Crate Training Help

[usmc03grunt]

Cammie is now 17 weeks and I'm wondering if its too late to put her in a crate. She has been in one of those fenced kennels in our bathroom but the other day she got out and was running around the house terrorizing while we were gone then yesterday we came home and she had pooped and tore the entire room up. Bath time haha! Is it too late to buy a crate and put her in it.

I know she will be fine at night cuz she sleeps with us till I carry her to bed like a baby.

 

[bulldogs4me]

the good news is that it's never too late to crate train ... dogs are amazing, they live in the now so anything is possible! I would buy a crate set it up where you plan to keep it, leave the door open to begin with, let her sniff it and check it out ... if you can do several short crate lessons during the day that would be good .... start out by sitting next to the crate, toss a treat into the back let her go in to get the it, when she enters add your cue word, I use "kennel" then close the door and tell her good girl .... hopefully she will just calmly wait, if that's the case, open the door and let her come back out repeat that about 3 or 4 times and end the lesson .... each day increase the time spent in the crate to where you can close the door and walk away without her getting stressed. That's how I did it with my sons lab Ally and it worked well, she hated the crate at first but now with patience and complete consistency she is relaxed in the crate. Good luck

going to get some others here to give advice as well .... [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] [MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] [MENTION=1714]Sherry[/MENTION] [MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] .... sorry if I've left anyone off from being tagged

 

[Sherry]

the good news is that it's never too late to crate train ... dogs are amazing, they live in the now so anything is possible! I would buy a crate set it up where you plan to keep it, leave the door open to begin with, let her sniff it and check it out ... if you can do several short crate lessons during the day that would be good .... start out by sitting next to the crate, toss a treat into the back let her go in to get the it, when she enters add your cue word, I use "kennel" then close the door and tell her good girl .... hopefully she will just calmly wait, if that's the case, open the door and let her come back out repeat that about 3 or 4 times and end the lesson .... each day increase the time spent in the crate to where you can close the door and walk away without her getting stressed. That's how I did it with my sons lab Ally and it worked well, she hated the crate at first but now with patience and complete consistency she is relaxed in the crate. Good luck

going to get some others here to give advice as well .... @desertskybulldogs @Davidh @Sherry @Vicaroo1000 .... sorry if I've left anyone off from being tagged

I agree, I used 36" crates , it's never too late, and she'll like the feeling of a den. I had put blanket draped over on just 2 sides

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

I know she isn't an adult but here is a link to a great resource I used with Jake for lots of things as he grew. It's an online dog magazine..if you follow the link, there are lots of great stuff on crate training and everything else too!

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/crate2.html#Older

 

[sweetpeasmom2008]

I think a crate would be just fine! She will learn to love it and feed safe in there.

 

[Davidh]

Staying in a crate is the best and safest way to keep your bully when away from home. It's never too late. You have some excellent advise above, and some take to them right away, especially if you put a bed in there. We also feed ours in their crates, but when you have as many as we do it makes food time a lot easier. Plus make sure and get a wire crate, the plastic crates tend to be too hot for them. We use the 36" for our females and the 48" for Buddy. Once they get used to them they will go in there on their own when they want some quiet time.

 

[cali baker]

[MENTION=7183]usmc03grunt[/MENTION], Your story read like life w/my two guys except mine were 1.5years old b4 i started crate training them. Like all of the above, never too late! I thought the same as you that I missed some age "window" of crate training but both mine are doing very well so far and it's been maybe 1 month now.

 

[linwhite]

I agree, I used 36" crates , it's never too late, and she'll like the feeling of a den. I had put blanket draped over on just 2 sides

You can get a 36" wire crate with a metal tray and 3 doors from amazon for 50 bucks including shipping.

 

[usmc03grunt]

You can get a 36" wire crate with a metal tray and 3 doors from amazon for 50 bucks including shipping.

Thanks a lot. I actually just went down to Walmart got one for $64. Needed it ASAP haha

 

[Piamitch]

Ruckus loves his crate. He loves hanging out in his own personal space. Lola is a different story, but were working on that. I think her previous owners used it as a punishment.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

I agree, I used 36" crates , it's never too late, and she'll like the feeling of a den. I had put blanket draped over on just 2 sides

*nods* Mine prefer to have theirs covered also for more "den ambiance". LOL

 

[usmc03grunt]

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your helpCammie is doing well in her new crate, it funny cuz now sometimes it's hard to get her out of itWe put in a nice cozy blanket a few of her toys, also put a blanket to cover part of it. She loves it❤, thanks again for all your help

 

[Vince00]

Wise choice.. Good work and looks very comfortable