Crate Training...advice please!

Hello!

My husband and I got a new puppy about 10 days ago from a breeder, he is a yellow lab and absolutely adorable!!

He is already housebroken and stuff like that (only too him a week!), but for some darn reason, he just doesn't enjoy his kennel. We have put plenty of comfy blankets, fun toys, and treats, etc and yet he still manages to pull all of his blankets and toys out and plays with them outside of his kennel. He even sleeps just outside of it!

We need to kennel train him in the house, as we have 2 cats and we really need to introduce them without havoc! He loves to play with them, but my cats are not quite ready for it yet! I think the best way to do it is introduce them gradually.....true?

Any advice (in addition to what I am doing) to possibly get him to think his kennel is safe would be awesome!

Thanks so much!
Michelle :)

Have you tried feeding him in his kennel or giving him treats in his kennel?

Well, I tried feeding Ceebers in his kennel last night..it totally worked! He slept and played in there most of the evening and throughout the night without one peep! :)

Thanks for the tip!

Michelle

Yea! Good Boy, Ceebers! That is so great that he is starting to like his crate. I know for us the crate is an absolute life saver sometimes--like when I am trying (key word there) to empty the trash, and a little brown nose peristently pokes over the top of the trash can and chomp on anything that smells remotely "good".

Do you have any pictures of him?? He sounds so cute. And by the way, Welcome to Pettalk!!

his website (which is still under construction!) is:

www.ceebers.com

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...4/fd2df17e.gif
He is certainly a cutie pie! Can't wait to hear & see more of him!

Welcome Michelle,

I never fully crate trained my dogs, but
I truely believe if used properly crates
are wonderful. Both my large dogs love to sleep
in their crates, but Sheba has arthritis and can
no longer use hers.
She even went through with-drawls, until I finally
took her crate out of our bedroom and donated
to a rescue.

Ceebers, is so precious.
I won't tell you how long it took me to potty
train my Rocky. lol :rolleyes:

How about training the cats?

Show them places that they can get out of the pups way, put comfy pillows for them to sleep on there and feed them there - as soon as pup gets too much they will remove themselves from the situation to the places you have showed them.

Feed them on the shelf/window sill/bookcase for a couple of days then shut all exits and let them mix together........the pup will learn how far it can go before getting a smack from a cat or worse, getting ignored by a cat! The cats will learn that they need not run and that they are able to control the situation. Everyone will learn how effective ignoring the pup can be. Your cats will act several times more important than they used to and the pup will be in awe and worship them..........most of the time......

This has always worked for me, you may need to put a shelf or two up but it is well worth it for a happy house.

Cats are allowed on furniture - dogs are not - is another life saver.

Keep cats to a feeding time as well as dogs.......feed cats before dogs.......This means you only feed tiny portions to a cat that lives with a pup as the pup will be fed two or three times at least.

I am not a cat owner, but what Carrie,
suggested sounds like a wonderful idea.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to give me such great advice!!!

I'd love to show a new picture of Ceebers, can anyone tell me how to put a picture in a message like this one?

Thanks!
Michelle