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03-25-2005, 05:06 AM | #1 |
Mommy's Little Angel Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 1,496
| Crate Training Question I am so confussed about crate training.. I keep hearing all different things and I feel like I am doing something wrong.. I know many of you are Yorkie veterans and I need some advice if you don't mind!! Just how it is supoosed to be done Brooke |
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03-25-2005, 05:24 AM | #2 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland
Posts: 861
| I'm a huge advocate of crate training if you can't be around your dog 24-7. The idea behind it is that dogs are den animals. And the crate is their den. If you make the crate a safe, warm, welcoming environment, they will like being there. Also, dogs do not like to eliminate where they sleep, spend time, etc. So it deters them from going potty in the crate and helps teach them bladder control. Begin by putting some comforting things in the crate - a blanket, toy(s), maybe a shirt with your scent. But make sure it's one you don't care about in case they go potty on it! Get him interested in the crate by making him follow a toy into it. Don't close the door. Then a little while later, put him in and close the door. Stay close by. Let him know you are still there and it's ok for him to be in there. Don't let him out until he is quiet. If he whines/barks and you let him out, he will learn that that behavior gets him out. Then slowly increase the amount of time you leave him in the crate. At first 15 minutes, then 30 minutes, then an hour. Sometimes leave the house, other times stay in. He should know that being put in the crate does not always mean you will be leaving him. Ideally you can increase the amount of time over a week or two. We had a 4 day weekend with Hercules, and he did very well with it. One important thing to remember is not to put him in the crate as a form of punishment. He should not associate the crate with negative things. After a while he will choose to go into the crate on his own. Like when we are eating dinner, we will let him have the living room area to himself. We keep the crate door open, and he will usually go into the crate and even fall asleep in there on his own. We recently got a second and are doing these same things with her. She definitely whines at first, but it's important to remember not to let them out while they are whining. Then they will associate whining with getting what they want. Wait until they are quiet before you let them out. Does this help??
__________________ Brandi, Hercules, & Athena |
03-25-2005, 05:33 AM | #3 |
Mommy's Little Angel Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 1,496
| Wow, that is awesome... I really appricate it... I didn't realize that you have to train them to be in the crate.. Unfourtuately, I work all day so I keep her in her crate from 7:30-3:30.. She has pooped and peed in there but I have only had her for a couple of day and it takes time... Do you feed the dog in the crate.. The only thing i have is a water bottle in the crate (i was told not to do that but I feel she needs to have water)... I also have a pillow with a fannel pillow case, some socks, toys, and a little rawhide bone.. Thanks again for your help Brooke |
03-25-2005, 05:41 AM | #4 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland
Posts: 861
| I leave them in the crate just as long as you do, maybe even a tad bit longer. Hercules has always done really great with the crate. He only pooped in there one time. Of course he had plenty of peeing accidents, but I completely expected it. He's almost 7 months and does not have accidents very often any more. Now Athena, the new pup is a completely different story! She pooped in it yesterday and I bet she'll continue to for a few days. She pees, but again, I expect that. Once they learn the routine of going in there they will learn to hold it. It sounds like you have some good things in the crate. A lot of people say not to give them rawhide, but I do give them rawhide under supervision. It becomes a problem when it can break into small pieces. So maybe it's not a good idea to have that in the crate. Just in case it breaks into small pieces when you're not there. I do not feed either dog in the crate. I don't give them water in there either. I know it seems cruel to not give them water, but I also think it's kinda cruel to give them water with no intention of letting them relieve theirself. It's asking for an accident. But that's personal preference. I have heard of people putting food in the crate as a way to introduce the crate to the pup. But if your's is going in there on his own, or with minmal fighting, then I wouldn't do that. Also, make sure you take the pup to it's potty place as soon as you let them out of the crate. I've found my new one, Athena, usually won't go immediately, but I still take her there (I think she already did her business in the crate!). And make sure you give tons of praises!! Good luck and hang in there! It will get better, but it defintely takes time!
