I feel guilty crating my puppy...need suggestions - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Nancy1999 · 01-09-2009, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcook323

I crate Maximus. I do feel guilty and I am at home with him. I'm just doing it until he is pee pad trained, plus I'm working on getting my house puppy proofed. We do let him out when he has our full attenion in the other parts of the house and in our bathroom (it is a huge bathroom) to run around. I'm thinking about getting a pen for him though, so I can set him up in the kitchen (linoleum floors) . Maximus is still in the puppy chewing stage and one Sunday I left him out of his crate when we went to church and he chewed wall paper off my walls.

The paste on some wallpapers is a starch substance, and is very attractive smell to dogs. I used Grannick's Bitter Apple spray on certain things Joey was attracted to, and it stopped the chewing. Some people report great success clear deodorant used for the same purpose.

viviansnickers · 01-12-2009, 09:34 AM

I tried the laundry room for a few days...I have never heard my Snickers be so scared. When we would close the door-he would FREAK OUT!!! So we made some changes-
1. We are having him sleep in his crate again, some whimpering, but eventually he falls asleep. I bought him one of those microwave puppy pals to sleep with so he feels like there is a body with him. Works well!
2. We put him back in his crate during the day now that he has slept in it for 3 days, and we made the crate bigger (to help with my guilt that my baby is locked up) so now he can move around more.
3. He did not soil his crate today

And seems happier...
4. When we eventually try to leave him in the house, we will not start with the laundry room, he hates this room since when we 1st got him, he was in his crate in that room all by himself b/c his mom and dad were silly enough to leave him alone in there instead of putting his crate in our bedroom. Some dogs can be alone...not our Snickers...xoxo

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP...MORE QUESTIONS ON THE WAY

-Viv

Yorkiekids · 01-12-2009, 12:52 PM

I like blocking them off in the kitchen or bathroom with gates, so they have more room to run around.

Moses · 01-12-2009, 01:07 PM

When mine was a tike I crate trained and Pen trained him. It was the only way I could fully potty train him. He loved his crate but he became to use to it. I didn't like this. Once I had him fully potty trained and he didn't chew on anything but his toys I let him have full roam of the house. This will take time. My boy was a little over 2 before I could let him roam free and trust him.
Now he doesn't even use the crate except to sleep in and I stop using the pen when he was about 1. I put the crate in my room at the end of the bed. Its actually a carrier now and he has a door that stays down to give him privacy and to keep it warm in there. He can come and go as he pleases but he really doesn't come out until 7am which is the time I get up. He won't even come out when i go to the bathroom at night. He is such a sweet little boy!

Good Luck.

isailiss · 01-22-2009, 08:25 AM

i use a play yard for my babies , and also a playpen I just dont like crating a puppy . it breaks my heart

shannonroselive · 01-23-2009, 01:52 AM

I started with a crate when we first got Curly Mac but that was very short lived...as in about 3 nights. If there is one thing I've learned in my 40 yrs it's that I don't function well without my sleep. I also learned that new puppies like you to hold them endlessly, including when you should be sleeping! Therefore, it was a terrific move for us, to put Curly Mac in our tiny bathroom, with her bed which she LOVES, her pee pad, her water and food, her toys, and a baby gate. She no longer cries all night, she sleeps well, and every morning when I wake up I find poop and pee ON THE PAD!!! It made us all very happy and well rested!
Oh, and Petco gave me a full refund for my hardly used crate and cushion I bought.

finoni9 · 01-23-2009, 02:50 AM

When I started leaving Rocky in his crate downstairs he hated it, so I tried leaving him in the kitchen, he hated the door shut, so now he has the run of the kitchen/hallway with the livingroom door shut and a baby gate on the stair so he can't get up. He is fine with that. We leave him up to 4 hrs and he never pees or poos in the house........ he has been like this since about 4 months old (he is now almost 7 months old).

He may have hated being locked in the laundry room with the door shut.

By 6 months he should be able to go 3 hrs without going to the toilet, I would not use the puppy pads, it will confuse him.

Hope you fine a solution.

PS If you use a bigger crate and he has rooms to move around and play, then i don't see any problem with it. He seems to be happy as he's not crying or messing!

viviansnickers · 01-23-2009, 05:06 AM

Thanks everyone....

Things change and we figured out that Snick had a UTI and that was why he was peeing and pooping in his crate. Poor guy...took him to the vet and he is all better now and not messing his crate during the day at all. Actually the poor thing had to be in here for a 5 hour span yesterday while we were both late at work and he held it...I love him. We are gonna stick to the crate (made it bigger-more room) until he is fully trained which should be soon, b/c he is back to normal now going to the door to potty and then will gentle ease him into a room with baby gate. My guilt is eased as now he is in his crate diring the day 8:30-11:30, then 12:30-3:30pm (with Daddy giving him a 1 hour break in between at lunch), but he spends 3:30pm onward with us & sleeps with us and he seems happy. I still hate that he's in there 6 hours, but I know it's ofr his own good, safety, house training, and my sanity. We love him so much.

