[yorkietalkjilly]

Here are some ideas I've used at various times to help some anxious puppies or dogs. I've used them just as described or tweaked them to fit the personality of the particular dog I was working with at the time so you can do the same if you'd like:

I'd feed him every meal in there and sometimes, put him in it and toss in his very special treats - the very special ones such as liver treats, broiled chicken breast or a treat-filled kong toy and then let him out immediately when he's done eating or enjoying his treats. Repeat putting him in there for 20 - 60 seconds several times a day and longer on subsequent days his meal or his very favorite treats or toys. Wait until he's quiet from whining for a few seconds before you take him out so that he doesn't associate his whining with getting taken out.

Eventually, as he begins to associate his time in the crate with meals and his favorite treats and kong-time, he'll come to accept that he has to be in there when you can't watch him or he needs to be safely confined but he shouldn't have to live in there when you're home - he'll come to hate it. But by gradually desensitizing him to being in the crate, making a game of his going in there, reacting positively and negative to the way he behaves in the crate, he'll gradually accept being in there.

Everytime you put him in the playpen, smile really big, talk very happy, upbeat and tell him "Snoopy(or whatever his name it) is the WINNER!" "You WIN, big boy!" "Yes, yes, yes - you get to pen-up now - YEA! Yesssss - yesssss - yessss!!!" "It's WIN time for the Snoopy!" and every time you walk by the pen, pat it and say how gooooood it is - really make over it!

Other times, toss in the very special treats first and let him watch you doing it, then get him and tell him what a winner he is and put him briefly in the pen, talking all happy and winner-talk, let him eat his very special treat and then take him right back out again, praising him for his big "win".

Play a game where you get a big piece of warm, fresh-boiled chicken breast, secure it in your fist and stick it in front of Snoopy's nose, saying something like "Don't you want the treat - huh - well get it!". Get him to follow you around the room trying to get it out of your hand as you verbally encourage him to get it and just when he almost does, jerk it away and then bait him with it again, so that he's totally amped for his treat, in on the game, competitive as heck by now! Get him very excited and worked up and then toss the chicken in the playpen, saying "Get your treat, Boy! Go get it in the pen!!!". He'll probably sniff and stand up on the edge of the playpen and that's when you ask him "Want to go get your treat in the pen?" "Want in the pen?" Keep him excited, wanting to go in there and get his special treat and when he's very excited and happy, go into your happy voice saying something like "You've won the prize - Snoopy WINS his treat in the pen!!!" and put him in, let him scarf it down and then swoop him back out the first day right away. Repeat this session two more times right away and 2 or 3 more times that day.

Second day, leave him in there for 30 - 60 seconds and toss in a second bit of chicken, talking about how great the pen is and how he's just won another treat and his pen. Repeat this gradually each day and increase his time in the pen after really baiting him following you around the room with the chicken in your fist, the toss into the pen and then really encouraging him when he wants to go in the pen to get it and is wanting in that pen badly. Once he's pretty desperate, that's when you put him in using your happy words and eventually walk off for about 20 seconds, tossing in more treats if he gets antsy but only if he's quiet at the time - never reward whining or barking with treats or taking him out.

Gradually you should be able to desensitize him to staying put in his pen long enough for him to settle down to playing with the toys you've placed in there and if he whines, tell him "Quiet" and when he keeps on whining/barking, get up and leave the room right then. Return only when he's quiet. He'll soon learn that whining or barking gets him quickly left alone and teach himself to be quiet but for a puppy, this can take up to 2 -3 weeks or more. Eventually, they do accept their pens and confinement as a necessary part of life if you keep rewarding the behavior you want and leaving him if he doesn't go "Quiet" on command. He'll gradually wise up and begin to police his pen behavior to keep you in the room.