crate training - should I leave house?

[Otto's mom]

I am getting Otto (10 wks) ready for when I begin teaching in fall. I have increased crate to up to 3 hours at a time. He is fine. No major problems except a little whining at first.

My question is when I am crate training him, do I have to leave the house all that time so as to mimic what will happen in the fall?

I would like to stay at least one of those hours to get school planning done or do some housework (as we all know is hard to do when you need to keep a good eye on the little one.)

I was told it would really confuse Otto because he would be able to see or smell me and that I should just leave & find something to do.

Any opinions?

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Otto, white flashy fawn male. 10 wks.

 

[LUV MY BXR]

I am a teacher too; Libby does fine in her crate while I am teaching. We started out leaving her in for 15 minutes, then graually increased her time - you seem like you're on the right track. If you're going to stay home while you are getting your puppy used to being alone, go to another end of the house, or upstairs if possible. It is much harder for them if you are in viewing or sniffing distance. I also left the tv going in the living room which is the next room over. The voices and sounds on the tv kept Libby from feeling totally alone. Also, put a toy or two in for your puppy to play with - especially as the time in the crate increases. Good luck.

 

[cindy]

I dont think you need to be gone thewhole time, I also will put Lacie in her crate when Im gone but also if Im mopping the floor or have kids over that wont leave her alone. so she is use to both things, being in the crate while we are gone and being in the crate while we are home. But her crate is in the utility room away from all of us.CIndy

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cindy corl
Lacie f-flashy brindle with natural ears 6-17-99

 

[Badassboxer]

When Debo was younger, we would crate him when we had to cook, clean or had the door open, anytime we couldn't keep an "eye" on him. I think you'll be fine.

 

[Linda]

I had read that it's best to put your puppy's crate in a room where the family is.
When we were first crate training Bailey, that didn't work at all!! If she could see or hear us, she would bark and whine like crazy. If we left the room (or the house), she would calm down.

I think it really depends on your dog. But, in general, I would say it is not necessary to leave the house (although you may want to try it a few times to see what happens).

Good luck!

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Linda
Remy -DOB 6/2/92; white male w/brindle patches;
Bailey - DOB 10/16/99; flashy brindle female
Shannon - 1992?-12/7/99 Flashy fawn; We miss her!

 

[twrlrgrl]

horrible time

I am having a horrible time crate training my new pup Vegas, she whines and barks so bad it sounds like a screaming child. This leads me to feel bad for her and naturall she sleep in my bed now (not happy about that) but I am trying to crack down on it. If I leave to go to work I can put her in (she is reluctant to go) and she will calm down eventually but whines and cries the minute she hears me- any suggestions?-

 

[Rlr.Giraffe]

We are trying to get Willis to be ok with being in his crate both when we are home and when we are not, so we sort of do 1/2 and 1/2. I put him in the crate during the day for short periods when cleaning/working on school work and we of course crate him when we go out. I think they just need to be used to the crate, not necessarily associating it with you going out all the time...

I know what you mean about the screaming thing... it gets better! Just be consistent, and invest in earplugs! It took Willis a few weeks, and we gave him a "bedtime" every night, where we laid next to the crate and talked to him until he went to sleep. Once he figured out he wasn't going to be in there forever, he stopped screaming. But, boy, I thought it would never end!

 

[craZ4HERKIE]

I think if you graduate his time in the crate it will be fine.We've crated
Herkie from the day we brought him home, he would whine a little at first, but then would just lay right down & go to sleep.There are many times throughout any week when he gets crated when we are home....when we eat(because he won't listen to my skinkid & tries to get her food)when we're cleaning & I don't want him to track pawprints on my wet floors....several different reasons.But he knows his crate is his safeplace & often times he'll go in there and lie down own his own.

Jessica, Herkie & Kuma

 

[Sam's Mom]

I brought Samson home when he was 11 1/2 weeks, he was already used to the crate but it was with the other puppies. He was fine, never whinned, would just lay down and take a nap. Shortly after I got him home, I had surgery and was home for about 6 weeks. I didn't want him to get into a routine during the time that I would be at work so I would crate him for short periods of time during the day so it wouldn't be a shock for him when I went back to work. Samson actually likes his crate and never complains when he has to go in it. At night when he's tired, I'll take him out for the last time to do his business and tell him to "kennel up" when I take him in, he's in the kennel before I get in the house!!
Good luck and hope it turns out well.