Hi everyone,
I'm new to YT - I don't even have my little man yet! We pick Baxter up on January 10 and it's literally all I can think about.
I have a couple of crate training questions because I want to be certain I'm prepared. Currently I have one wire crate with an adjustable wall inside of it. I was planning on putting it in our bedroom at night and then moving it to the main area of our condo during the day. I plan on having him sleep in the crate, but I want to give him a little cave to escape to during waking hours.
Should we consider getting two crates so that he can put himself to bed if we're up late? Otherwise he'll go into the crate in the main room and then we'll have to move him when we hit the hay. Alternatively, my friend has a bed for her Yorkie in the main room, and that's where he hangs out during the day...my only concern is that this might slow the crate training process.
Another question (seriously, people, I'm FULL of questions and I apologize): I looked into getting an xpen for Baxter to sleep in at night, but we just don't have space for that in the bedroom. That's why I've decided to have him sleep in the crate (with a Water Buddy attached so he can get some sips if he needs). However, I've read that you're not supposed to force them to stay in the crate - you have to gradually lengthen the amount of time they're in it, and reward, reward, reward. How does this work with bedtime? I plan on getting up and taking him potty throughout the night, but still...I'm just worried he'll start to hate his crate if he's forced to be in there most of the night before he's used to it. My breeder (Sarah at Yorkies of Walnut Hill
) says he's fine with going in a crate now, but who knows how he'll feel when he's in a strange home without his littermates?
So...sorry for the novel I just wrote. Any advice would be great!