Go Back   Pet forum for dogs cats and humans - Pets.ca > Discussion Groups - mainly cats and dogs > Dog training - dog behavior

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old June 6th, 2006, 09:14 AM
lewisw's Avatar
lewisw lewisw is offline
Adopted by Dani
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: DDO
Posts: 222
crate training for an 11 month old adoptee

Hi all,
Wow there is so much valuable information available on this board that it is overwhelming.

As I mentioned yesterday I adopted Dani from Sashas on Sunday and she will be coming home tomorrow as she is having the steralization operation today.

I am very confused I bought a crate and set it up with comforter, toys and some rawhide bones that I saw she loved casue I brought one with me to the adoption place but could not leave it with her as to not casue jealousy with the other dogs there.

Marie-Claire from Sasha's told me she is housebroken as she never went in her cage . So my question is when we are home the cage door will always be open and she can tretreat to her safety zone if she wishes.

We are planning on letting her sleep in our bedroom as we bought a big doggie pillow for her to sleep on next to our bed .

So I am worried when we leave the house if we put her in the cage and close the door she might see it as punishment and I am not sure are we just better off eltting her have the roam of her new house since she is housbroken and not a puppy being about a year old ?

Again although I had a dog for 15 years and we lost him to cancer in november we bought him from a pet store (Something I will NEVER do again) and he was potty trainined pretty quickly without ever crating him.

Thanks again for having a place to ask questions again .

All the best,
Lewis
***

Last edited by White Wolf; June 29th, 2006 at 11:58 AM. Reason: No self promotion, please.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old June 6th, 2006, 09:33 AM
jessi76's Avatar
jessi76 jessi76 is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: U.S.
Posts: 2,510
welcome! and congrats on the new addition! and thanks for choosing to adopt!!! I saw the pic... Dani is adorable!

regarding the crate... since your home is new to her, I think the crate is good idea, however, I'd just start off with VERY short time periods in it. Like you plan to do, leave the door open and let her explore it. Then close the door for 30 seconds, reward her! next time try a minute, reward her! and so on. See how she reacts to the short times first, so you don't cause too much stress. Being in a new home with a new family is indeed exciting, but can also be a bit stressfull.

To start, when you leave the house, I'd try leaving her baby-gated in a room, such as the kitchen, and have her crate in there w/ her too, w/ door open. So she has the option of using it, but isn't locked up to start. (obviously make sure the room you choose to leave her in is dog-proof! just until you KNOW her habits)

btw - rawhide is ok for supervised chewing, but I wouldn't leave her alone w/ it if she's a major chewer. My dog is a major chewer, and I worry he'd get a chunk off and possibly choke or something while I'm away. KONGS are GREAT toys to leave though - fill them w/ all sorts of stuff! It keeps the dog focused and busy on the treat inside while you're gone.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old June 6th, 2006, 10:30 AM
lewisw's Avatar
lewisw lewisw is offline
Adopted by Dani
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: DDO
Posts: 222
Quote:
Originally Posted by jessi76
welcome! and congrats on the new addition! and thanks for choosing to adopt!!! I saw the pic... Dani is adorable!

regarding the crate... since your home is new to her, I think the crate is good idea, however, I'd just start off with VERY short time periods in it. Like you plan to do, leave the door open and let her explore it. Then close the door for 30 seconds, reward her! next time try a minute, reward her! and so on. See how she reacts to the short times first, so you don't cause too much stress. Being in a new home with a new family is indeed exciting, but can also be a bit stressfull.

To start, when you leave the house, I'd try leaving her baby-gated in a room, such as the kitchen, and have her crate in there w/ her too, w/ door open. So she has the option of using it, but isn't locked up to start. (obviously make sure the room you choose to leave her in is dog-proof! just until you KNOW her habits)

btw - rawhide is ok for supervised chewing, but I wouldn't leave her alone w/ it if she's a major chewer. My dog is a major chewer, and I worry he'd get a chunk off and possibly choke or something while I'm away. KONGS are GREAT toys to leave though - fill them w/ all sorts of stuff! It keeps the dog focused and busy on the treat inside while you're gone.
I saw a bunch of different Kong toys and had one in my hand even with a can of pate that you can put it into the toy BUT I could not believe she could get a treat out of it so I put it back. I'll probably go back to the store and pick one up though !

Of course for the rawhide I only plan on letting her have it when I am around.

Thanks so much for your input.
Lewis
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old June 6th, 2006, 10:38 AM
jessi76's Avatar
jessi76 jessi76 is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: U.S.
Posts: 2,510
oh you're most welcome for the advice...

regarding the KONG, yes there are many to choose from! Just be sure to get one large enough. not too small where the toy fits in Dani's mouth, she should be able to chew on it & work to get the treat, but it should not fit entirely into her mouth.

as for the KONG stuffers... the company does sell pastes & things to stuff the kong with, however, I've never needed to use them. In fact, I find them a bit pricey! I use peanut butter, cream cheese, small dog biscuits, kibble, hot-dog pieces, tuna, mozzarella cheese, canned dog food, white meat chicken pieces, plain yogurt, etc.. to fill my dog's kong.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old June 6th, 2006, 11:42 AM
lewisw's Avatar
lewisw lewisw is offline
Adopted by Dani
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: DDO
Posts: 222
Well you just saved me tons of money as the stuffer cans are 9.99 each and I am sure they would not last long .

