Ideas for using a giant crate for 3 yorkies.

[yesenia83]

Here are my plans and any ideas and suggestion are greatly appreciated. My guys have poor potty habits and its due to me getting sick and being unable to properly train them. Well, they where trained and because I wasn't able to keep on top of it, they became carefree puppies in this department again. We were doing pee pad training for the most part but one of my boys loves to shake things up and the pee pad apparently had it coming every time. And going outside was difficult for me. My husband became feed up with shredded pee pads and pee that he decided to take away the pee pad and let them go on the kitchen floor where the pee pad was. Now they not only pee there but where every their hearts desire. I know it was a bad move from our part but we were working with what we had. We are now considering doing the crate training again but find that we come to a problem with the 3 of the them. The boys are always 2gether and Snuggles could care less. We were thinking of either one of these options.

1. By a giant breed crate for the 3 on them and put in this pet bed that is on a metal frame 12" of the ground so they can lay in and keep a pee pad on the floor part in case of an accident ; or

2. Buy 3 individual crate and basically do the same thing with the pee pad and bed.

Their current situation is run of the kitchen and living room, The are gated off from the other areas because the boys pee on everything. They sleep on the futon we have and basically the boys have made the legs and table ends their post. Snuggles is actually good at potty training because she likes to jump into the tub to do her business. but because of the boys she ends up gated off as well. I've done the keeping them in the kitchen and my kitchen is a good size for it being in an apartment and Snitch started chewing my walls and spyro on the cabinets. So to avoid problems we opened up the living room as well to them . and it solved the chewing problem.

I'm sorry for the long story , but I hope its helps you see where I'm currently at as far as training. I know where back to square one..its how best to make the next steps.

Thanks in advance.

[MIZBROWN]

Dunno... sorry, but Im useless on this one... seems as though you have your hands full though How old are your furbabies?

[oopsmyhalofello]

I think an ex-pen would work for a "crate" for the three of them. You are going to have to go back to basics for sure with your littles ones. I would set them all up together so they can re learn together. Do give them a little bit of room to move around in the pen or whatever you set up so they can play a bit too You might want to get a tray for the pee pads so that they aren't as apealing to rip up and throw all over the place too. I would also think you may want to invest in some belly bands and when they are not in their special area make sure they are wearing them so they aren't marking your table legs more. Are they all neutered?

[yesenia83]

Originally Posted by MIZBROWN

Dunno... sorry, but Im useless on this one... seems as though you have your hands full though How old are your furbabies?

Snuggles is almost 5 , Snitch and Spyro are both 2.

Originally Posted by oopsmyhalofello

I think an ex-pen would work for a "crate" for the three of them. You are going to have to go back to basics for sure with your littles ones. I would set them all up together so they can re learn together. Do give them a little bit of room to move around in the pen or whatever you set up so they can play a bit too You might want to get a tray for the pee pads so that they aren't as appealing to rip up and throw all over the place too. I would also think you may want to invest in some belly bands and when they are not in their special area make sure they are wearing them so they aren't marking your table legs more. Are they all neutered?

Everyone is spayed and neutered.

Snuggles got spayed when she was 2 ( I took long with her because I was scared of her going under, but knew I had to do it.) and the boys were both neutered at 5 months old.

[janc]

You need 3 individual small crates and they should be crated unless you are supervising them. They think they're the bosses! They should only have enough room to turn around. When they are trained,, then you can put them all in a big pen. My 2 share but they are trained. Good luck. You can do this!

[tammy8833]

i have my three all in the same crate..its a large crate tucked in the corner they sleep there and if i leave the house they are put in there and if i cant keep an eye on them or they are getting under foot they go in the crate.

didnt used to be that way

little girl who is 5 was never been the best at being potty trained she'd go out and potty and she's potty in the house and if she was made at me she's pee on my side of the bed. gidget and scrappy who are a year old have always been crate trained and i dont remeber having a problem with potty training them at all.

i felt like i couldnt trust them to be out at night or unsupervised so i decided they all needed to be crate trained..little girl was thrown in to the mix and she of course barked (shes complusive barker) and whinned. so i just got up and left the house for a few hours to get her used to it..they never have accidents in there unless they get sick like direahea. they sleep during the night in there, if they cant be watched are under foot they go in the crate and they are content in there. surprisingly it didnt take little girl long to get used to being in the crate, i remember with in like a week or two i could just say "crate" and they all go running to it. Little girl is usually the first one it it.

all that i have in the crate is bedding..i usually bleach down the bottom every week to keep the "dog" smell gone

When i let them out they always run to the back door to go potty..even little girl..but if she gets mad me she will still pee on my new rug..the brat!..lol

i havent had accidents in the house since i started doing that 8 months ago..they dont get free rein of the house, they arent allowed upstairs because carpet seems to attract them to pee, they are only allowed in the living room, the room with the crate and the office to eat and the kitchen to go outside..

it feels good putting your foot down ..lol but it feels even better not seeing/cleaning/smelling pee pee

good luck

[Itspuppyluv]

Originally Posted by janc

You need 3 individual small crates and they should be crated unless you are supervising them. They think they're the bosses! They should only have enough room to turn around. When they are trained,, then you can put them all in a big pen. My 2 share but they are trained. Good luck. You can do this!

I agree. I think you would do better with 3 crates. If one goes, the others will probably follow. Dogs love to pee where other dogs have already gone.
If they are all in one crate, you won't know who's doing what. You'll have more control with 3 crates.

[Sunnie]

If you are resigned to pee pad training, and you don't want them torn up. you might consider the washable pee pads.I also have found that it is not a good idea to use area rugs if you are pad training. They don't seem to be able to tell the difference between a pad and a rug