crate question

[MomofMontana]

Hi,

We are having some crate difficulties with 11 week old Montana. He does not want to go into his crate at all, and has gotten worse about it this week in particular. I read the developmental doggie stages and wonder if this has anything to do with a fear period? My husband and I have been trying to do what the puppy site here says about luring him in, but it is a fight. We have his crate at the foot of our bed. I hesitate to move it to another room in case he needs to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Any suggestions? Thanks so much!

 

[speer]

:( My husband started out putting Ali in the crate by picking him up. He quickly realized that when our baby got to be 75 pounds, this would no longer be possible! He started feeding Ali in his crate, giving him the command to go in after putting his food dish in there. We didn't leave him in the crate with his food, just let him go in, eat, and then come out when he wanted to. Before long, he would go in whenever we told him to. He is now a four year old, 76 pound boy and goes to the crate with a simple,"Ali, in your crate." Maybe this would work for you.

Good luck!

 

[Ram&LexisMom]

Lexus sometimes is stubborn STILL about going in her crate. She knows Momma is leaving I guess, and momma will stay longer if she runs around and trys to get momma to catch her. This got real old real quick. I used to be able to say "crate" and she'd go in. Now I throw treats in there and she just follows the treats in. Other than that I have no clue how to get them in without picking them up or dragging them.

 

[Debra Ann]

Everytime Bonie has to be put in her crate, she gets a treat. So now we just say " time for bed and I will give you a treat". She goes in right away without a fight. She even knows when I am getting ready to go out and when I look she is in her crate already. Treats are the way to go.

 

[munchichi2550987]

When you put him in the crate do you praise him like crazy and give him treats? The first time Brogan walked in her crate I made so much noise and I even had my friend who was there start praising her. She was confused at first , but it definitely worked. I also gave her treats too. NOw I sometimes leave treats in there when I am at home just so she will walk in and associate it with good things. WHen she knows I'm leaving though, she won't just walk in. Treats will not lure her in. THe only thing that lures her in is a kong filled with peanut butter!! She walks right in when I throw it in there. Did you ever try a kong? I know that has worked for a lot of people here. That is how I got the idea. I'm hoping this continues to work cause otherwise I need to start pumping some serious iron in order to pick her up!

Good luck:D

 

[epdjr]

What I found to work was starting real early. When he was a pup I would pick him up and place him in his crate but I would also give the command. "Harley get in your crate" after a while I would just place him in front of it and give the same command and just give him a little nudge, remembering to praise him after he was in. After a while he learned to listen just by the verbal command. I did this with all of my commands when I wan't him to go somewhere. So far he knows. "get in your crate" to get in his crate,"go to bed" to crawl under the spare bed to go to sleep. "get up" to go upstares when it's time for bed and "get inside" when I wan't him to get in the house. You know what I never thought of it before but I guess he is smarter than I give him credit I think I'll stop and get him a treat on the way home GOOD LUCK!

 

[mrso97]

meadow will only go in her crate if we ask her nicely and say please..."please meadow ...go in your crate for mommy ..i have to go to the store..." if we dont ask her nicely we wind up running after her as she runs up the stairs and onto the bed...ya think she is a little spoiled or what?

 

[PSUHeather]

Trace has separation anxiety, so getting her in the crate used to be a real chore. To ease her fears, I put her feeding tray inside the crate, so that crate time was not just "we are going to leave you forver and ever" time but yummy food time, too. (The food and water was removed when she was locked in, else there would be soggy kibble stuck to the ceiling.)Then I started giving her a cookie or lavishing her with praise just for walking into the crate. Next she had to let the door be shut, and eventually remain calmly laying down with the door shut and me out of the room. Now all I have to do is walk into the bedroom, and she is walking into the crate.

On a side note, Trace magically knows when we are leaving and sometimes still needs coaxing to get in the crate.