# Crate Training Question(s)



## whatsuppup

Hi All,

I have a question or two (or a few) about crate training. DaVinci has only been home with us since last Friday. Info: He was never crate trained at the breeder, but kept within a penned area inside the breeders home with his litter mates and mom.


Daytime Training - I am home during the day, unless I have an errand to run. However, that may change 6 months from now and I want to make sure he is crate trained, in case I am out of the home for a couple of hours. Yesterday I did not put him in the crate at all, except for when I left to drop the kids off at school. Poor guy wanted nothing to do with it and cried really loudly. I was gone less than 10 minutes, though when I came back he was quiet and I let him out.

This morning, he didn't peep when being put in the crate as I left to take the kids to school, and again when I got home he was quiet, though I was gone for 45 minutes. He may have cried or barked at some point during my outing.

I have just put him in randomly, after taking him out to use the washroom. He cried, and cried, and cried really loudly. I wouldn't have let him cry if there was a chance he needed to relieve himself outside. He has only settled down in the last 5 minutes, and has now been in there for just over 15 minutes. My question is: do I reward him for laying in there quietly, BEFORE I let him out? Should I let him out as soon as he is quiet for 5 minutes, or should I see if he can remain quiet for 10 minutes, or 15 minutes, etc. and gradually increase it over time? How often should I put him in his crate during the day while I am at home (and not running an errand)? 

Edit - He has now been in there quietly (now sleeping) for 15 minutes. Should I leave him to sleep, or wake him up with a treat and let him out? Edit - Nevermind, spoke too soon, lol. He is awake, and wimpering a little. Perhaps he will fall back asleep.


Night crate training: That is now going better than initially. Our initial mistake was putting him in the crate when he was sleeping, because the first time we put him in when he was awake he started to cry right away. Putting him in when sleeping worked out, and since his crate is right outside my bedroom door, I wake when he wakes and I take him outside. After doing his business, he didn't want to go back in the crate, so I would put him in our bed and play with him until he got tired (mistake #2) and fell asleep on our bed. I would then carry him and put him in his crate to finish sleeping. Did that for the first two nights and realized, after reading a bit on crate training - what a mistake that was! I have gone about it the correct (so to speak) way for the last 2 nights, and the first night was hard - he cried a lot before falling back asleep. Last night was better, he cried less and wimpered some before going back to sleep. I definitely see progress there. I am not providing treats during the night, neither for bathroom breaks, nor crate time. However, I have been wondering if I should give him a treat if he is in there quietly when I wake up at my regular time (7am), before letting him out?

Thanks all, I just want to make sure I go about this correctly. Once he is house trained and beyond the teething stage, I would like to leave him out of his crate to have run of the house (so to speak, as he won't have access to the whole house, but a good chunk of it), if we are gone for under 1-2 hours. But I do want him crate trained so that it isn't an issue later on, or in his adult years.


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## Marzi

Breath
I'm sure someone with more experience of crate training will be along to offer advice. Dot was already crate trained when she came home the other two did not have a crate. Dot was out of her crate by the time she was 7 months and was routinely alone for 3 about hours.
Sounds as if you are doing a great job. If he is quiet after 5 mins and relaxed enough to sleep in his crate he is doing really well. If he falls asleep I would leave him to sleep, if he cries when he wakes it is because he needs to go out so I'd just let him out and take him straight to his pee place and then reward him.
When you first put him in his crate do you give him anything to distract him - few bits of his puppy kibble hidden in a dispenser type toy or just in the corners of his crate?
Whatever - do not get stressed yourself. Have some chocolate


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## whatsuppup

Thank you! Not stressed as yet, but I'm sure that day will come, especially as I continue to lose sleep at night waking up to take puppy out... lol. I just want to make sure I am doing this correctly, because I imagine it is a lot easier to make any corrections now, as opposed to later.

