Crate Training questions

[Gizmo's mom]

What is the best method of crate training for pyrs? we didnt really have a problem with Gizmo, so not completely sure how to proceed with the new puppy. she already seems to do ok with being out of the crate all day, sleeping out on the floor. but we want/need to be able to put her in the crate sometimes. even if it is just when we are not at home, but cant take the dogs with us. we would also like to keep her in the crate at night, just until we know she is reliable with the potty training, then we will see how she does being out at night. i think the biggest problem right now is being in the crate and NOT in the same room as us. if she's in the same room, she does better. but we are not always going to be able to be in the same room at night. she seems to maybe have some separation anxiety (lots of whining) when not in the same room as us. what is the best way to over come this so she is ok by herself when need be? or is it just that she is to young right now to be by herself? my husband seems to think that that might be the case, and that we just need to give her more time with us first and let her get just a little older first. but if thats not the case then i dont want us going to her every time she whimpers, which will probably make it harder on us later on. is it best for us to just let her whine until she calms down by herself? or do we need to go to her when she whines? what is the best way to deal with this? ideas, advice?

[kimierose]

I highly recomend crate trainng.
1. Makes for easier house breaking
2. Keeps them out of trouble when you are away or asleep
3. If you ever have to board them they are used to a crate

I started crate training Bella the day we brought her home. She cried the first couple nights. But after that she is ok with it.She is only in her crate when we are away or asleep.she was house broke in no time and never had a accident She loves her crate its her own special place. I bought a xlarge giant breed from walmart online they dont carry the huge ones in the stores it was only 79.00 plus shipping I think finall cost was 82.00 wasnt bad best thing I ever bought for her The sooner you start the crate training the better many other reasons to crate train and im sure others will help with this but that was my main reasons.

[Gizmo's mom]

Originally Posted by kimierose

I highly recomend crate trainng.
1. Makes for easier house breaking
2. Keeps them out of trouble when you are away or asleep
3. If you ever have to board them they are used to a crate

I started crate training Bella the day we brought her home. She cried the first couple nights. But after that she is ok with it.She is only in her crate when we are away or asleep.she was house broke in no time and never had a accident She loves her crate its her own special place. I bought a xlarge giant breed from walmart online they dont carry the huge ones in the stores it was only 79.00 plus shipping I think finall cost was 82.00 wasnt bad best thing I ever bought for her The sooner you start the crate training the better many other reasons to crate train and im sure others will help with this but that was my main reasons.

totally agree with you on the crate training. our sheltie is, and its a good thing to!!! so far she hasnt had an accident yet. which is really nice. we do have a crate for her. we just dont know if its best for her to go ahead and whine and calm down on her own, or do we just try to keep her in the same room with us?

[Jewel]

She's old enough to start learning to be alone in her crate. Waiting won't make things easier later. Let her whine and cry, don't go to her when she's vocalizing. Some pups get over it quite quickly and will settle down within a few minutes. Give it a try and see how it goes.

[nick's spirit]

If you can keep the crate in your room at night she might be more comfortable. If she whines & you think that means she has to go potty, leash her up take her outside, hopefully she'll go, then put her back in her crate, if she whines then...try to ignore her & don't go to her.
She'll take advantage of you getting up to take her out at first, but will settle in as she gets older.
we confined/crated ours in our room until we knew they were old enough to be trusted against "accidents" Spirit whined the first couple of nights....Nick was very vocal for about 8 nights & Holly was great, only whining when she had to go outside

[Maggie's mom]

