel comfortable to not whine all night in the crate. I have been using hotdogs to encourage her to go in her kennel, and little by little she is getting closer and closer to going in her kennel on her own, but as soon as she is in there, she whine for 30 minutes straight and not until than will she stop. Should I just be letting her whine it out and eventually she will get used to it? Should I bang on the kennel and tell her to “shush?” I just feel like when she is whining and I give her attention by hitting the kennel, that just teaches her to keep whining because even though it is negative attention, its still attention none the less. Just curious what everyone else’s techniques are…  Thank you!

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bumper52
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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by bumper52 » Sat Jun 23, 2012 11:01 am

you are correct...you are reinforcing negative behavior by going to her when she is whining. I guess I don't have a simple answer, but most pups just grow out of it (give in") in a reasonable amount of time. They soon love going into their crate. For now I would try to establish a very regimented routine. Morning....out to yard....short 5 minute training session, feed, maybe a walk or some kind of play exercise. Let her air again...bring her in and put her in the crate. A very quiet spot in the house. Give her a chew toy..maybe turn on a radio..but at this point I would limit any human activity. She will soon learn this is "down" time. Hope this helps. Try to balance the time of work, play and crate time.

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AzDoggin
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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by AzDoggin » Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:07 pm

16 pages worth of discussion on crate training here: search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=crate+%2Btraining

MikeB
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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by MikeB » Sat Jun 23, 2012 1:24 pm

Sound like an timid insecure pup to me. Never the less I would not only crate her just at bed time I would crate her for an hour or so in the daytime if you or someone is home or in the evening after a play sessioin. Feed her in her crate too with the door open. At bed time, always have something she likes to chew on in the crate. At night have the crate by your bed. Replace your night stand with the crate if you can.
Every time you put the pup into the crate say the word KENNEL or KENNEL UP. Which ever you prefer. Praise the pup when the pup is in the crate.

It takes time with every pup depending on temperament of the pup. You can't hurry the process.

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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by JIM K » Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:58 pm

dont be shocked that puppy will go outside at 8 weeks then all of sudden poo in his crate at 9 weeks or more.it takes time.
what i have found is ONLY FEED YOUR PUPPY THEIR DOG FOOD.no treats etc

this will save you accident in crate.
i leave wall light on at night and it shines thru my plastic crate.
feed you puppy EARLY.i like around 4 pm opn last feeding.
then by 11pm when you take him out last time, he will be cleaned out.
then at 5 am chance of accident is small,

i drilled 2 holes in my small nylabone.in them i put peanut butter.puppy seems to chew longer on bone than without pb in holes.
this wears out puppy faster.
i put cable in yard with puppy on it.you buy those screw things that go in ground.i use med cable.
it works great. i can wash truck while the 9 week old puppy is there laying in shade under tree.he likes it and you wil too because he will sleep better in crate at night.

i believe it helps with biting that pups go thru too.

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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by cjhills » Sat Jun 23, 2012 3:40 pm

I toss in a little food tell them, kennel , maybe push them in at first shut the door and go to bed. Crate is in attached gararge. I can't hear real good(too many shotguns) In a couple nights she's quiet and clean in the kennel.Going in like a rabbit down it's hole. I feed them in the crate the first week or two. They also spend most of their nap time in the crate. they learn the crate is for sleeping so that is what they do. They have to learn to be restrained sometime . Now is the ideal start. CJ

trasmuson
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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by trasmuson » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:14 am

I know I’m not the only person that has ever had a dog like this that just will not accept the kennel. I know some of you advise to sleep next to the kennel on the floor with her for a couple of nights in the same room, but my wife and I need our sleep because we are so busy during the days, so the only real option for us is to put her in her kennel in the furthest room away from us, where the noise is not quite as loud to us. She sleeps next to our other dog, so originally I thought that would help calm her nerves but it hasn’t at all. For those of you that have used this technique, how long did it usually take for them to be put in the kennel without crying. When I put her in at night, she seriously sits and cries for about 45 minutes, and than I think finally gets worn out, but than wakes up in the middle of the night and cries again, and that’s when I take her out to do her business and when she’s all done, I put her back in and it takes another 45 minutes or more for her to calm down again.  What else can I do?

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coveydogs
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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by coveydogs » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:43 am

Give it some time, it will get better if you stay consistent. Here is what I do each night (all dogs are different, my new pup is a bit of a crier).