__________________ Brandi, Hercules, & Athena |
03-25-2005, 07:12 AM | #5 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 155
| How long have you left Hercules and Athena in their crates while you are at work? I am curious? Thanks. |
03-25-2005, 08:07 AM | #6 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland
Posts: 861
| 9 hours. I know it's a long time, and I'm sure lots of people disagree with leaving them for so long, but Hercules has done great and I'm sure Athena will too.
__________________ Brandi, Hercules, & Athena |
03-25-2005, 08:36 AM | #7 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 155
| Well, I'm not going to be critical because I am trying to develop a plan for keeping my Yorkie during thre work day... How do you deal with it at this point? |
03-25-2005, 08:46 AM | #8 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: House Of York
Posts: 1,079
| There is a tons of good advice on this list. My advice to you is to read all of them, think which one will work best for you and your puppy and go with it. Nothing is set in stone. What might work for me may not work for you. Good luck |
03-25-2005, 09:23 AM | #9 | |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland
Posts: 861
| Quote:
Hercules is almost 7 months and he's been doing great. He can hold it most of the time now, although he seems to have an accident on Monday's still - I guess b/c he's used to us being around all weekend long. They way I handle it is if they are able to hold it when I'm home and kennel them for an hour or two, then I think that's great and that's progress. Especially for the younger one, Athena. I honestly don't expect her to hold it all day. That's why I put old towels in there. I've also found that crate training has helped develop an awesome routine for Hercules. He poops two times a day - once in the morning and once in the afternoon/evening around 4:00 or 5:00, even on the weekend when he is not crated most of the day.
__________________ Brandi, Hercules, & Athena | |
03-25-2005, 09:25 AM | #10 | |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland
Posts: 861
| Quote:
__________________ Brandi, Hercules, & Athena | |
03-25-2005, 09:59 AM | #11 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 155
| Thanks for the ideas... I do not have my own Yorkie yet... I will probably adopy my first baby for me and my girlfriend/fiancee to raise over the summer, once some home improvement work is done. I am trying to get a better understanding overall how folks who are not home most of the day deal with training the Yorkie and even keeping him or her on best behavior during the day. I am contemplating crate training in addition to keeping an exercise pen avaialble for him during the day. I will also have someone avaiallbe to check in on him while I am out. |
03-25-2005, 10:14 AM | #12 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland
Posts: 861
| Oh ok. That's great that you are doing all your homework ahead of time. I've heard of people that use the exercise pen in combination with the crate, and that sounds like a good idea. That way the pup can go into the crate to nap and will still have the pee pad available out in the area surrounded by the pen. I think I've read on here that some pups have learned how to jump over the pen, but at least when he is young that should not be a problem. I'm really not quite sure how they act during the day. I have a neighbor below me who's dog barks a lot in the early morning when she leaves (for like an hour) so if they bark or whine, then I say oh well, I deal with others barking! That's great that someone will be able to check on him during the day. I'm sure that will help him tremendously. It's also good to be thinking about all of this ahead of time, because like I said, when we got Hercules it took a good 2 weeks probably to decide what to actually do. We contemplated the litter box, pee pads in the house, things like that. Ultimately it was really important to me to get him to go outside, but since we live in an apartment we built a box to put on our balcony and we put the pee pads in there. I guess it's a combination strategy! But with Athena, since we already had our routine established, it was much easier on us to get her started. Good luck with you research and your yorkie looking!
__________________ Brandi, Hercules, & Athena |
03-25-2005, 10:19 AM | #13 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 155
| Thanks. I too live in an apartment and when I'm home might plan on taking him outside to go. But while I am at work, I might try to establish a routine for him to go on the pee pads... |
03-25-2005, 10:23 AM | #14 |
Mommy's Little Angel Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 1,496
| Thank you for all the wonderful advice... i am going to try everyone's advice so i can figure out the best method... i am so glad i found a board with such wonderful people.. we should have a yorkie party!! lol.. Brooke |
03-25-2005, 10:27 AM | #15 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 155
| BTW, I see you are from the NYC area. I'm from Queens... If you don't mind my asking, where did you adopt your Yorkie baby? |
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