I feel guilty crating my puppy...need suggestions
 

Hi Everyone..

I am having some issues with crating. I feel so guilty leaving my 6 month Snickers in there even for a short time. He is in there now for 3 hours, then my husband comes home and he is out for an hour, and then again in for 3 hours until I get home (I RACE HOME!) I know, dogs tend to learn to love their crate, but it just breaks my heart to think of him in there all alone with little room to move. I think caging any living thing is mean. I know it is for his own safety etc, but thats just how I feel. I guess I am on here asking for advice. I am thinking of leaving him in my laundry room from now on with a pee pad (in case he needs to go, he is trained to go outside) his bed, and his toys when we are gone. Is this a good idea? Will he regress from his outside potty training?? I want to slowly start here so eventually he can be alone in the house, is it too early?? I want to start with a small room and eventually give him access to another part of the house gradually when I see no accidents. Please let me know your input...

Thanks a million-
Vivian

Awe, you sound like a wonderful mother, and I don't like too much time in crates either. You don't say how old he is, but since your leaving him out every 3 hours, and he doing well with potty training, I'd say your doing a great job! Some people will place the crate in a laundry room or kitchen at this point, and allow him access to the room, but also the choice of the crate, many dogs love the safety of the crate, and since he's already use to it, I wouldn't take this away. Others use an x-pen and place the crate in that, an x-pen is like a little fenced-off area. Pee pads don't have to be used, unless he's is still young, and the hours will be long. I love pee pads, because they really give you a choice, and there may be some setbacks, but you could still take him outside when you get home, and praise him for doing his business. I think duel training gives you the best of both worlds.

I don't crate Chloe we use a playyard . She has her bed/blankets, food/ water / potty pads /toys in her area and she has room to move around. Xpens are a great idea to keep them both contained and safe .

As long as they are blocked off in an area where they cannot hurt themselves ( or anything else in the room ) then it is fine to just gate him off . You can leave the crate in the room so he can go in and out of the crate.

I don't know what a pee pad may do his outside training..I have only used pee pads for Chloe and strictly outside training for my bigger dog. Never both...so I don't know. Others here have dogs that use both so I'm sure they can answer that.

I don't like crateing ....
I have my two guys corralled in the kitchen

and they use a bottom cabinet I leave open for them as their bed
They love it and everytime I change the bed in the cabinet for them
They automatically go in there and check it out :D

THANK YOU!!! I think I am going to try it and give him the laundry room for the afternoon with the pee pad in there. I hope it's not sending mixed signals that it is ok to go in the house, but I do want him to use it if he can't hold it (which he usually can normally in his crate.) ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREAT!!! PLEASE!!!!

I was leaving Hiro in the kitchen before I started to crate train him. He didn't quite get the pee pad thing... (not to mention that our house is like 100 years old and slanted so when he pees on the kitchen floor it runs ALL THE WAY DOWN the floor and under the cabinet! Such a pain in the a** to clean up! rofl)
Anyway, since he wasn't catching onto the pad thing, I decided (after much internal wrestling) to start crate training him. This has worked out better than I could have possibly imagined. He loves his crate. I feel bad about leaving him in the crate -- but he always has something to play with or chew on. Most of the time he just snoozes while he's in there. I take him out every 3 or so hours for a pee and or a snuggle or a play session. He has only messed in his crate once and that was at the very beginning before I made his crate smaller. He had too much room to roam around in it - mess in one corner and lay in the other. As a rule dogs don't like to mess where they sleep so this is what makes crate training so effective I think.

I look at it this way.
I want to be the best mommy I can to my little Hiro.
As his mommy I am charged with the responsibility of making sure he understands the rules of my house - and that I give him the tools to be able to follow those rules. If I have to crate train for a couple months to ensure that he understands and can follow the rules of the house then so be it. He has his entire little life to run around free as a bird in my house, so a couple of months of staunch training is a drop in the bucket and well worth the reward in the end. They say that it takes yorkies a while to get fully trained but my Hiro is well on the road to success and I attribute it to crate training! :)

Good luck either way!!!

I don't like the idea of a small crate, I keep the girls in the kitchen with a child gate, it was the easiest room to puppy proof :)

****If you go this way, please be sure your water hoses to the washer are the metal braided kind & not rubber. I have seen the hot water hose break & flood a house. That would be terrible to a doggie stuck in the laundry room

Here's a suggestion for you. I use a "belly band" for my boy. and attach a maxi pad to it at night and a thin feminine pad during the day. What it is is a 4" elastic band made out of really soft terry cloth that attaches around his belly covering his penis on the underside. I got it from a lady that makes them and it was only like $15 or so. It worked so good I got two so when I wash one I've got a spare dry one.

I find that Harley really doesnt mind his crate and will often go in there on his own to rest when we are home it his own little space..when i am at work during the day i crate him for about 4 hrs,i then come home at lunch let him out and close all my doors he then has run of the house till i or the kids get home..during this tme he wears a belly band and it works great..:)

Crate training was really effective with Lexi too. I almost think that switching to pee pads now would be confusing? I have no experience with peepads though don't quote me on that ;)

Lexi was crate trained. Our doberman was not. After seeing the differences and benefits it has had for my yorkie, I will always crate train my dogs. It was about at 7 or 8 months that Lexi got the training down pat and was fully potty trained. She's had full run of the house since.

OK excuse my crate training ignorance but where do they go pee if they don't use a pee pad?

Generally they don't, although accidents can happen. Dogs don't like to go to the bathroom where they sleep thus the effectiveness of crate training.

Yes, JenniferLeigh is correct, and you don't keep them in the crate for long periods you let them out ever couple of hours and place them on a pee pad. Over night they can hold it a little longer, but probably not longer than 4 hours. Crate training is meant to be used as in aid in housebreaking. If you are just keeping them confined for the day, then you need to use pads in the crate, but most people keep them confined in x-pens or something bigger than a crate, with room for bed, toys, pad, and crate.

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.

Oh OK I got ya you're training not to pee in the crate. I didn't think dogs would go where they sleep. I thought it was like just something they all knew without training. Duh.. see crate training ignorance LOL.

I gave up, with my boy! The belly band saves his butt and saves me from going crazy. :D I sooo much more enjoy changing his kotex than bending over scrubbing my carpet. And as an added bonus he has run of the house to protect it against all evil. The Brave little guy!!! :aimeeyork

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.

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:animal-pa

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

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! :D Good Luck.

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:(

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. :D

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!

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:animal-pa

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. :D

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. :D 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. :)

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:animal-pa

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 :eek::( that is something one would never think to have happen.

Hugs, Patti and Jack

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!