Crate training dogs.

[somegirl]

Well, it sounds like you have gotten lots of great advice already.

Start off with shorter periods of time and gradually increase it.  When the time is up, let them out (you can use a timer).  NEVER let them out when whining as you will just be training them to whine.

To make it more fun in there, the kong toy works great as rxb described.  You can just google "kong recipes" and find lots of suggestions.  Smearing the inside with peanut butter is simple, but you can fill it with cheese and microwave it, or the freezing also works well.

Feeding them in the crate is also a good idea, as is keeping toys in there.  If you have an old t-shirt you can also put that in, they like to have something that smells like you.

Some dogs are "dirty", they don't mind sitting and sleeping in their filth, just like BP. If your dog is like this, then you have issues.

If your dog is like BP you definitely have issues.

This typically happens either if the crate is too large for them (you can put in a temporary barrier), or if they came from somewhere that didn't let them out of the crate frequently enough.   You can work through it but it is definitely much harder.

[Popeye the Sailor]

If you have an old t-shirt you can also put that in, they like to have something that smells like you.

Idk that anything with a sensitive nose would want something that smells like trouble.

[herm]

let her whine it out.

give her a toy, make sure the crate is large enough to move around a bit. If she is sleeping in the same room as you, put her in the crate 1/2 hour before lights out and make sure she does her yard business prior to going in the room.

Do not let her out because of the whining, every time you break down, it just makes it all the harder the next night. .... and in the morning, only let her out when she is not whining

and tell her she's a good puppy when she gets in the crate all by herself

but not so big that the dog feels ok messing in the extra space...

thats all i got.

[Rufus120]

   Some good idea have been mentioned already.  This is what worked for me when I was crate training my dog.   
   You want to make sure that the crate is viewed as a positive environment by your dog.  Crates should never be used as a form of punishment.  I crate trained my dog as a puppy which made things much easier.  If you are working with an older dog it may take a while longer.  Dogs are den animals so they "want" to spend time in an area like a crate. 
    Start out by just leaving the crate somewhere that your dog can investigate the thing on it's own terms.  Maybe throw one of his/hers favorite toys in there so when he/she wants it they have to go inside to get it.  One real key is to never force the animal into the crate.  You want to have them trained so they go in on there own.  My dog will go into his crate whenever I ask at will, but he also knows that if he is going in there that means I am leaving.  Which bums him out a bit.
    After your dog is comfortable with the crate in the environment you can start working on teaching them to stay in it.  Start by having your dog do a sit stay inside the crate with the door open.  For maybe 30 seconds to a minute.  Then increase the time your dog stays inside.  As your dog gets used to being inside slowly start to close the door.  Depending on your dog these steps could take a few days to a month. 
    Once I got my dog used to being inside the crate I wanted to extend the period of time he spent in the quickly. To do his I would work with him after a long play/walk session.  Like most puppies he would play hard for a while and then crash even harder.  I used this to my advantage by getting him in there while he was tired and getting him to fall asleep inside, with the door open.  The first time I had to lay next to the crate for a few minutes till he passed out.  Then I would slowly and quietly get up and go about my business.   I found for the first week or two that he wouldn't freak out as much if when he woke up I was close by. Say sitting on the internet at some forum about motor bikes for instance. He got used to playing and then when we came home going in his crate to sleep. 
    I started closing the door once and a while.  It is very important not to cave once the whining starts. Very important. I found what worked for me was letting him out when he least expected it.  You want to send a clear message that you are letting him/her out, not that he/she can come out when they want.  Consistency is key here. If you cave to the whining once or twice I guarantee the dog will notice and use it against you as much as possible. Sometimes I would keep him in his crate for five minutes sometimes an hour. I let him know that whining wasn't going to get him anywhere.  I would only let him out when he was calm and sitting.  If he whined I would tell him he was being bad.  It took him a few days, but he picked it up rather quickly. I also won't let him run out of the crate.  I would open the door and leave it open for a few seconds and tell him he could come out.  He will sit in there now with the door open and won't come out unless I tell him it's ok. 
    All of this is pretty simplified and it took some trial and error on my part to figure this out.  Also what worked for my dog and what would work for your dog could be two different things.  If you are working with a puppy it should be much easier to use some of these methods as they are naturally looking to you for directions.  Good luck and if you have any questions just shoot.

[hbliam]

#1 thing that helped with the crate when our dog was a puppy? A ticking clock. Yep, an old school alarm clock that ticked, ticked, ticked, ticked... Someone suggested it as my dog wouldn't go to sleep unless she was in our bed. Friend reminded us that the puppy had been lisenting to mom's heart tick before she was born and then mom's and sibling's after. So I got a clock, wrapped it in a small towel and put it in the crate. Checked in later and she was curled up against it sleeping like a baby. I also found her sleeping on a pile of clothes next to the dryer once. Yep, the dryer had a semblance of a heartbeat type sound as well.

[red baron]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I used it and she loves the crate ......so far.