No, I do not give any treats - just his bones (nylabone & a hard rubber dental nylabone). He can't eat dry kibble yet - just keeps chewing on it and spitting it out whole. I have been moistening his kibble with water, which has helped, though he still doesn't eat very much as yet (I will do a separate thread for that). I have tried different types of treats, finally found one soft enough for him to eat, and he enjoys those. I will try hiding a couple in his crate next time, to help keep him busy - thank you! (great tip!) I also have a kong-type toy, where I can hide treats/kibble inside.. wasn't sure he was ready for that as yet though, because of his issues with eating dry kibble. For now, I will take your advice and hide some treats inside his crate to keep him busy. I know I have read, and the vet even told me - DON'T FEEL GUILTY when it comes to crate training - but it's so hard to hear him crying!

Oh - and yes! Chocolate is great (stressed or not!)


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## Marzi

Mmmmm chocolate  (or chocolate parti poo) is definitely great.

Your pup is tiny - they do not eat much, just think how big his little stomach is. Are you feeding him 4 tiny meals a day?
Personally I would not be offering any treats other than his kibble, because you will be teaching him that there is better food to be eaten, so he may hold out for the good stuff and not bother with the kibble.
Did the breeder moisten his food?
Kongs are good and I know a lot of people just put a tiny smear of peanut butter or something inside.... In my experience if they are distracted as they are left it is easier for them to just settle after, if they get themselves all yappy it must take them longer to calm down. Licking is a way that dogs can relax and shed stress so a little smear of PB or cream cheese might just do the trick - but just a tiny smear.


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## susanb

we put cream cheese in a kong and freeze it. We have done this for a long time now. When we need to leave Gisgo, we get the kong out of the freezer and as soon as he sees that he literally runs as fast as he can into his crate and sits to wait for us to catch up and give him the kong in there. We messed up one day and did not have a frozen kong ready.......he was not at all happy about being in there without it.....and we have not made that mistake again.....  He only goes in there now when we need to leave him. When he was younger, and we were training him to go in for sleeping, we always used to throw in 2 or 3 bits of kibble for him to search for.


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## whatsuppup

Thanks! Okay, I will try a little peanut butter or cream cheese, and try dried kibble again to see if he can manage it. If he can, I will give him that as a reward. I don't want a poo, any more picky than a typical poo, if I can help it! 

I just started a thread in the health section about his eating. I guess it's better not to respond here, and better to respond there? Here is the link:Puppy Diet


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## caz3

Hi You sound like you are doing a great job regarding the crate !i am no expert but here is my take on it ....Harley (1) never liked his crate (or maybe he just didn't like being left ) I found this hard as my two Labrador/retrievers loved the crate like you I only wanted to use it till 7months old or thereabouts for his own safety while out on school run etc I was fortunate to be here the majority of the time but always went out without him for hour or so to get him used to being left he cried nearly every time we left or put him in it but my neighbour told me he went quiet within 5 mins .yes you feel guilty but it's just not practical to take them everywhere and I didn't want separation issues later on ..davinci sounds like he is settling down quick so I wouldn't worry too much regarding how often to put them in it is probably a personal thing but my friend when training would put her pup in for an hour or so after being fed and out for toilet as they do need a lot of sleep and this used to let her get on with jobs upstairs take a shower etc .as for treating him when he wakes no I wouldn't maybe when you put him in a couple of bits of kibble and same at night after out to the toilet I used to say bed and carry him in ,I take it you have a cover over it (not the front ) and all cosy like a den this definetly helps .good luck and many happy times with you're new puppy x


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## whatsuppup

Okay, thanks for the suggestions! I will start taking him out, as he has only left our house once - to go to the vet. Maybe I will start bringing him with me to drop the kids to school. I worry about taking him out because I am not sure where I am actually allowed to go with him either in my arms or his small duffle size carry bag. 

His kennel is cozy; I wrapped the tray in a towel, amd he has a cozy little bed that fits inside, which he loves to curl up and sleep in, outside of the kennel. We take that bed in and out of the kennel as he likes to curl up in it regardless of where it is, and figure he would be most comfortable sleeping in it, while in the crate. I do cover his crate at night, too, to keep it more cozy, but I leave it uncovered during the day when it is bright out.


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