Crate Training

[cheeselover8481]

When I go to work, I leave my dog in the bathroom with plenty of toys and room. She is in there from about 7:30 a.m-6 p.m. I heard to try to put the dog in her crate for about 45 minutes, then bring her out to play, then put her in again, etc to crate train her. Should I do this even though I'm gone for such a long time? Will she not feel abandoned? I'm only up until about 10-11p.m so that will only get about 2 hours of play time with me on the weekdays. Is that enough time? I would play with her all the time if I could, but we all have to work. Btw, the weekends are completely different. I get to play with her all the time

[livingdustmops]

There is no reason to crate train her with you gone the hours you are. You cannot expect a little one to hold it for 11 hours so the best you can hope for is the puppy pads on the floor. Sorry but I don't see how you will potty train her in the long run. These little ones need more attention then just on the weekends if you are going to teach social skills.

[FirstYorkie]

The schedule you describe is to combine crate training and pottytraining. I see no reason for you to put your pup in a crate. I wouldn't want to put a dog in a crate for the length of time that you are gone. It's just too long.

You ask if 2 hours of playtime is enough on weekdays... It's not ideal, but if you work that long, there's not alot you can do about it. If you could have someone come in during the day to let her out and to play with her, it would be a good idea!

[FirstYorkie]

I was trying hard to be tactful, but I have to say that Cindy is right. I can't imagine that you'll be able to pottytrain your dog with the hours that you work. It will also be VERY difficult to socialize your dog properly. You are going to have to make a concerted effort on the weekends to expose her to as many other people and other dogs as you possibly can. Even then, it's going to be difficult.

This will all sound blunt to the point of rudeness. You need to understand that Cindy does rescue - she has a number of Yorkies who are not adoptable because they bite. The reason they bite? Because they haven't been socialized properly. The experts tell us that there is a critical window (up to 4 months of age, some tell us. Others extend it to 6 months) when puppies MUST be socialized to a wide range of people and dogs or they are likely to be aggressive when they get older. They need to continue to be socialized beyond this point, of course, but the early months are critical. I have adopted a couple of older dogs who have had aggression issues for the very reason that they weren't socialized as puppies.

That's why Cindy and I are being so blunt with you...

[cheeselover8481]

I don't keep her in her crate while I'm gone. I would never expect her to hold her pee while I'm gone. Plus she needs room to run around. For now she has the whole bathroom and once she's 100% potty trained she will have the whole living room. She has been using the pads on her own about 90% of the time. I just want her to be crate trained so she would be used to it for car rides or in case she has to be in her crate (ex. vets office). So far, I have let her sleep with me because I don't have the heart to hear her cry.

I try my best to go home during lunch, but it may not always work. I am getting an apartment closer to work so I can leave later, get home earlier, and go home during lunch. I thought about getting someone to take her out and play with her. I have also thought about doggy day care. From the day I have gotten her until yesterday she has had people around and my sister's dog was with her. I am joining Yorkie groups so she will see other dogs. I can't do this until she has had all of her shots. Also, my friends dogs and her will play. Again, I'm waiting for her to get all of her shots to do this. I have thought about her socialization skills and that is one of the reasons I asked this question. Thanks for you replies. I might just try crate training her on the weekend while I'm home. On the weekdays I will just let her play around.

[Saragp]

I totally understand. Before I got lucky and started to work from home, I too was gone for about 10-12 hours a day. It's what you have to do. I left my little one in an X-pen during the day and played with them at night. I only crated during the night. You are doing everything right, and the fact that you are researching and learning means you care. All mine are potty trained now, but I do leave the back door cracked for them during the day, so they can come & go. But when I was in an apartment, puppy pads were my life. She had pads during the day and slept in her crate at night. It does help!

Good luck.

[FirstYorkie]

Originally Posted by cheeselover8481

I just want her to be crate trained so she would be used to it for car rides or in case she has to be in her crate (ex. vets office).

Oh, got it! I didn't understand that from your first post...

Here is a good article on crate training:
http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/crate.htm
What you want to do is make the crate as pleasant as an experience as possible for your pup.

Good luck!

[Tristina]

I just got my little yorkie for Christmas. She is the BEST present EVER! I'm trying to crate train her at night. Eventually, I really don't mind her sleeping in bed with me, but right now she isn't completely potty-trained and I'm a little afraid of smushing her (she's only 1lb, 4oz). It's only been 5 nights, but she still cries an awful lot.
Here's what I've done:
Put the crate in the dining room, covered in a soft mat with a towel and one of my shirts inside.
Someone told me that when they cry it's because they need to potty and don't want to do it in their crate. Well, by the time she cries (or rather, I hear her cry) and I go get her, she's already pottied in the crate.
Is it wrong to put the crate in my bedroom? I thought you were supposed to keep the dog removed from you, but I'm thinking this would help me hear her faster and might help keep her from pottying in her crate.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

[cheeselover8481]

Thank you so much for the site!!! I will do this.

Oh my gosh I hope you guys don't think I would ever do that to my little one. I hate being away from her. I sometimes want to cry because I feel like I have abandoned her for going to work. The sad thing is that yesterday was the first day I left her all day. I hope I get used to this. I just don't know how long is too long to leave her.

Like Saragp said, we have no choice but to go to work and leave them. I would like to get a dog sitter, but they are too expensive. I would get another dog, but I need to first see how my first dog turns out. Plus if I have two then it would be hard to go places, like shopping, with two. Right now I take her grocery shopping and she has been to the mall. She loves to shop! Hopefully I can think of something to keep her from getting lonely.

