crate training help needed!

[cleosmommy]

Hi everyone:

I've had Cleo for 2 weeks now and she has been using pee pee pads in her pen with great success. I am now in the process of crate training her to go outside to the potty. Today is my first day. This morning I fed her in her crate and kept taking her outside every 15 minutes or if she cried. Nothing. Finally, she peed in her crate right after I had brought her in. When we're outside she lays in the grass and relaxes and plays. I think she is crying in her crate just to go outside. How do I know the difference? Also,what about the peeing in the crate?

Thanks!

[faeriedust1127]

The purpose of crate training is so that they WON"T pee in their crate and will wait to be taken outside. If they are left in the crate too long or the crate is too big, then will start to go potty inside of it. There was a post not too long ago asking about crate training issues and someone reponded with a nice organized schedule for crating. Can't remember who, and it might have been in the all breed dog forum. I'm not sure but you can try looking for it.

[LucyLu]

How about moving the puppy pad slowing towards to the door. For example, move it right outside the crate for a day or two. Then each day slowly inch it towards the door. Then finally move it outside onto the grass. Then totally eliminate the pad. Your pup is just confused.

[puttin510]

Here it is. This is from a gal I know on another forum. She did not write it just found it for us. You can arrange the schedule to fit your own.

SCHEDULE from www.thepetprofessor.com

7:00 a.m. - Get puppy out of crate or sleeping area, and immediately take him outside to potty area on leash.

7:15 a.m. a Feed and offer water.

7:30 a.m. a Take puppy back out to potty area. Use a command, like eHurry up!e to encourage the dog to eliminate. A successful potty deserves great praise! Take for a walk or have a structured play session.

8:00 a.m. a Put puppy in crate or confined area for nap.

Going to Work?

If you have to go to work, like the rest of the world, you have two options. A very young puppy (8 to 12 weeks) should be crated for periods no longer than four hours during the day. You should come home during the day, to provide your puppy/dog with a break, otherwise you must have hire a service or have neighbor come in during the day to provide the proper care. As dogs mature, they can be left for longer periods of time, especially if they have earned freedom from the crate.

Staying Home?

If you don't have to go to work, then continue the schedule

10:00 a.m. Get puppy out of crate or sleeping area and immediately take him outside to potty area on leash.

10:15 a.m. Walk the puppy and play for short period of time.

10:30 a.m. Allow puppy to entertain itself with safe toys in a safe puppy-proof area.

Noon - Feed puppy second meal

12:15 p.m. Take puppy to potty area on leash.

12:30 p.m. Have short play session and stimulate mentally with a short obedience session of sit and down.

1:00 p.m. Put puppy back in crate for afternoon nap.

3:00 p.m. Let puppy/dog out of crate or sleeping area and immediately take outside to potty area on leash.

4:00 p.m. Allow puppy to socialize with kids coming home from school. (If you have no children coming home, find someone with children or other adults to expose the puppy/dog to members of the world!

5:00 p.m. Feed last meal of the day and offer water.

5:15 p.m. Take puppy to potty area on leash.

5:30 p.m. Crate or confine puppy while the family prepares for and eats their dinner.

6:30 p.m. Allow the puppy/dog to socialize with all members of the family, play quietly by itself, or go for a short walk.

8:00 p.m. Offer a last drink of water for the night

10:00 p.m. Take the puppy outside for one last pit stop. Crate or confine puppy for the night only after you have seen it go poop and pee.

Article supplied by:

©Nancy King


you will NEED to know that he's in a safe place not off pottying somewhere - contrary to what you might think right now (I totally understand your excitement!) - you won't be able to watch him ALL the time. here are a couple of other good links.

http://www.perfectpaws.com/index.html

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/hsetrain.html#Hbp

[shredmaster]

that sounds great but what if you work an hour from home and you live in an apartment and you don't know your neighors in the building or you wouldn't want them to let your dog out.

i have a 12 week old cairn male that we bought last week. he uses his papers only to go on.....that are in his crate. i was going to crate train him but he jumped in there and went the first night before i could set it up. i discovered he uses the papers in the cage everytime. never an accident on the kitchen, where he is sectioned off.....only goes in the crate which is in the kitchen. but i was thinking of switching to crate training. i work from 8am till 6pm and i can't get home to let him out. i have not seen that addressed? my girlfriend says to just keep using the paper method and crate him on evenings and weekends when i'm home.

[puttin510]

Sheddy, I think in your situation its different, the way things are for you is almost like your dog is using the crate like a little box. I think thats the route you should stick with, doing the routine above is not for everyone. Things need to be tweaked sometimes. If hes going in the crate and your ok with it, then thats fine. As long as he knows he can go outside too. I don't see a problem. Down the road you can take the crate up if need be and let him go outside only. But being that you're gone for a good amount of time, it works for you.

[shredmaster]

puttin, thanks, that's just what i'll do. he is going outside as well. we give him treats after he goes and after only a week of having him we take him down the stairs and he zooms to the back door at the bottom and waits. i open the door and he leads me to his spot. as he goes i praise him and he looks for his treat. this guy is smart. in the meantime he only goes on the newspapers in his crate. thanks for your help. maybe i just needed to hear it was ok to do it the paper way. of course there will be accidents.... and setbacks.

[puttin510]

He does sound smart, its perfectly fine to change things to fit your needs. Its your life, just because its a crate, no one ever said it can't be a litter box. You are doing fine just as you are.

[shredmaster]

we still take him outside of course. come spring i have to make the transition from locked in the kitchen on papers to just outside.
by the way, i took him to my parents and my mom put papers on the kitchen floor....huge kitchen floor with only one paper down. well he went to the paper and went...so it's not just the cage. i may take that cage away in a couple weeks. i'm sure the transition from paper to NO PAPER (in 6 months.....only kitchen floor) and then to outside only will be fine. i stress too much.

[puttin510]

Its easy to stress, when ones little pup has bodily fluids coming out. I know I do it. You are having a much easier time than me. My poodle still will not give me a sign as to when she has to go. So you are way ahead of me.