Author Topic: Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!  (Read 3738 times)

Offline Binky

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Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!
« on: March 23, 2008, 09:20:15 am »
Um, my brain is melting from exhaustion!  I don't have time to reread all the crating info-I'm holding the baby, typing w/one hand and trying to keep an eye on Sophie who has become way too interested in Sigfried the cat (Sigs is not impressed).  Also, my husband and I usually both work from home but of course we're having employee issues and he has to go in all week, so no help!  Ahhhhhh.  So please can someone remind me how to do this?  I swear your brain erases the trials of puppies so you'll get more :)  I've done this w/3 others but can't quite remember...
Do I comfort her when she cries in the crate?
Should I put her in the crate all the time-ie while we're up or just at night?
Can I just let her snooze on the floor as she wants to or should I put her in?
Was everyone right, am I insane to get a puppy with a six month old child?!!
Oh, she's so cute though, I know it's worth it, I'm just so tired.  Sorry this is rambling and crazy!
 
Binky-Great Pyrenees
Sophie-Leonberger
McDougal-Papillon
Chicklet-Papillon
Sigfried-Cat  RIP Sigs
Spooky-Cat
Jasper-Nigerian Dwarf goat
Ferdinand-Nigerian Dwarf goat

Offline Apreston

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Re: Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2008, 09:28:23 am »
Hi Congrats on Baby and Puppy...busy busy busy lasy you are!
With Titan we kept him in his cate for most of the day. We are able to come home for lunch each day and give him a walk and some play time but its just been recent that we atarting (slowly in small doese) to let him out...he's 9 months
Anyways to start off...
We had him in the crate the very 1st night all night and he did ok. When we were home he was out when we left he was in. When he winned and cried he left him untill he stopped and then went to reward him. We left the roon for 5 min no crying big praises and treats then 15 min then 1/2 hour and so on. ONLY when he stopped winning did he make our presence known with praise and treats. So we were consistent and it paid off. Sometimes when I was just home I needed a shower i put him in his cage with some toys and went on my way...he was good... he loves his cage...you want to make it a positive experiance.
Good Luck!

Offline Binky

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Re: Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2008, 09:33:24 am »
Thank you!  She has toys and a blanket with her mom and littermates' scent on it in the crate but she hates it :(  She will just howl and cry and scratch but if we let her out, she'll take two steps and sleep on the floor.  It's so sad!
Binky-Great Pyrenees
Sophie-Leonberger
McDougal-Papillon
Chicklet-Papillon
Sigfried-Cat  RIP Sigs
Spooky-Cat
Jasper-Nigerian Dwarf goat
Ferdinand-Nigerian Dwarf goat

Offline Apreston

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Re: Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2008, 09:50:58 am »
Poor thing...it breaks your heart...
You just have to be consistent. I know its sooooo hard... but in the long run there is a HUGE satisfaction knowing exactly where your pet will be when you get home. It just makes being away from them that much easier. You know when you leave where she is and when you get home she will be in the same spot nothing chewed or destroyed just her waiting for you to come home.
Try short periods of time 5 mins and when she stops howling for you let her out...make her comfortable in the crate knowing that you will be back BUT only when she is quite.
Give lots of praise and treats so she knows it ok to be in there and its not a bad thing its a good thing. We tell Titan to go to bed he walts right in there he lays done a gets a big treat we close the crate and off we go. It has really put my mind at ease when I dont have to run frantically through the grochery store cuz I am not sure what he is doing.
Good Luck and remember be Consistant!

Offline People Whisperer

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Re: Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2008, 09:54:45 am »
I like to introduce crate very slowly. For the first couple of days I was leaving the door wide open and put all kinds of toy and chews in there. I only let Lily chew her treats in the crate. Then after a while I started closing the door for 5-10 min and so on...That way I didn't traumatize the puppy as it is a veru difficult time to be away from littermates and mom :)
"To once own a Great Pyrenees is to love and want one always."
Mary W. Crane

I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it :)


Offline pyr4me

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Re: Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2008, 11:53:29 am »
I like to introduce crate very slowly. For the first couple of days I was leaving the door wide open and put all kinds of toy and chews in there. I only let Lily chew her treats in the crate. Then after a while I started closing the door for 5-10 min and so on...That way I didn't traumatize the puppy as it is a veru difficult time to be away from littermates and mom :)

This is exactly what I did when I crate-trained Tipper. I took it one step at a time and it ended up working well for us with minimal stress on Tipper. Just be patient, which is really hard to do when you're sleep deprived, but Sophie's only been with you one day, so she will need time to adjust to her new home and family.  :)
Jennifer

Tipper (8 1/2 yrs) Golden Retriever/Sheltie mix
Jenny (4 yrs) Great Pyrenees
Gabriel (14 yrs) Sealpoint Himalayan cat
Melanie (11 yrs) Domestic medium hair cat

"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us."
~Robert Lewis Steven

Offline AltDeutsche

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Re: Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2008, 01:27:42 pm »
I have to say you are not crazy for wanting a puppy and having a baby! I did it twice in a row but they were just at a year old.

Can't help with the crate training... we have issues ourselves.
Danielle
Mace Sable Coated GSD 02/08
Rex Sable Coated GSD 02/08

Offline mastiffmomoftwo

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Re: Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2008, 11:34:38 pm »
Don't know if this will help or not.
We have a small hallway that we had added as a dog room.
Of course this was in 1994 when we had smaller dogs.
We put Beau's crate in there, when it was sleepy time etc. and he loved it.  We did have to cover the crate as he likes it 'den like'.
When the crate was upgraded to the biggest vari kennel out there, I put him in the family rm/entry with the tile floor, and attached an x-pen to either side of the crate.  This meant his door could be open, he could get up and move around, but his movements would be restricted to that area alone.
It worked very well for us.

You could also try feeding in the crate.

Chris

(Beau & Luke's Mom)

Offline NarniaMals

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Re: Help-I've forgotten everything about crating!
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2008, 01:58:05 am »
Congrats on the baby and the pup.  I had really good advice from my sister when I crated all 3 of the pups.  With the husky it took a bit longer - my husband tried to "help" but ended up making things take longer.  I slept on the couch in the living room so I wouldn't have to tumble down the stairs from the bedroom.  The crate was in the family room (now the dog room).  When little booger-breath cried I took him out, put him in the grass and gave him the opportunity to do his thing.  If nothing happened, back to the crate.  If he cried I let it go for about 5 minutes and then out we went again.  I didn't engage him unless he "did his thing"  then LOTS of praise, but still back to bed.  The night my husband took over - ughhhh I caught him playing with the little guy at 3 in the am - becuae the puppy "wanted to play" - wrong answer!  So I took back over and all was fine.  Things went much better with the mals becuase I was in charge.  It took 3 nights on the couch to go all night without waking up.  During the day we have never had trouble.  When we are home and can pay total attention the pups are out, but if we are not in sight - off to crate they go - always with a treat!  We use "crate for cookie" and people are amazed at how fast they move!  Now they have a routine and know if their crate doors are open I expect them to crate.  I always make sure they get a cookie or two for a good crate.  My guys love their crates.  But as soon as we get home we have them out and with us - always. The husky sleeps with us upstairs - but the MALS prefer their crates - at least for now.

Good luck with the crating - like others have said - I always know where to find them and never worry about my house being destroyed or my pups hurting eachother.  Everyone and everything is safe.  They love their 8 hour daytime nap!
Marianne and the MALS
Jadis (Queen of Narnia - The White Witch) and
Vander  (One of her loyal guardians)
also Maulgrim (our Huskey - Head guardian and our little alpha dog!)