New dog, won't stop barking...help!

[GraceByDesign]

The good news is that she is quiet now for the night. The bad news is that she wet in her crate.

I know she is used to going in her cage at the spca, so I am wondering about how effective crate training will even be with her... Hadn't thought about that before... my bad.

I will give her some time to adjust, and me, since we have been dogless for 1.5 years, and the last dog was a 7# yorkie... quite a different experience!

[catnapper]

I almost said something about the crate last night. You mentioned it was roomy.... just how large is it? A properly sized crate should be no larger than she needs to stand up, turn around, and lay down. Anything more and she'll pee in one corner and sleep in another.

Congrats on signing up for the doggy class. Where do you live, I could very well be teaching you

[Freedom]

Dogs are social animals. They live in packs in the wild. Being isolated in teh basement doesn't feel good to her, and never will.

Can you move the crate upstairs, to an area where she can see people when she is in her crate? That would be a huge first step in helping her adjust.

Here is a link which you may find helpful:
http://www.bichonfriseusa.com/index....ational%20mark

Please don't be put off by the fact that this is a bichon website. Most of the articles apply to ALL dogs, all sizes. Scroll down, watching the middle column, until you get to Puppy Info. In this section, you will see several articles specific to your question. Housetraining 101 has a section on crate training your dog. Again this applies for ANY dog, and should provide you with some ideas and suggestions.

Nurturing Basics also talks about the use of the crate, so check that one out as well.

I hope these articles give you some things to think about. Best wishes with your new dog!
Sandra

[borzoimom]

She needs to be around " her people" to help her adjust to things. As far as wetting in her crate- she probably just held it too long.
Remember- its not easy to adopt to a dog - especially with one you have no history on at all. She needs love, time and patience.

[lizbud]

Please don't take my question as a put down, but can you say why you
adopted the dog ? What were your hopes & expectations for this dog? Thanks.

[GraceByDesign]

Thanks to all for your advice and replies. We are in Northern Kentucky, so I doubt you will be our trainer, catnapper!

Lizbud, no offence taken. We have had dogs off and on for years. We have been dogless for about a year and a half, are settled into our new home, and wanted a family pet. We were looking at a different dog last weekend that had been fostered for a couple of years, and was housebroken and crate trained already. (We were rejected by the agency, as we don't have a fenced yard.) The new dog knows nothing. I also did not realize she would have such an aversion to the crate. Must be some history there.

As to the size, the wire cage is a bit too large for her. However, we do have an airline crate that is abaout half a size too small (she can turn around and lay down, but has to duck to stand up) which we put in the kitchen, and she is doing very well in it, except she refuses to go in by herself.

She pottied in the basement, but that was our fault. We had just taken her out, and then bathed her (she stank... the spca is a pretty gross place) and took her back downstairs to dry a bit, and oops! should have taken her out again after the bath. She has wet nicely outside twice, and received praise, not too lavish... few pats and ear rubs and "go potty, good girl" s. She is so starved for attention that just looking at her seems to make her happy!

We just went on a nice walk around the block, and she is playing in the basement with my 10 year old daughter. She loves "bo-bo" (loofah dog from petsmart) and will play fetch, even brings is back and lets go!

You forget a lot of things in not having a dog for a while, and we have no experience with adopting a non-puppy stray!

Oh, and she will not always be in the basement. It is just unfinished, fairly empty, and a great place to run and play, and no carpeting to soil. (there is a large rug) We want a companion, but need to get her to learn some manners and housetraining before she can be loose in the house. Just like with training a puppy. She does seem to be smart, though she will not "work for cookies"...

thanks again!

[agilityk9trainer]

You are doing a few things wrong.

First, crate training is to be done slowly. Putting the dog in the crate, closing the door and leaving her alone for any stretch of time isn't the way to properly crate train. This will only cause her stress and more issues - including crate issues. Crate train slowly.

Bring the crate upstairs. Remember, the idea of crate training is that she won't pee in the crate - not that she's isolated from the family. When I potty train using the crate, I cart my crate around to where ever I'm going to be spending most of my time. So, in the mornings, the crate gets hauled out to the den, where my dogs can see me in the kitchen as well as the den. At night, the crates are hauled back to the bedroom where my dogs can sleep with me present. When they are potty trained, obviously, the crates go into the dog's room.

As you get an adult dog used to the crate, you must work in small increments of time and build on them. So say put your dog in the crate with a Kong with some peanut butter inside. Leave the dog there for a few minutes with you in the same room. Let the dog out. Later, repeat with maybe his breakfast. Five minutes later, let the dog out. Later, repeat, only increase the time to say, 10 minutes. Let the dog out. You slowly increase your dog's time in the crate until they are comfortable going in their crates. You never let the dog out when the dog is barking. Ever. If you do, you're rewarding the barking, and it will get worse.

Your dog's crate is it's bedroom. You never punish a dog by putting it in the crate. Then the crate becomes something to dislike. You want your dog to view the crate as "it's spot." It's the safe haven. The den of peace. If your dog goes in it's crate to escape kids, then kids need to know they cannot go get the dog out of the crate. Don't force your dog into the crate. I throw in a few kibbles to get my dogs in their crates. Then it's their idea to go in...not mine.

Go to Petsmart and ask the trainer there for a brocnure on crate training. It should be free and will give you some good tips on how to crate train properly. Also, they hava a book, "Potty Training Is Possible" that will tell you how to use the crate to properly potty train.

I'd also recommend you sign up for some obedience classes. Even if you've had dogs before, an obedience class will help you and the dog develop a tighter bond. They are always useful, even if you know how to train.

[borzoimom]

One more point- I start crate training alias " the dinner box". First I put dinner in front of the crate door ( with the door unable to close quickly etc- usually I tie the door open .) Then- we have dinners ( that means breakfast or dinner btw) in the box- door open. I do this for like 2 days. Then I close the door behind then gently as they eat. Increasing when I let them out from 2-5 minutes. Then let out casual- do something else to change the subject- then we go out. ( usually I wash bowls). Then this way the dog doesn't associate getting out as any big event..When the dog flies into the crate for dinner, and doesn't even flinch when I shut the door, and waits quietly for me to come back. Then I start with longer times- . I put a cookie in at night, and the the dogs spends the night in there. ( in our room of course). No activity in the house, and no reason to get up obviously. )
Until the dog understands the crate is safe, except for the ride home in the car, I do not use the crate for any long term. Adults- or pups.. Its easier to take it slow and end up with a dog that will easily crate with no anxiety, then to rush it and end up having to fix problems.
I was told femka was crate trained by the way. Well I watched her in a crate- and she was anxious. I went back like I would a "untrained dog", and soon she will curl up in a crate right away and go to sleep. With the shepherds, I had a few I bought as adults, that were crate " possesive". I solved it the same way..