Question about Crate Training

[ellykay72]

I am probably doing this all wrong, so I need some advice.

Pottying is going great. After meals and after naps, I take her outside. She goes immediately almost every time.

The problem I am having is when to crate. I know that most people crate at night. But, I work part-time, just a few hours a few days per week. And, I really want to crate her during those hours, so I feel like crating her at night and the few hours during the day is too much.

She has been sleeping in her bed we bought her in a box right by the bed. It went great the first few nights. I only had to get up once each night to take her potty. Last night, on the other hand, she wimpered at 12:30, 4:00 and then 6:30. She did not go potty the 6:30 time, but she did the others.

She doesn't seem to have her days/nights mixed up and seems tired around 10:00 or 10:30. And, she has taken a few naps during the day, but not for hours and hours.

I want to set some sort of routine. I am not rigid at all but do want to have a general guideline. And, also regarding feedings, what are the good times to feed her? At 4:00 this morning, she seemed hungry and was trying to jump out of my arms when she saw her dog bowls. But, I don't want her to think she can have a meal every night at 4:00. But, maybe I fed her dinner too early?

Thanks!

[AvyQuinn]

How old is your baby?




I formulated this schedule based on a few different books I was reading...

Originally Posted by AvyQuinn

So I'm crate training Hiro now. I have been doing so for 24 days.
I got a book and did some reading/research.
Hiro is 7 months old. I don't work and am at home with him all day.

The crate is just big enough for him to turn in and lay down. I have a fleece blanket, a couple safe toys and something to chew on in there. I clean it out regularly with pet deodorant spray, etc. He loves his crate and goes in willingly. Sometimes he doesn't even want to come out. lol

I have us on a strict schedule.

Noon -- Get up, take Hiro out - he'll pee and maybe poo.
12:15 -- Feed him outside his crate. I am in the kitchen the whole time.
12:30 -- Out again - he will poo and pee.
12:30 to 1:30 -- He gets to run around free in the kitchen.
1:30 -- Walk after hubby leaves for work.
2:00 to 5:30 -- Into the crate for the afternoon.
5:30 -- Out for a pee.
5:30 to 8:30 -- Into the crate.
8:30 -- Out for a pee then Hiro gets supper.
9:00 -- Outside again for a pee and a poo.
9:00 to 10:00 -- Playtime in the kitchen until the hubby gets home from work.
10:00 to 1:00am -- Into the crate.
1:00 am -- Out for a pee.
1:00am to 4:00am -- Into the crate.
4:00 am -- Out for the last pee and poo of the night.

While in the carrier Hiro doesn't typically fuss and sleeps soundly all night in it.

I had posted this (and a bit more) to get some feedback from the other YTers here.

Now Hiro is doing a lot better and I attribute it all to my strict schedule. I think a clear cut definite schedule is THE best thing you can do for a dog who is in house training. You'll get a feel for his bodily functions and internal clock. That way YOU know when he has to go and can take him out (and not risk accidents). It's also important to watch the signs he's giving you that he has to eliminate. This will ensure you have an inkling that something is afoot and can take him out. Apparently some dogs don't give any signs, but most do - some are just harder to recognize than others.

He no longer uses the crate for training. He DOES go in it to feel safe and comfy, so I leave it in the room where he and I hang out during the day. I've moved his dinner time now to 10 hours in between feedings since Hiro didn't seem awfully interested in his dinners at 8 hours intervals. He eats better since he seems hungrier since I've upped the time, and I leave him a snack out overnight.

I hope this helps a little. ^^

[ellykay72]

Oh, wow. So, that's a lot of time in the crate. Thanks for the information.

She is only 8 weeks.

[AvyQuinn]

Yeah! It IS a lot of time in there. I chose to go the route that shows him where he may potty and where he may not. If he's in his carrier he's not going to soil it. When he's outside and goes potty, it's a PARTY! (Treats and all) Back in his crate where he will hold it until he's outside again (where's it's appropriate for him to potty). Inside potty = bad. Outside potty = good. =D He seemed to pick it up quickly and only had one accident in his crate ever, and that was at the very beginning.

I was fortunate though, cause he LOVED his crate. From the day we brought him home and I was cleaning it out I couldn't even keep him out of it. To make a sweet deal sweeter, I'd give him tasty things to go in on his own. He got so used to the schedule that all I had to do was point or tap on the carrier, in he'd go, treat and close door. I always had him with us when he was in the crate. If we were watching TV in the living room, he was there, if I was showering he was in the bathroom, if I was cleaning, I took him (in the crate) where ever I went so he could at least see me.

I never used the crate as a punishment (although it would probably have been like Br'er Rabbit's briar patch lol)

[ellykay72]

During those 3 hour spans during the day, do you talk to him? Or, does he sleep most of that time? She is in her crate right now, awake and mildly wimpering at times. I'm afraid if she sleeps all day, she won't sleep at night.

[AvyQuinn]

Hiro was 13 weeks when we got him and was 5 pounds, and I don't know much about so tiny a baby as yours. I would almost say (to keep hypoglycemia away) to feed her 3 times a day until she's older and puts on some weight. But keep it on a schedule!

[AvyQuinn]

Originally Posted by ellykay72

During those 3 hour spans during the day, do you talk to him? Or, does he sleep most of that time? She is in her crate right now, awake and mildly wimpering at times. I'm afraid if she sleeps all day, she won't sleep at night.

Hiro was a sleeper when he was little. He slept like all the time. He slept so much that I was worried about him, but he's just a sleepy boy. He was on the coffee table facing me during the long stretches, and when he was awake I talked (at) him lol and he always had a safe toy (chewie or rope bone) in case he got bored. Later on he showed me he liked carrots, so I'd give him something like that. He slept all day, then he slept all night lol In the crate sometimes he got bored I think so he would whine a few hours earlier than I would have liked him to. I took him out (for a pee) and then put him back in and went back to bed. I indulged him until I KNEW he could hold it that long in the crate then started to ignore him until *I* was ready to get up.