Thanks again--
-Vivian

newproudmom · 01-23-2009, 08:41 PM

currently crate training charlie. It has been 1.5 wks now and still he has not learn. I think it is b/c of me. I need to stick to my schedule for him. It is hard to stick to schedule with so many pple in the house saying. I want to keep him in there until he is potty train..the minute he bark, my mother in law will go take him out. I don't want him outside except to potty but no his dad and my father in law and mother in law takes him out all the time...argh..so frustrating.

Moses · 01-23-2009, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newproudmom

currently crate training charlie. It has been 1.5 wks now and still he has not learn. I think it is b/c of me. I need to stick to my schedule for him. It is hard to stick to schedule with so many pple in the house saying. I want to keep him in there until he is potty train..the minute he bark, my mother in law will go take him out. I don't want him outside except to potty but no his dad and my father in law and mother in law takes him out all the time...argh..so frustrating.

We'll it does take some time to crate train, It takes alot of patience, but the family members do need to let you do the training and everyone needs to be on the same page really. Do you keep him in the crate all the time? Even with crate training you have to take them outside on a regualr schedule and it is also good to take him outside for walks so he can smell the other dogs, this helps with potty training to and can make them learn faster.

newproudmom · 01-23-2009, 08:56 PM

Hi moses! Well, we live out in the country. The only dogs around here are the large dangerous dogs that runs around the neighborhood. They are dangerous and will bite you. My brother in law has been bitten and chase so many times riding his bike to his friend's place like about 1 mile from here. So I am afraid to take him outside a lot. He does get to come out of his crate to play and walk around. I also take him for walks..sometimes we run around so that i get my exercise too. I guess Charlie is having the terrible 2s right now with his biting and overexcited behavior. Right now, he gets too excited when we are outside that he thinks he is there to play or eat around. He has been going around eating things and trying to run away when he puts something in his mouth..however he can't go far b/c of the leash.

Moses · 01-23-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newproudmom

Hi moses! Well, we live out in the country. The only dogs around here are the large dangerous dogs that runs around the neighborhood. They are dangerous and will bite you. My brother in law has been bitten and chase so many times riding his bike to his friend's place like about 1 mile from here. So I am afraid to take him outside a lot. He does get to come out of his crate to play and walk around. I also take him for walks..sometimes we run around so that i get my exercise too. I guess Charlie is having the terrible 2s right now with his biting and overexcited behavior. Right now, he gets too excited when we are outside that he thinks he is there to play or eat around. He has been going around eating things and trying to run away when he puts something in his mouth..however he can't go far b/c of the leash.

Yea, sometimes I get worried about other dogs to, I used to carry pepper spray with me. You might want to get some if you have a problem with other dogs. Do you watch the Dog Whisper? If they are to excited when you take them out take him on a 15 minute walk to calm him. You also want to make sure that they continue to like their crate and if they are in there to much you may get the opposite results. I crate trained and PEN trained my boy. It did take a little over a year and it is a lot of effort.

I am glad to say I am happy that he is now fully trained. I wish you the best of luck and dont' give up.

viviansnickers · 01-23-2009, 09:03 PM

It will take Charlie a long time...took me 4 months..hang in there, but it is quite a ride...of course 100% worth it in the end...

-V

Baby Blessing · 01-23-2009, 09:33 PM

Hi Vivian, we just sent you a pm. Sounds like you are doing everything right for Snickers. By the way that is a really cute name
Want to say welcome to Yorkie Talk and know you are going to love being a member here. Have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs, Patti and Jack and girls.

P.S. I mentioned to Vivian in my pm that we've never let the girls about loose when we aren't home, living in EQ country, three large sliding glass doors. We've had window glass breakage due to EQ in years past. Last year a large bird flew into our sliding glass door and broke one of the panels in the living room slider that is something one would never think to have happen.

Hugs, Patti and Jack

rufus08 · 01-29-2009, 11:38 AM

Just curious...What is an X pen? I use a regular size crate right now, and I have tried a play pen (it can be made into a square or rectangle shape). Both have been an issue for my 11 month old yorkie. At first I tried the crate; but I felt guilty leaving him in such a small space...I then tried the pen. I put his bed, open crate, toys and even tried a pee pad. I would come home and the pee pad would be torn to shreads. I even tried anchoring it down. The pen is big and I figured he would be happy with so much space!!

