[sully]

Ok I've posted before with crate problems, I think I've made some very small progress....but I need some encouragement.  Oggie is 17 weeks and with me all day, and he sleeps like a baby on my bedroom floor on his dog bed, so he only needs to be crated when I go out.  Since I read you don't want to just crate them when you are gone, I started by crating him while I was at home cleaning or taking a shower.  He'd bark like crazy the whole time but he survived.  I just didn't give in.  Last week I started by going out for an hour every day and leaving him in the crate.  He'd usually be barking when I got back but not always.  He'd never be sleeping though, and seemed very anxious.  He's been very good with potty training and I finally needed a night out (he's spoiled because he's always with me) so I went to a family party on Sunday and was gone for 3 hours.  Well I came back and he had crapped in the crate and tore off the sheet that covers the crate and generally just looked a mess.  Now other than the cleaning, I guess it's not the end of the world, he didn't hurt himself.  But I'm surprised he eliminated in the crate.  He normally doesn't do this and I had brought him out before I left, and I had exercised him pretty heavily to tire him out.  It seems he just can't go to sleep in the crate comfortably, and he can't be left for more than hour or two.  I don't reward him when he whines, and I don't make a big deal when I come home.  What am I doing here?  Should I just keep doing what I'm doing, going out a little longer every day while periodically crating him when I'm home?  I love the guy but I really feel like I can't leave my own house.

 

[Kate]

I hear you sully.  I have not been crating Sophie or Kane because I have managed to have someone with them just about 99.9% of the time.  However, I am beginning to realize that this can't always be the case and in the last week or so Sophie has really started growing and getting into everything when I am home chasing after her, and it will soon be too cold to leave them outside for even 30 minutes.  Kane is good in the house alone, but adding Sophie to the mix as his partner in crime is is proving to be a real problem.  I'm going to admit defeat and accept the fact that Sophie needs to learn to stay in a crate from time to time.  She will hate it and scream her lungs out, but I have to do it, or give up life outside my home.  Good luck to both of us.

 

[sully]

I guess our pups are spoiled!  I shouldn't be surprised he dislikes the few times he is confined.  Working from home can be a blessing and a curse, I think he is too attached to me.    I am slowly going out for longer periods but I should be able to go out to meet with friends and family without worrying.  I'm wondering if just gating off an area of the house would be any better.  He's yet to really misbehave in the house when I'm around, but I am afraid to see what destruction he could unleash when I leave.  He loves his dogbed so I could could just close a door to a room and make sure the room is puppy proofed.  But I know a few people have told me if he's having separation anxiety, then confining him to a larger space may not solve the problem.  I gotta figure though if I just stick with one type of confinement, he will eventually get used to it.   I guess we just have to stick to it.  And yes, good luck to us both....stay strong!

 

[DUKE01]

We have two dogs and two cats and they love to chase each other around.  Duke is only 9 months old and is pretty good about not chewing things apart but because the two dogs are fairly good sized they manage to run into things when they are chasing each other around.  They are ok if left alone for short periods, 20 mins tops.  Duke happily goes into his crate, we've made it an exiting time, use happy voices when we tell him to kennel up and give him a treat, the room where their crates are is usually closed, he almost tears the door down trying to get in there, he can even open his own door.  He goes in there and sits patiently while I get his treat.  We are hopeing that when he gets alittle older we can leave them out, but we were blessed that crate trainning him was so easy.  I hope it gets easier for you.  Good luck.

 

[JeanenesBoogerBabies]

You know, we got pretty lucky with Mic and Indy...granted, if Indy could get his PAWS on ANYTHING, it'd be toast...I am wondering now how Pua will do...it's a whole different dog! I guess we'll see...sorry, no specific advice...just wanted you to know you aren't alone...the crate training thing can be really difficult!

 

[Mizorie]

Crate training for us was the hardest obstacle. Still working on it actually but we have defintely come a long long way. Sully it takes a lot of time and work. And for good results the work has to be constant. Hang in there, it can be done. Is it a pain in the butt? Why of course it is. Nothing can ever be easy. So be patient and hang in there my friend. Best of luck.