So Dani will get natural penut butter just like what I eat

Best
Lewis

Waiting for news from Sasha's Den to see how she is doing after her operation ......

It's like waiting for test results .......

Waiting sucks !!!! oh well within 48 hours she should be home with me.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old June 6th, 2006, 11:57 AM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 10,287
Quote:
are we just better off eltting her have the roam of her new house since she is housbroken and not a puppy being about a year old ?
I would not let her have freedom of the house right away. To us, it would be wonderful to have whole new house to roam in, but a new dog it can be quite overwhelming and cause anxiety.

I would confine her to one room in the beginning, then increase her range as she becomes more confident and calm.

Hopefully you won't have to leave her alone right away, and can get her used to your abscences in small increments, like starting off with literally a few minutes at a time,

Of course, a lot depends ont he dog herself. When I brought my 2 year old dog home, she had run of the house immediately and acted as though she had always lived there, so no problem! Well, she did pee on the floor a couple times, but that was to be expected and certainly not her fault.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old June 7th, 2006, 02:30 PM
tenderfoot's Avatar
tenderfoot tenderfoot is offline
Senior Contributor - Expert
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Posts: 1,249
Just because she hasn't soiled her crate doesn't mean she is housebroken. I would still watch her and help her to understand that the house is not a territory to be soiled but outside is the place this happens.

I would have her in the crate in small increments during the day when you are home. DONT leave. Get her used to being in the crate in your house. The crate may very well be a security for her and asking her to be trusted in a bigger environment might be asking too much at first.

Please get rid of all rawhides. They can be dangerous even if you are with her. There are too many other great toy choices without having to use a rawhide. Rawhides can carry nasty bacteria and chemicals. They also become very gummy when wet and can adhere to the lining of the stomach creating a blockage that might need surgery to remove. Personally I think rawhides should not be sold at all.

Thank you so much for bring her home!:love:
__________________
Love Them & Lead Them,
~Elizabeth & Doug
www.TenderfootTraining.com
Dog Training the Way Nature Intended

Last edited by tenderfoot; June 7th, 2006 at 04:11 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old June 7th, 2006, 04:05 PM
chico2's Avatar
chico2 chico2 is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Oakville Ontario
Posts: 26,591
I am probably thinking old-fashioned,but I have a hard time with the idea of putting a dog in a cage,for any amount of time.
If Dani is well behaved,I would opt to getting a baby-gate and leave her in one room while you are gone.
Years ago when I had dogs,crating was not something we would ever have done,but I know now it's very popular:sad:
__________________
"The cruelest animal is the Human animal"
3 kitties,Rocky(r.i.p my boy),Chico,Vinnie
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old June 7th, 2006, 05:55 PM
LM1313's Avatar
LM1313 LM1313 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Spokane, WA
Posts: 819
To me, a crate has echos of a toybox . . . The owner only pops the dog out when he's home and it's time for fun, with an implication that it doesn't matter if the dog would rather be able to trot around the room rather than be stuck sitting in one place for hours on end while the owner's away. "Put that back in the toybox when you're done playing, Johnny. Someone might step on it!" Only in this case "someone might step on it" is replaced with "it might pee on the floor."

Don't get me wrong, there are legitimate uses for crates . . . like with Matty, who chews through walls. But I strongly disapprove of subjecting a dog to eight hours of sitting in a crate just because it hasn't been housetrained yet. Put the dog in a doggy playpen or the kitchen or bathroom instead . . . I get aches in my legs when I sit for too long and then I have to jog around to feel better. Teenagers often feel something similar, literal growing pains. What if our dogs feel the same thing?

~LM~
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old June 8th, 2006, 09:03 AM
OntarioGreys's Avatar
OntarioGreys OntarioGreys is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Woodstock, ON
Posts: 1,696
Crate training is not a bad thing, I wish when Nikki was younger I would have crate trained her, she is 8 1/2 now, last year she had to spend some time at the vets and of course had to be crated she panicked so horribly the vet had to get me to bring in one of my other dogs and they put the 2 of them in a kennel together to calm her down. and my third dog Maya is so fearful that putting Nikki and Maya together would not be a good thing as they would only feed on each other fears rather than be a calming influence to each other.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old June 8th, 2006, 09:21 AM
lewisw's Avatar
lewisw lewisw is offline
Adopted by Dani
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: DDO
Posts: 222
Dani update ...
I have a crate for her all set up and the door is open she goes in when she feels like it and relaxes its seems to be when she wants some alone time .

As for closing the door I have not done that and her cage is is in our open concept kithchen//living room with a huge pet pillow I bought her yesterday from Costco . Last night I brought the pillow to the bedroom and she slept with us although I'm jealous I put the pillow on my side of the bed but woke up to tinkle at around 2:00am and found her sleeping on the floor on my wifes side of the bed.