Basically NOTHING I have tried has worked. He won't go outside consistently (I taught him to ring a bell and he does it sometimes, and then other times he will go right in front of me), won't use a pee pad and eats the pellets in a litter box (even when sprayed with bitter apple spray). He now is back to the regular size crate and he does hold it all day, but will go at night. Also he is up EVERY night. Last night he was up at 2am and then every hour after that. I am at my wits end, and I have not slept for more than 5 hours a night in 7 months since I got him. I have to put his crate closer to my room so the neighboors don't hear him bark; but then I hear him so LOUD. I try to ignore it; but then I can't sleep. I want to give him more freedom with a "play pen"; but I know he will just pee all over it, and like I said, he shreads the pee pad.

I have asked around a lot for advice, and all of it is really good; but it does not work on my dog. The crate is only one problem I'm having...I could go on and on about his behavior (not listening), chewing, etc... Does anyone have any idea what I should do? This is my first dog, and I'm sure a lot of it is my fault; but the advice that I have recieved and tried to use is from previous dog owners. It should be working. I am having people over soon and I'm embarrased of all of the gates I have up in my house because he can't be trusted! I feel like I will have to hold him the entire time because he will be up to no good!!! Help!

01-12-2009, 09:34 AM	#17
viviansnickers Snick&Viv= BFF Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,755	Update I tried the laundry room for a few days...I have never heard my Snickers be so scared. When we would close the door-he would FREAK OUT!!! So we made some changes- 1. We are having him sleep in his crate again, some whimpering, but eventually he falls asleep. I bought him one of those microwave puppy pals to sleep with so he feels like there is a body with him. Works well! 2. We put him back in his crate during the day now that he has slept in it for 3 days, and we made the crate bigger (to help with my guilt that my baby is locked up) so now he can move around more. 3. He did not soil his crate today And seems happier... 4. When we eventually try to leave him in the house, we will not start with the laundry room, he hates this room since when we 1st got him, he was in his crate in that room all by himself b/c his mom and dad were silly enough to leave him alone in there instead of putting his crate in our bedroom. Some dogs can be alone...not our Snickers...xoxo THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP...MORE QUESTIONS ON THE WAY -Viv

01-12-2009, 12:52 PM	#18
Yorkiekids Piper & Sebastian Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: florida Posts: 14,495	I like blocking them off in the kitchen or bathroom with gates, so they have more room to run around. __________________ Susan, Piper ,Harley & Suiki

01-12-2009, 01:07 PM	#19
Moses Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Morrisville, NC Posts: 1,184 Blog Entries: 1	When mine was a tike I crate trained and Pen trained him. It was the only way I could fully potty train him. He loved his crate but he became to use to it. I didn't like this. Once I had him fully potty trained and he didn't chew on anything but his toys I let him have full roam of the house. This will take time. My boy was a little over 2 before I could let him roam free and trust him. Now he doesn't even use the crate except to sleep in and I stop using the pen when he was about 1. I put the crate in my room at the end of the bed. Its actually a carrier now and he has a door that stays down to give him privacy and to keep it warm in there. He can come and go as he pleases but he really doesn't come out until 7am which is the time I get up. He won't even come out when i go to the bathroom at night. He is such a sweet little boy! Good Luck. __________________ Nikki Moses Moses' Page Mommy lubs you very much!!

01-22-2009, 08:25 AM	#20
isailiss No Longer a Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: florida Posts: 48	dont crate use a play yard i use a play yard for my babies , and also a playpen I just dont like crating a puppy . it breaks my heart

01-23-2009, 01:52 AM	#21
shannonroselive Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Where ever the wind blows! Posts: 612	I started with a crate when we first got Curly Mac but that was very short lived...as in about 3 nights. If there is one thing I've learned in my 40 yrs it's that I don't function well without my sleep. I also learned that new puppies like you to hold them endlessly, including when you should be sleeping! Therefore, it was a terrific move for us, to put Curly Mac in our tiny bathroom, with her bed which she LOVES, her pee pad, her water and food, her toys, and a baby gate. She no longer cries all night, she sleeps well, and every morning when I wake up I find poop and pee ON THE PAD!!! It made us all very happy and well rested! Oh, and Petco gave me a full refund for my hardly used crate and cushion I bought.

01-23-2009, 02:50 AM	#22
finoni9 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: UK Posts: 46	When I started leaving Rocky in his crate downstairs he hated it, so I tried leaving him in the kitchen, he hated the door shut, so now he has the run of the kitchen/hallway with the livingroom door shut and a baby gate on the stair so he can't get up. He is fine with that. We leave him up to 4 hrs and he never pees or poos in the house........ he has been like this since about 4 months old (he is now almost 7 months old). He may have hated being locked in the laundry room with the door shut. By 6 months he should be able to go 3 hrs without going to the toilet, I would not use the puppy pads, it will confuse him. Hope you fine a solution. PS If you use a bigger crate and he has rooms to move around and play, then i don't see any problem with it. He seems to be happy as he's not crying or messing!