As difficult as it is to do, you're going to have to let her learn to settle on her own...in fact, letting her out when she whines is actually reinforcing the undesired behavior.
Some pups are more difficult to crate train than others, but for their own safety and to save your home from destruction, it's best to be more tenacious than she is. You can try to make the crate a "happy place" by having her eat her meals in her crate (door open may help at first...put her bowl in the back of the crate.) You may want to put an old t-shirt which has your scent on it in the crate for her. Also, playing games where you toss HIGH VALUE, wonderful treats and praising her when she runs in to get them may help. Don't force her in at those times, but make it a fun game. I don't know what type of crate you're using, but I've taken the top off of mine during the day so the puppy can go in and out and not feel so confined. ALWAYS praise her when she goes in the crate...even if she just sniffs it. Make the "go to your crate" command positive...I use the term "kennel up!!" in a happy, casual tone, close the door, feed a great treat through the door, say, "good night or goodbye!!", and walk away. The only time to let your puppy out of the crate when she is barking/whining is to go potty, like in the middle of the night. After she does her business, return her to her crate...no playing, cuddling, cajoling in the middle of the night. Try to make crate time as matter-of-fact as possible. If she protests/whines/barks when you first kennel her up, ignore it...don't let her out until she settles down.
The other thing you have to consider about crating a puppy is that there may be times in the future when she will HAVE to be kenneled (at the vet, groomer, boarder, etc.)...if she gets used to the crate at an early age, and it is a "safe place" for her, she will not protest when crated in those situations (and drive the groomer, vet, boarder crazy) Arlo (my puppy) HATES to be kenneled, but had to be crated in isolation at the vet hospital for 3 days, then in ICU for 5 days...they said he barked NON-STOP for 12 hrs straight. Every chart entry said, "alert/barking." When he returned home, the barking when crated resumed...I elected to use an x-pen for him because he has such negative associations with a crate. He still barks in the x-pen, but settles down after 10-15 minutes at night (still barks for up to an hour when I'm walking my other dogs.)
Some dogs are much more stubborn than others about crating...you just have to be more stubborn for their own good. Good luck!!

[Lily's Mom]

We just got our Great Pyr, Lily. She is 16 weeks and we put her in a kennel for the first time 2 days after we got her. The first night she woofed a little, but we just said, "Lily...NO" rather sternly and a few minutes later she did it again and we did the same. She didn't carry on after that. We put a chew stuffy and her blanket and pillow in with her. I also give her a treat when she walks in and sits. I don't know about your dog, but mine will do anything for a treat!! Try anything positive...treats, fave toys, being calm. That has worked for us. We failed miserably with our Shih Tzu crate training as a pup. We gave into her and that was that. FAIL!!! Good luck...I love having a dog in a kennel. It's a special place for them and it keeps my mind at ease knowing she's not wandering, chewing or piddling (eventhough she's been great about not piddling).

[Espinay]

All my dogs get crate trained, including any older dogs that come to live here. It is such a good idea to get them used to confinement as if they ever need to be confined due to injury or illness. for example, either at your place or the vets, it removes a level of stress from them that will not assist them at all in their healing. It is also very useful for things like general management, transport and travel etc.

With pups, they learn the routine with the crate from day one. they sleep in the crate at night till about 12 months of age. They eat their meals in their crate. they are given treats and chews in their crate. They get used to the crate being a good place to be. A similar routine is used for older dogs. I find giving meals in the crate in particular is a good way to get them used to being in the space and that it is a good thing.

As mentioned, you need to ignore much of the wining so the pup learns to settle on their own. Wear earplugs to bed for a while if you need to! Make sure you take the pup out to toilet last thing at night and also early in the morning. In the early stages you may need to get up during the night as well. when you take the pup out of the crate it is important you keep 'interaction' to a minimum. this is not play or cuddle time. don't pat or talk to the pup too much. Put the lead on, take them out to the toilet spot. Stay out there about 5 minutes to give them a chance to toilet. this is NOT play time so just stand in a spot and wait for them to go. If they go, praise them AFTER they have gone (just a 'good dog' - no big patting etc) then straight back in the crate and leave them there. If they didn't go, same deal.

I tend to put the crate in my line of sight at first, even if not in the same room. For example, I have a pup currently crated at night in the lounge room. She is near us when we are in there at night, and has line of sight into the bedroom so I can see her and she can see us. This of course depends on your setup, but works well for us.

Edited to add that I much prefer wire crates for Pyrs in particular. There is less chance of heat stress which many can suffer in the more confined plastic crates, and they tend to prefer the more open feel of the wire one and not feel as claustrophobic. Starting in a wire crate can also help them adjust to the other types if you ever need to use them. If you need a wire crate to be more covered (or want them to be used to being covered once used to the confinement of a crate), you can put a sheet or blanket over it or buy/make a cover. Of course wire crates are not suitable if you need to fly your dog, but for home use etc they are IMO the better and more versatile choice.