 

[JeepKuntry]

Crate training with our two was pretty easy.  We got Charlie on a weeknight, so both of us had to work the next day.  He slept the night in his crate and I took him out a couple of times.  Well I arrived home at lunch to crap everywhere.  I know it was only him being scared due to a new surrounding.  I cleaned both he and the crate up and took him.  He went the last 4 hours in his crate with no accidents.  Since then, his only slip up was last week.  He peed in his crate and I'm guessing since we had taken him to the vets, had numerous tests run, and actually had to assist in his water for a bit, that we gave him to much and he couldn't hold it.  Sadie hasn't had 1 accident in her crate.  We did get her on a Friday night so she had a couple of days to adjust.  Only problem was we had a big crate for her, and the first day when I got home from lunch I took them out seperately, while she waited in her crate she actually got the bottom part of jaw caught/stuck between the bars.  I've never heard a yelp like that, scared me to death!  I will say ours don't get blankets while we're not there though.  Charlie chewed a pillowcase up and Sadie is a chewer naturally so they basically get an empty crate and I'm sure they sleep.

 

[southerngirls]

The one thing i found out is that IF i put a blanket in the kennel Reese would pee on it. never fail, there would be pee. If i put a blanket OVER the kennel she would pull it in through the kennel wires and then she would pee on it. So we took all pieces of cloth away from the kennel so she wouldnt pee on them. She has not had an accident in her kennel for ages....i cant even remember the last time. Outside the kennel is another story, she currently has to be teathered to me, figured i would be past that stage at 9 months but guess not. he may have seperation anxiety, when we got Savannah back in March she was 2, and never been house/kennel trained. She took to the kennel quick-loved it! now she has NEVER gone in her crate, but when we first started letting her roam the downstairs while we were gone she would poo on the carpet. That has since stopped but everytime we came home we found her asleep squished up against the kennel. We figured that is where she wants to be so we started kenneling her with Reese again.

 

[southerngirls]

another thing-have you tried the ticking clock outside the kennel? Or you could possibly get one of those "momma bears" that have the soft soothing sound, i know he is older but that could still help calm him down some. We usually leave the radio on or animal planet on tv for the girls to watch while we are gone. They can see the tv from the kennel so i like to think that they "watch tv" when they get bored and arent sleeping.

 

[Rosco]

My Male "Rosco" was horrible in the crate from day one and he is now almost 7 and is still horrible.  He goes to work with me during the day and is with the family in the evening and used to sleep in my bed at night....he gets serious seperation anxiety when I put him in the crate.  He actually chewed his way through the bottom of one side....I can leave him in there for one hour and his blanket is soaked with drool and he looks and acts like he is going to stroke out.  
My female "Cloe" on the other hand also goes to work with me and I started crating her in the evening time due to her sneaking off my bed and night and proceeding to drag everything out of my kids rooms and stock piling it all up in her secret stash area.....anyway, she now loves her crate at night and willingly goes in when it is bed time.  It must be a male thing....just like our hubbies....always whining wanting all the attention...LOL

Good luck and have a great day

 

[Suchagirl]

Your puppy will be able to hold his bodily functions the older he gets.  He will have accidents in his crate, but eventually he will be able to stay for many hours, our dog stayed in his crate for 8 hours while we were all at work and the kids were in school.  He will get used to it, just keep doing what you are doing.  Its' better that he has his accidents in his crates instead of all thru your house if you decide not to crate.  He will get so used to his crate that, he will sense that you are getting ready to go somewhere and he will go in on his own, at least that is what my dog used to do.

 

[sully]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone.  I kinda needed it.  The frustration can wear you down.  He really is a perfect little guy otherwise, he never really needed the crate to be pottytrained.  He just has the occassional peeing on the floor because I took too long to get him out the door.  He's never pooped in the house other than this time in the crate so it's not a bladder issue, just anxiety.  You've all motivated me to start from scratch.  I just put him in the crate while I was home for about 30 minutes, I gave him a kong and walked around the house doing a few things.  He cried and barked but at times he was quiet, so I would give him a treat then.  I think I just have to gradually gain his trust and maybe someday I can leave the house without worrying.  I'll try it again tomorrow but I'll leave the house for a few minutes.

Oh and I did try leaving the tv on next to him (tuned to a music channel) and it did seem to calm him down a bit, good tip!

 

[samsonsmom]

It really is a work in progress..When I got Samson at 6 yrs, he had just learned about crates and didn't particularly care for it..There would be times when I would drive away I could hear him howling, but just kept on going....Angel was also crate trained, but now I just use it when I am gone...Be consistent, and keep doing what you are doing, it will take time and yes, it tries our patience as well, but it will get better....Music always seemed to work well for mine as well....