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11-14-2007, 11:22 AM | #1 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 172
| Crate Training: Am I makin a mistake? Jesse is almost one and a half. He is a rescue dog. When we first got him, he loved his crate. Was in there all day, even when the door was open. We would close the door at night and he wouldn't make a peep until we let him out. As time goes on, he is coming out of his shell and becoming closer and more comfortable with my boyfriend and me. He sleeps by our feet during the evening, or watches TV on the couch with us. He hangs out on the kitchen floor when we are cooking, or under a dining room chair when we are eating. He still naps in his crate often. When we take him to friends' or families' homes, we bring his softsided, folding crate, so that he can have recluse in a strange place (especially because there are a lot of kids in my boyfriend's family, and they are hyper and frighten him). The past several nights, he has become unhappy in his crate. He has started whining to get out. One part of me really wants him thoroughly crate trained and wants to just let him cry until he realizes that he has to sleep in his crate. Another part of me wants to let him have free roam in our bedroom at night. The past couple of nights we have left his crate open, because we haven't had the energy for the whining. He has slept through the night, spending most of it in his crate even with the door open. He hasn't had any accidents that I know of (definitely no pooh, but it's been a busy week babysitting my boyfriend's niece an nephew while their parents are taking a small vacation, so I haven't had time to do a thorough pee check, but there's nothing obvious). We are pretty excited and think that we may as well just start leaving his crate open at night. He seems to sleep there for most of the night, and he's not making a mess. Maybe in a while we will replace the crate with a bed. Still, I can't help but wonder if this will be a mistake. He is rarely crated during the daytime. He comes to work with me, and has free roam of the apartment when we are home at night. The only time he's crated during the day is if we go somewhere that he's not allowed, such as grocery shopping or out to dinner. I worry that if he's rarely crated during the day, and now never at night, he might totally freak out when we do need to close him in the crate during the day. Any advice would be really appreciated. Sarah Last edited by SarahandElisha; 11-14-2007 at 11:25 AM. Reason: spelling |
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11-14-2007, 12:18 PM | #2 |
Donating Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Williamsburg, KY
Posts: 142
| If you feel confident enough to leave him out at night in your bedroom, would this also be an option for when you need to make a run to the grocery store, etc? Given that your room is "doggy proofed," you could close your bedroom door and he would have his own little room with toys, food, and his crate while you're gone. Just a thought... |
11-14-2007, 12:22 PM | #3 |
Gina, (Lexi's Mommy) Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: LONG ISLAND,NY
Posts: 10,455
| let him out.. let hime out.. let him out.. let him out... he will be a good boy.. keep the crate open and give him the option.. its a good thing.. you will be pleased... . im such a spoiler..im bad i know..
__________________ Gina & Lexi CLICK HERE for our Photo Album ... |
11-14-2007, 12:45 PM | #4 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Flowery Branch, GA
Posts: 867
| I would think by a year and a half he would be ready for the freedom. I started giving mine their freedom at about 8 mths. I have all hardwood floors though and they are pee pad trained also. |
11-14-2007, 01:29 PM | #5 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK
Posts: 1,920
| I have never used crates, not even with puppies, don't like them at all personally. But, I understand that some people, for one reason or another, feel the need to use one. However by 18 months, I think he's well ready for his freedom |
11-14-2007, 02:38 PM | #6 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 172
| May I ask why you don't like crates? And how do you cope without one? What do you do when you're not home? At night? |
11-14-2007, 03:23 PM | #7 |
YT 2000 Club Member | Why do you not like using a crate? I am getting my puppy Jeter home in December and that was the first thing on my list because my vet recommends them for potty training. Do you have a crate for when you take them to the vet? are they scared to be put in it if you do? Just wondering is all, I just know that a lot of people love the crates.
__________________ Brandy and her love bugs Jeter Axl Yumi Yasha |
11-14-2007, 03:44 PM | #8 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK
Posts: 1,920
| Well, I don't like them because dogs are not animals that do well caged in small spaces IMO. I would rather spend longer potty training them and not have to put my puppy in a cage. Puppies in crates still need to be taken to their toileting area as much as ones who have free rein, crates don't magically expand their bladders, like people think, they just force puppies to hold their bladder/bowels for longer than they should by abusing the fact that dogs don't like to mess in their beds. When I bring a puppy home I am happy to have them in my home and make the sacrifice to puppy proof as many areas of my house as possible in order to keep them safe and happy. Crates are often used as a 'quick fix'. For example, puppies chew things, so if you put him in a crate he will stop chewing things he shouldn't simply because he can't. Whereas I would prefer to look at it with the approach, 'how can I stop him wanting to chew things he shouldn't?' So instead of preventing the behavior by putting him in the cage you you could think about whether he needs more interesting toys such as filled kongs, buster cubes, activity balls etc as well as perhaps more stimulating exercise and play. In my experiences some crated dogs over time become insecure with being left on open spaces, kind of like agoraphobia. Which explains why they run to it to sleep in, when you go out, when they get scared etc. People assume its because they like the crate, but perhaps its because they have been inadvertently taught that this is the only safe place. I would rather teach my dogs that the entire house is their safe area and teach them to respect the whole house and how to behave in all areas of the house. This can be done by puppy proofing one room for them to go in when you are out, gradually extend the space they can be left in until they have either a large area, or even the whole/most of the house. You will never have a dog who behaives in your house if you do not give them the chance to suceed. If you set them up to fail (by leaving things around that they could destroy or by crating them), then they will. I think the ultimate question is that, who is the crate for, you or your puppy? I am under no illusions that it is for the owner, as it makes it easier for them. JMO, and what works for us.
__________________ Indy, Benjamin and Malachi There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face- Ben Williams Last edited by lara2913; 11-14-2007 at 03:49 PM. |
11-14-2007, 03:54 PM | #9 | |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2007 Location: Virginia
Posts: 232
| Quote:
ps to the original poster I think leaving him out is fine especially if he's not having accidents- as others have said he's definitely old enough- however if you're going to make him stay in his crate over night after all- do it now or else he'll be confused and it'll be even harder to get him to stay in there all night without whining! | |
11-14-2007, 11:06 PM | #10 | |
YT 2000 Club Member | Quote:
My mom used a crate for her girls but she only used it for sleeping. She has the doors open for themand they are free to the whole house, they do not act scared. She is also able to be home with them as she does not work outside the home. they will hide a toy or treet in it now and then but they realy seem to like their crate.Nost likely it is because it was not over used.
__________________ Brandy and her love bugs Jeter Axl Yumi Yasha | |
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