First week: Take puppy outside for the last time, grab a small treat and put the pup in the kennel and give the pup the small treat. My pup sleeps in a kennel across the house from where I sleep. Enjoy the crying for a long time when you first put the pup in. Set alarm and wake up at an interval that you set (three hours for me). Wake pup up and take the pup outside and let them empty, put back in crate with small treat, enjoy crying when you put the pup back in the kennel. Wake up in another three hours and repeat until morning. I only sleep like 6 hours a night so only one wake up for me.

Your pup like mine, needs to get up in the middle of the night and pee, no big deal. Just make it on your schedule so you are not reinforcing the pup for crying and the pup still gets to pee and doesn't mess up the crate.

We have had the pup for three weeks on this program. When I put the pup in at night no crying now. I have lengthened the interval past 3 hours, but be careful not to push it cuz pup will wake up and cry you will go out and let the pup out and reinforce the crying, and you are back to square one.

Again every pup is different, love reading the "got my pup this weekend and it slept through the night" comments. I have such envy.
Last edited by coveydogs on Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

bb560m
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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by bb560m » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:47 am

throw em in the crate and ignore them. don't take them out unless they are quiet for 15 mins. they'll learn quickly. can also try a towel over the crate - that helped my dog when he was a pup.

don't give in or the dog will win and whine every time. get ear plugs.

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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by JIM K » Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:26 am

trasmuson wrote:I know I’m not the only person that has ever had a dog like this that just will not accept the kennel. I know some of you advise to sleep next to the kennel on the floor with her for a couple of nights in the same room, but my wife and I need our sleep because we are so busy during the days, so the only real option for us is to put her in her kennel in the furthest room away from us, where the noise is not quite as loud to us. She sleeps next to our other dog, so originally I thought that would help calm her nerves but it hasn’t at all. For those of you that have used this technique, how long did it usually take for them to be put in the kennel without crying. When I put her in at night, she seriously sits and cries for about 45 minutes, and than I think finally gets worn out, but than wakes up in the middle of the night and cries again, and that’s when I take her out to do her business and when she’s all done, I put her back in and it takes another 45 minutes or more for her to calm down again.  What else can I do?

you have to get puppy TIRED.take turns at 3 am taking pup out for no.1/2,NO PLAY.this way you get some sleep today and wife next day.
feed in crate and dont look at pup when crying or show any attention.
put a chew toy in crate with his favorite chew toy.

i REALLY like the MARROW meat bones from grocery store NOT knuckle bones.
have butcher cut the SMALL marrow bones down to about 2 inchs long.cost you around a buck a bone ,freeze other section and freeze the one he chews on so meat inside does not go bad.
i only let whiskers chew the bone in the CRATE.this makes it HAPPY, HAPPY time. :lol:

no, i dont like putting pup in bedroom or on couch. yet TOBY my lab likes couch. :roll:

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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by martydavis » Wed Jun 27, 2012 12:13 pm

when I say KENNEL, I pull/push the dog in the crate so it has to obey. My pup is just 13 weeks old and I'm not looking at it being obedient yet - it is just a pup learning how life goes at our house. I'll concern myself with obedience to the command when the formal training begins. I cover the crate each time the pup goes in - he never whines. Pup goes in the kennel when (1) I have to leave for work and my wife is not up yet, (2) into the crate when we have to go out and (3) into the kennel at night.

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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by JWP58 » Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:06 pm

I just said Kennel everytime i put my brittany puppy in it (he was about 3months old when i got him). After about 3-4 times he got the idea. Now i just say "Kennel" and heads right for it....Kennel trained in about two days.
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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by Sharon » Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:46 pm

JWP58 wrote:I just said Kennel everytime i put my brittany puppy in it (he was about 3months old when i got him). After about 3-4 times he got the idea. Now i just say "Kennel" and heads right for it....Kennel trained in about two days.

My dogs too. You can turn this lesson into a PHD project but it is not necessary.:)
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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by jetjockey » Thu Jun 28, 2012 5:51 am

Sharon wrote:
JWP58 wrote:I just said Kennel everytime i put my brittany puppy in it (he was about 3months old when i got him). After about 3-4 times he got the idea. Now i just say "Kennel" and heads right for it....Kennel trained in about two days.

My dogs too. You can turn this lesson into a PHD project but it is not necessary.:)
+3. When my pup was young we just picked her up and placed her in her crate while giving the kennel command. Once the door was closed she got a treat. Now when I give the command you better get out of her way because she will "bleep" near knock you over on her way to her crate.

Covering the crate with a towel can really help dogs that whine at night.

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Re: Crate training techniques

Post by Buckeye_V » Thu Jun 28, 2012 2:54 pm

I disagree. I would go in and correct the whining as often as possible. Try a spray bottle. Try tying a long lead to the crate adn giving them a crate quake. They can't see you make the correction.

It does work.
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