01-23-2009, 05:06 AM	#23
viviansnickers Snick&Viv= BFF Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,755	Thanks everyone.... Things change and we figured out that Snick had a UTI and that was why he was peeing and pooping in his crate. Poor guy...took him to the vet and he is all better now and not messing his crate during the day at all. Actually the poor thing had to be in here for a 5 hour span yesterday while we were both late at work and he held it...I love him. We are gonna stick to the crate (made it bigger-more room) until he is fully trained which should be soon, b/c he is back to normal now going to the door to potty and then will gentle ease him into a room with baby gate. My guilt is eased as now he is in his crate diring the day 8:30-11:30, then 12:30-3:30pm (with Daddy giving him a 1 hour break in between at lunch), but he spends 3:30pm onward with us & sleeps with us and he seems happy. I still hate that he's in there 6 hours, but I know it's ofr his own good, safety, house training, and my sanity. We love him so much. Thanks again-- -Vivian

01-23-2009, 08:41 PM	#24
newproudmom YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: banning, ca Posts: 435	currently crate training charlie. It has been 1.5 wks now and still he has not learn. I think it is b/c of me. I need to stick to my schedule for him. It is hard to stick to schedule with so many pple in the house saying. I want to keep him in there until he is potty train..the minute he bark, my mother in law will go take him out. I don't want him outside except to potty but no his dad and my father in law and mother in law takes him out all the time...argh..so frustrating.

01-23-2009, 08:56 PM	#26
newproudmom YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: banning, ca Posts: 435	Hi moses! Well, we live out in the country. The only dogs around here are the large dangerous dogs that runs around the neighborhood. They are dangerous and will bite you. My brother in law has been bitten and chase so many times riding his bike to his friend's place like about 1 mile from here. So I am afraid to take him outside a lot. He does get to come out of his crate to play and walk around. I also take him for walks..sometimes we run around so that i get my exercise too. I guess Charlie is having the terrible 2s right now with his biting and overexcited behavior. Right now, he gets too excited when we are outside that he thinks he is there to play or eat around. He has been going around eating things and trying to run away when he puts something in his mouth..however he can't go far b/c of the leash.

01-23-2009, 09:03 PM	#28
viviansnickers Snick&Viv= BFF Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,755	It will take Charlie a long time...took me 4 months..hang in there, but it is quite a ride...of course 100% worth it in the end... -V

01-23-2009, 09:33 PM	#29
Baby Blessing Our Blessings R Many Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the shelter of God's Loving Care. Posts: 3,095 Blog Entries: 1	Hi Vivian, we just sent you a pm. Sounds like you are doing everything right for Snickers. By the way that is a really cute name Want to say welcome to Yorkie Talk and know you are going to love being a member here. Have a wonderful weekend. Hugs, Patti and Jack and girls. P.S. I mentioned to Vivian in my pm that we've never let the girls about loose when we aren't home, living in EQ country, three large sliding glass doors. We've had window glass breakage due to EQ in years past. Last year a large bird flew into our sliding glass door and broke one of the panels in the living room slider that is something one would never think to have happen. Hugs, Patti and Jack

01-29-2009, 11:38 AM	#30
rufus08 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: DesPlaines, IL, U.S.A Posts: 19	Just curious...What is an X pen? I use a regular size crate right now, and I have tried a play pen (it can be made into a square or rectangle shape). Both have been an issue for my 11 month old yorkie. At first I tried the crate; but I felt guilty leaving him in such a small space...I then tried the pen. I put his bed, open crate, toys and even tried a pee pad. I would come home and the pee pad would be torn to shreads. I even tried anchoring it down. The pen is big and I figured he would be happy with so much space!! Basically NOTHING I have tried has worked. He won't go outside consistently (I taught him to ring a bell and he does it sometimes, and then other times he will go right in front of me), won't use a pee pad and eats the pellets in a litter box (even when sprayed with bitter apple spray). He now is back to the regular size crate and he does hold it all day, but will go at night. Also he is up EVERY night. Last night he was up at 2am and then every hour after that. I am at my wits end, and I have not slept for more than 5 hours a night in 7 months since I got him. I have to put his crate closer to my room so the neighboors don't hear him bark; but then I hear him so LOUD. I try to ignore it; but then I can't sleep. I want to give him more freedom with a "play pen"; but I know he will just pee all over it, and like I said, he shreads the pee pad. I have asked around a lot for advice, and all of it is really good; but it does not work on my dog. The crate is only one problem I'm having...I could go on and on about his behavior (not listening), chewing, etc... Does anyone have any idea what I should do? This is my first dog, and I'm sure a lot of it is my fault; but the advice that I have recieved and tried to use is from previous dog owners. It should be working. I am having people over soon and I'm embarrased of all of the gates I have up in my house because he can't be trusted! I feel like I will have to hold him the entire time because he will be up to no good!!! Help!