Spent the whole night in there and went out this morning and did her business.

Did I mention I'm smitten with her?

Thans again.

[Triple J]

Another Kong trick for the crate...fill with quality wet dog food and freeze overnight. It'll keep them busy for quite a while, and it's healthy if you use a good wet dog food. 

Other than the already good advice here...remember that pups have smaller bladders so need to go out more often. 1 hour/month of age is a reasonable rule for how long they can hold it. Also make sure to give them a bit of water in the crate...not a big bowl of it though as they'll have to go more and/or they'll just end up playing in the bowl. 

[angler]

+1 on all the advice so far.  Tiger loves her crate.

Slight threadjack - I want to start leaving her out of her crate when we leave the house.  I hate locking her in her crate.  My GF moved in recently and it is really her dog.  It had some early chewing issues, but doesn't now.  I have a securely fenced yard and plan on putting in a dog door so she can go outside whenever she needs to go.  If we started allowing her out of her crate when we weren't around, we could leave her for longer as she could attend to her own exercise and other outdoor needs and my neighbors could come feed her and give her people time for weekends away.  That isn't possible with the crate because I just can't leave her in her crate for more than 5-6 hours without feeling terrible.  Currently she goes to a cage free kennel when we leave town.

Any thoughts?

[Triple J]

+1 on all the advice so far.  Tiger loves her crate.

Slight threadjack - I want to start leaving her out of her crate when we leave the house.  I hate locking her in her crate.  My GF moved in recently and it is really her dog.  It had some early chewing issues, but doesn't now.  I have a securely fenced yard and plan on putting in a dog door so she can go outside whenever she needs to go.  If we started allowing her out of her crate when we weren't around, we could leave her for longer as she could attend to her own exercise and other outdoor needs and my neighbors could come feed her and give her people time for weekends away.  That isn't possible with the crate because I just can't leave her in her crate for more than 5-6 hours without feeling terrible.  Currently she goes to a cage free kennel when we leave town.

Any thoughts?

I leave my 2 dogs out all the time. They also have a dog door so they can go outside whenever. It works very well. My lab/pit mix has been roaming the house since she was 1 year old without destroying anything. They mainly just sleep, but according to our neighbors (retired and love to watch our dogs over the fence) they come out every so often and wrestle around. They both also like laying in the sun on nice days...especially the Dane.

Within the last year or so have limited them to one room which is attached to the door with the dog door. They didn't hurt anything, but the Lab gets on the couch when we aren't home, no matter what we do. She'll lay on an upside down chair we put on the couch...just so that she's on the couch.  Can't be comfortable!  She never hurt anything, but having a dog on the couch all day every day makes it dirty and severely limits its life span. Their room now just has their beds. 

I'd say start with leaving your dog out for short periods...like a trip the the store. Gradually increase it to a few hours to see how she does. Eventually you'll work up to all day. That's how I did it anyway.

It also helps to give them planty of exercise when you are around so they don't have a bunch of unused energy. My dogs get 2 walks per day, everday, any weather. It gets old some days...especially when the weather sucks...but a bored dog is a destructive dog.

Also be sure your fence is secure and your dog isn't an escape artist. Very important.

Personally I prefer leaving dogs out with a dog door (if they can handle it). I always worry about a fire or something and the dog trapped in the crate if I'm gone. 

[cyrus buelton]

My doberman was a make the beast with two backsing nightmare.

She shit, just pissed, she rolled in it, she jumped in it. and She make the beast with two backsing whined. She never stopped.


God damn worst 6 months I have ever experienced.


I've crate trained 2 labs with no problem.



make the beast with two backsing Greta 


but.........

she did turn into a great dog, so we did something right. The most loving dog I've ever been around and probably the most loyal.

[red baron]

she did turn into a great dog, so we did something right. The most loving dog I've ever been around and probably the most loyal.

could be the xanax

[hbliam]

could be the xanax

LOL.

[cyrus buelton]

 

That was a good one 

[DRKWNG]

My doberman was a make the beast with two backsing nightmare.

She shit, just pissed, she rolled in it, she jumped in it. and She make the beast with two backsing whined. She never stopped.


God damn worst 6 months I have ever experienced.


I've crate trained 2 labs with no problem.



make the beast with two backsing Greta 


but.........

she did turn into a great dog, so we did something right. The most loving dog I've ever been around and probably the most loyal.

We have had much the same experience with Darmah.  She goes absolutely bonkers mad when she gets put in the crate, and has ever since she was a pup.  Doesn't matter what you do to try and train her for it, she just isn't game. Must be a doberman thing.  Great dog other than that though. 

[Rufus120]

Some of those behaviors could have been learned while they where puppies at the breeders.  I'm just guessing you didn't have the litters yourselves.  Some breeders are pretty bad people, pumping out dogs and if they kept your dogs as puppies in crate the dog could have all sorts of issues/flashbacks/whatever when you try and put them in there. Or they could just be nuts.....