[Saragp]

Originally Posted by Tristina

Is it wrong to put the crate in my bedroom? I thought you were supposed to keep the dog removed from you, but I'm thinking this would help me hear her faster and might help keep her from pottying in her crate.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

If it's wrong, then I am in BIG trouble. I have all 6 dogs in my room in crates! I totally agree with you. You can hear them if there is a problem. With the holidays happening, my dogs have found a few too many table scraps and have had some bad stomach aches the past couple of nights. If I hadn't heard them cry, they would have had severe accidents in their crates. Your pup will get used to going to bed everynight in her crate in time. Make sure you give the action a command. Mine is 'Go night-night' and they all scramble into their designated crates, like balls into the pockets of a pool table.

You're doing everything right per my opinion. It's what I did for each dog and they all turned out wonderful. Dogs are like kids, they need a routine. She'll get it in time.

On a side note, my dogs didn't really start sleeping in their crate with the door closed until they were about 4-5 months. Up until then, they slept in an x-pen with their crate in the pen w/o the door and tons of puppy pads. If memory serves a dog can hold it for one hour longer than their age. IE, 3 mo. old can hold it for 4 hours. This holds true until about 5-6 months. So the xpen allowed them to be contained but still get up to potty when need be; while I was able to sleep through the night!
I too let my little one sleep with me a few times cuz he was so cute. Then I woke up to the poop in the sheets on the other side of the bed. He wasn't so cute after that. He was much cuter in the morning in his xpen!

Hope my experience tips help!

[SnowWa]

I don't like crate training. I have never liked my dogs being kept in a crate.

My dog is enclosed in the kitchen with everything he needs while I work - four 6-hour days.

When I have home, he is with me most of the time and is free to roam around the house and play with my other dog. I put a belly band on him when he is running loose. I remove it and take him to his puppy pad often, and I take him outside often.

I love having my pup running around, exploring, and following me all over the house. And, I love watching him and my other dog play. I also love the little naps that he takes in my lap or beside me on the couch. He also has a large puppy bed that he loves to sleep in a lot, and he sleeps with me at night.

My pup loves everyone and is totally excited when anyone comes over to visit. He loves my Bichon and loves to play with other dogs as well. He is 4 months old now - I live alone and it is fairly quiet here most of the time. He sleeps a lot - but plays his heart out when he's awake.

I have a friend who argues with me and says she only puts her dog in a crate when he sleeps. My response is - if he's asleep, why does he have to be in a crate?

Crate training is very popular and some people swear by it ---and it works wonderfully for some people. I just can't do it. I feel that my dog is much friendlier, outgoing, and better adjusted than he would be if he were kept in a crate a lot of the time. And, I feel his playing and sleeping activities are much more spontaneous and natural then they would be if they were dictated by my putting him in and taking him out of a crate all the time.

He is in my office sleeping at my feet right now - if I get up and go to another room - he'll be right behind me. And, if I sit on the sofa and watch TV, he'll jump up on my lap and finish his nap. But, before I sit on the sofa, it would be a good time to take him to his pee pad or outside for a short walk.

Everyone's home provides an entirely different environment for a little puppy. I think you need to decide what will work best for you and your pup. There certainly are many different ways you can successfully raise and train these little guys.

My pup just got up and wanted on my lap where he gave me licks and kisses and fell back to sleep. We couldn't enjoy these moments if I were crate training.

Good luck!

Carol Jean

[Saragp]

Originally Posted by SnowWa

I have a friend who argues with me and says she only puts her dog in a crate when he sleeps. My response is - if he's asleep, why does he have to be in a crate?

My answer to you is:
If he is sleeping and I am sleeping, who is to say that I will hear him/her get up and do their business. I don't use puppy pads. They have to go outside. And if I am not awake to let them out, they will do what the need to do in my room. Crate training assists the dogs with learning to 'hold it' or expressing that they need to go out. It helps them to identify the feeling of needing to go. Just this morning my pom woke me at 4 to let me know she had to go. Dogs don't want to go in their crates.

And it has been shown that dogs are 'DEN' animals. Just like their Wolf & Fox cousins. They like to go in and have a place of their own.

All 6 of my dogs sleep in their crates at night and they love it. It's their own space in the world. I don't have crates out during the day, but tons of dog beds and they used those.

I too was against crate training but once I did it, it made such a difference. I HIGHLY recommend it to others, especially when potty training young pups. It really does make a difference.

And when I travel, and we are in an unfamiliar place, I bring their crate and it calms them. It's something familiar for them.

I'm not trying to cause an arguement, just showing the other side of crate training.

[cchu]

Wait....I play with my dog as often as possible. Since I am at work most of the day, my bf is home playing with him (he will not start his job until Fed-March which is lucky for me to have a pup). we play with him all the time but he is very agressive. Bites all the time and barks. I do not have other dogs for him to socailize with. Will this be a problem?

[FirstYorkie]

Originally Posted by cchu

Wait....I play with my dog as often as possible. Since I am at work most of the day, my bf is home playing with him (he will not start his job until Fed-March which is lucky for me to have a pup). we play with him all the time but he is very agressive. Bites all the time and barks. I do not have other dogs for him to socailize with. Will this be a problem?

How old is he?

[cchu]

Originally Posted by FirstYorkie

How old is he?

He's 2 1/2 months old