I work about 15 minutes away from my home by car so I plan on making lunch trips to take her for a walk . My kids finish school tomorrow so they will walk her after that .

p.s. I feel very at home here and hope to be a contributor for a long time.

Sincerely,
Lewis
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old June 8th, 2006, 10:24 AM
jessi76's Avatar
jessi76 jessi76 is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: U.S.
Posts: 2,510
Quote:
Originally Posted by LM1313
To me, a crate has echos of a toybox . . . The owner only pops the dog out when he's home and it's time for fun, with an implication that it doesn't matter if the dog would rather be able to trot around the room rather than be stuck sitting in one place for hours on end while the owner's away. "Put that back in the toybox when you're done playing, Johnny. Someone might step on it!" Only in this case "someone might step on it" is replaced with "it might pee on the floor."

Don't get me wrong, there are legitimate uses for crates . . . like with Matty, who chews through walls. But I strongly disapprove of subjecting a dog to eight hours of sitting in a crate just because it hasn't been housetrained yet.
That's really not what crate training is about. It's never to be used instead of housebreaking or training, nor should a dog be left for 8+ hrs in the crate without a break (bathroom & social time). Instead of thinking of it as a toy-box, think of it as you do a child's room. A kid's room is HIS space, has his toys, bed, and is a safe & stress-free area. Same for the dog. My dog's crate is his ROOM. Sure, alot of people abuse crates and don't crate train properly, but if done correctly and used appropriately, it's a great skill to have for the dog. Additionally, I think you'll find most people here who crate train don't just "pop" their dogs out when they want to play, or stick them back when play time is over.

I don't think Lewis has intentions of using it inappropriately, and from the few posts I've read, I've noticed he has a great understanding of it, along with an obvious commitment to his new pooch.

Lewis, we hope you stick around for a long time too - and post many many pics of Dani, as she settles into her new forever home!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old June 8th, 2006, 10:37 AM
lewisw's Avatar
lewisw lewisw is offline
Adopted by Dani
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: DDO
Posts: 222
Quote:
Originally Posted by jessi76
That's really not what crate training is about. It's never to be used instead of housebreaking or training, nor should a dog be left for 8+ hrs in the crate without a break (bathroom & social time). Instead of thinking of it as a toy-box, think of it as you do a child's room. A kid's room is HIS space, has his toys, bed, and is a safe & stress-free area. Same for the dog. My dog's crate is his ROOM. Sure, alot of people abuse crates and don't crate train properly, but if done correctly and used appropriately, it's a great skill to have for the dog. Additionally, I think you'll find most people here who crate train don't just "pop" their dogs out when they want to play, or stick them back when play time is over.

I don't think Lewis has intentions of using it inappropriately, and from the few posts I've read, I've noticed he has a great understanding of it, along with an obvious commitment to his new pooch.

Lewis, we hope you stick around for a long time too - and post many many pics of Dani, as she settles into her new forever home!
I'm still NEW to the crate training aspect as my other dog was 15 years old and passed away in November but we never used a crate training back then even though it was around .

Either way I think by just keeping the cage withg toys in it and the open door concept she sees it is HER territory and I told my kids when she is in there don't bother and let her get used to her personal space . She comes out on her own when she wants attention.

I'm now heading home as I want her to stay with me in my office for the afternnon so I can keep an eye on her so she does not play with her stitches.

Luckily my 17 year old daughter is finished and just has a few exam s over the next few days so she will mostly be home. My 14yr old son is finisched school tomorrow so next week Dani will NEVER be alone at all....

Best to all,
Lewis

p.s. Marko noticed your in Montreal ... So am I .... well at least close in Dollard Des Ormeaux .

one more question how long till I can take Dani to the Park where they have the dog enclosure so she can socialize with other dogs ?
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old June 8th, 2006, 02:19 PM
tenderfoot's Avatar
tenderfoot tenderfoot is offline
Senior Contributor - Expert
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Posts: 1,249
Someday this dog is going to HAVE to be alone! That is real life. Better to actively teach her now how to self entertain, and trust that you will come back for her than to freak her out when you suddenly need to leave her.
Crate training wasn't a big thing when you had your first dog. It doesn't mean that it doesn't have value. If every dog in this country were crate trained the shelters would have less dogs. Proper crate training can prevent oodles of problems. (did I really use the word 'oodles'? thats a little scary)
__________________
Love Them & Lead Them,
~Elizabeth & Doug
www.TenderfootTraining.com
Dog Training the Way Nature Intended
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Forum Terms of Use

  • All Bulletin Board Posts are for personal/non-commercial use only.
  • Self-promotion and/or promotion in general is prohibited.
  • Debate is healthy but profane and deliberately rude posts will be deleted.
  • Posters not following the rules will be banned at the Admins' discretion.
  • Read the Full Forum Rules

Forum Details

  • Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
    Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
    vBulletin Optimisation by vB Optimise (Reduced on this page: MySQL 0%).
  • All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:41 AM.