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Originally Posted by Tammyh  If you're using it for potty training purposes then she should be in and out of the crate all day long. The following would be the normal scenario for crate training.
In morning (furbaby sleeps in crate at night) let her out to go potty when you first get up, if she goes she gets lots of praise and gets to stay out of the crate and eat/play for a short while (not more then 1/2hr to 45 minutes while she's young and first learning) then back in the crate for about an hour or so then she comes out again to go potty, if she doesn't "go" she has to go right back in the crate again and try again every 15 minutes or so until she goes. Then when she "goes" lots of praise and again gets to stay out to play for 1/2hr to 45 minutes. This process is repeated throughout the whole day. It's very hard I know to keep putting her back in the crate because you want to snuggle and play with her all day but that will defeat the whole concept of crate training. If she whines and fusses while in the crate be sure it's in the same room as you. If she can see you it will be a lot easier on her and she will get used to it. The reason crate training works so well with puppies is the repetition. They pick up very quickly that going potty outside is a really good thing. If you look in the training forum on this site and search for crate training you'll find lots of information. And they really do get used to the crate. We've used this method with all of our dogs and it works so well. Bella was completely potty trained by 5 months (we got her at 3 months) and it would have been sooner except she was doing so well so quickly I let up on her too soon and she regressed and then I had to step it up again. I hope this helps  |
I have a terrible time trying to get Lily to stay in her crate?? She screams constantly in it still?? I have let her sleep with me because she will sleep all night like that and hold it until morning and go out and potty and is real good but I am afraid she will jump out of bed sometime and I might not hear her?? I wish she would "like her crate" I have tried everything and she HATES any type of confinement!! She is 13 weeks old and she is doing alot better going to the door to go outside and potty and I am very happy with her that way finally.....should I keep trying to crate or just accept that she will never be in it?? Is there anyone that doesn't keep their dog in a crate?? If I make her stay in it she will cry and poop and pee and just carry on terrible .... it is like she is scared of it or something?? She will lay in her plastic one in the daytime but if I close the door on it she won't stay in it either!! She cries for hours if I leave her there because I have tried it all night etc. and she doesn't stop!! I don't really care if she sleeps with me as long as she doesn't try to jump out of bed and she will lay down and sleep!! I do need to get her to go in her plastic carrier so I can take her in the car and take her on airplane in September!!! She doesn't get her last shots for 2 more weeks so I haven't taken her anywhere much at all. What do ya all put in the "spray bottle" that you use when they play bite?? THANKS!!