We Finally Got It

[shihtzulover850]

We are working with our 7 month puppy on crating as well. Something that works extremely well for us is peanut butter in his kong. He only gets this when he goes into the crate for our away time, so when he sees it come out of the cupboard, he gets really excited. By the time he's got the toy licked clean, we've been gone for a while. Hope this helps!

Oh like buttering a cats paws. Welcome to PT!

[labmomma]

A lot of people think crating is cruel but they don't understand the principal behind it. My two Labs adore their crates and will sometimes go in them during the day for a snooze. At night when they come in after their last play/pee pee break they automatically go into their crates for the night. They have never had an accident in their crated except for two slight throwing up sessions. I crate them around 10 and am up by 5:30 or so.
I always try to remember to take their collars off during crating time due to possible strangulation
Labmomma

[labmomma]

Sounds like you're nailing the crate situation. It has to be something they enjoy and look forward to. When mine come in for the night they sit and wait for their treat, they lay down and I don't hear a peep out of them until I let them out in the morning. The morning greeting is exciting and they roll on the floor for belly rubs, and then go out for the run and play time.
Just keep working at it and making the crate a place to enjoy and not dread. Having it out where activity occurs is also good. They can go in their crates on their own and not feel isolated. Mine do this several times a day.
The two crates are in the adjacent sun room and they can see us if we are in there watching TV,etc. I gave away a daybed to make room for the two crates that take up an entire corner but it was worth it.

Good luck and keep on working on it. It'll all turn out great. Just wait and see
Labmomma

[Jessika]

Just an update!!

Firstly, DoubleOh seems to like it much better than Jaimers does... lol he regularly goes in it for a snooze and tries going inside every time we put Jaimers in it LOL

She will now go in it on command, "in" and if we point to it. She no longer barks, she will OCCASIONALLY whine, but not for long. If she is in the crate and hears the front door open and close (whether we're still home or not) she will freak and bark, thinking we left her, but she usually stops.

I'm soooo glad she is being good about this and catching on RATHER quickly! We had her in it overnight one night, just to see how she would do, and she whined a little bit... but did NOT bark AT ALL... and slept all night with no problems and without waking us up!

[Karen]

Oh, Jessica, that's great! I am glad she's "getting it" so quickly, and allowing her humans some sanity-saving sleep!

[ashleycat]

great thread! I guess I should take the blanket off of it now huh! lol

placement?? I should have 2 crates lol. one in living room and one in bedroom.

Right now it's in LR. And he sleeps on makeshift doggie bed in our room gated up.