crate training

duey1977 · New Pup

crate training

PawPrint · Smitten by Boxers

Potty her before putting her in the crate. She needs to make the connection with outside poop. She is still a baby baby. You will just have to be patient and consistant with her :)

SemisweetVixen · All Grown Up

As Christina has said - always allow her to potty before putting her in the crate. How do you feed her? Do you split up her meals? If you do, when you feed her her last feeding, do so in the early evening (way before you turn in for the night)... so this gives her a good length of time to completely digest her food & get it out of her system. Allow her to potty several times before putting her in her crate. Another suggestion would be to start personally walking her on a leash during these "potty breaks." She will then associate this as a time to merely go potty & not play time. If you let them out on their own, sometimes pups can forget to go or simply won't completely finish going (get distracted).

Also - since you've said she's throwing a fit about going in her crate, it seems to me that she considers it a bad thing. Which is not good. You want her to see the crate as a good thing. I've never had success in putting the puppy in the crate myself. I've always given them the option... let them go in on their own. The more things they do on their own, the more their confidence builds. More-so she'll appreciate the crate & WANT to go in there when given the cue. Make the crate a fun place. Use food or toys - throw the toys in her crate & wait for her to retrieve them - when she puts one foot in that crate.. praise, praise, praise. Only after the pup is comfortably going in the crate on her own & begins to remain in there for longer periods do I then start closing the door. If she whines at this stage, completely ignore her until she calms down. If you open the crate when she's throwing a fit, this will reinforce the behaviour... she'll then know that she can get you to open the crate just by whining/barking.

-- Edited by SemisweetVixen at 03:17, 2007-03-07

Jonney · All Grown Up

Check out the thread Puppy Blues as there is information there on crate training.

duey1977 · New Pup

thats the thing before we put her in her crate i make sure she has peed and pooped,

SemisweetVixen · All Grown Up

All I can say is be patient & try taking her out more than once... she'll soon catch on. And make sure you disinfect her crate very well. If she still smells her pee/poop, she'll continue to think she can go in there. Nature's Miracle is a great product.. but I've also had very good success with mixing soap, vinegar & hot water. :)