The dreaded "crate"

Well, for months now, Prue, my dog, has hated going in her crate. She was in it when she was little, but once she found the big bed, it was all over. I tried to keep her in it a couple of times, only to have her howling at the top of her lungs. Of course, she was training me!

For the past couple of months, Prue has been going to doggie day care one day a week. While the folks have their lunches there at DDC, they put the dogs in their own big, big crate. They leave them there for an hour. I have never heard any complaints from Prue about it.... (laugh here, please).

Well, this past week, Prue has been going in her crate here at the house. Sometimes she wanders in and stays for an hour or so, and other times she goes in and then right out. I think she has conquered her fear of the crate. Wow. And I didn't have to do anything! The real test will be when I close the door and remove myself from the room. A whole different story plays out then.....

I thought for sure I would stick to my guns about the crate training, but the cries in the middle of the night just broke my heart. Beside, she keeps me warm on these cold Vermont winter nights. :love::love::love::love::love: Oh, and I love her so, I hate to hear her upset.

My Layla loves her crate. She'll even go lay in it when I'm home. Jake never goes in his unless I leave the house. They both know the 'signs' that I'm going to leave and go right in them.;)

When Koko was around a year old we had to have both of her knees repaired. This involved 12 continuous weeks in the crate, 6 weeks for each knee. Since that time we haven't once tried to put her in the crate and really there is no need to, since she is very well behaved roaming the house. In the 4 years since her crate time there has never been any accidents or damage to anything. I think if I brought the crate up now she would probably go in without any drama.

I don't crate either of my furkids - never have. When I was still working, they stayed in the kitchen with a gate between it and the dining room while I was at work. Since I no longer work, they have free reign of the house. If I have to go out for any length of time, then they stay in my bedroom with a gate up at the door. I used to still put them in the kitchen, but now that Myndi is getting older, she hates it and will bark the entire time that she's in there while I'm gone, so I have to accommodate my senior pooch. She will actually bark herself hoarse! :eek:

I got her from a co-worker when she was 10 months old, and he used to crate her. He gave me the crate and said she loved it - would go in on her own and spend quiet time in there by herself. She decided she no longer liked it when she moved in here. When I first brought her in the house, I put the crate down and opened the door, to let her come out on her own terms. After about 15 minutes she came out - and never went back in again. I left the door open, thinking she would go in when she wanted to, but no deal - she never wanted to! :p

LOL The first week Luna was here she tried training us when it came to the crate. The first 2-3 days any time she was put in it without Sheena she would cry and cry. We ignored it. Some times it would last for over an hour. Though she never did make herself hoarse. When Sheena was in the crate with her she would be fine. At night they always slept in the crate together. We weaned her off of having Sheena with her in the crate about a week and a half ago. She has not cried at all when being put in the crate and will now go in when she is told to. She also loves to be in there when she wants private time with a bone or toy. At night she sleeps in there with the door closed and also when we are not home. Some dogs love their crates. Some dogs will tolerate a crate. Some dogs down right hate the crate or are scared of it.

I have never used a crate with my dogs.

With bichons, we do say: if you do it once, and they like it, then it is a RULE! So, you let her on the big bed once, she liked it . . . what's your problem, Mum? :D

Some dogs adore their crates, in your case, it's so good that Pru at least has decided it is not evil! :)

When Zoee was a puppy we tried crating her at night. But she wouldn't be still and everytime she moved it woke me up. So we gave up on that. But we kept the crate. Then when we got Taggart we crated him at night (and when we leave the house) from day one. Last summer I began leaving the crate door open because I felt it was too hot in there. This way he could go lay in the hallway on the cool hardwood if he wanted to. Well, we've never closed the door at night since. He goes in there and sleeps all the time for most of the night. In fact, last night I had closed the bedroom door because the TV was too loud and when I got up and opened the bedroom door Taggart was there waiting and he ran in, directly to the crate and curled up to go to sleep.

Now the only time the door is closed is when we leave and the weather outside is too extreme (too hot or too cold or wet). Tagg goes in the crate and Zoee in the bathroom. However, when Zoee was gone we left Taggart out in the house while we left. It worked well. I want to get both of them to be able to stay in the house without being locked up.........eventually. But right now when they see us getting ready to go they either run to the door or go to their "crates".

I'm just thinking...........have we ever seen a picture of Prue? I don't even know what breed she is. :)

Jasper spent time in the 'pound', then he spent 2 months confined inside (when he wasn't outside tearing up my yard and furniture) to a large x-pen. He said, "I am done with all that". Heck, he jumps the fence in the backyard and comes around to the front door! He is all about the bed, the couch, and sees no reason to look back.