Help Needed! Yet another crate question!

[mer55]

Hi all! Bogey is not really adjusting to his crate very well. No accidents in there, but he really hates being put in it and whines and cries when first put in. Last night he cried about 25 minutes after each potty run during the night (11pm, 1 am, 5am). Here is my question. I know the crate is an invaluable tool when training. I have not had a puppy in 10 years, and my bullmastiff took to his crate like water! No crying, whining, no nuttin!
Bogey played hard yesterday with some neighborhood kids. When I saw he was getting tired, I brought him in the house and he plopped on the tile floor and fell sound asleep. Same thing last night during the 7-10pm hours, he was perfectly content to sleep out in the family room, either on his bed or the tile.
1) should I let him sleep where he lies or should I have crated him for his naps? I tried once to put him in the crate but he woke right up and whined for 20 minutes and did not go to sleep, so I waited til he stopped whining, and when he was just sitting there looking out, I let him out and of course, we had to go right out to potty because so much time had lapsed!

2)Would it be bad to use the crate just for night time and when we need to leave the house? Would he associate this with a negative event?

3)I did use the crate this morning- he was overtired and became out of control with the feet biting, nipping- I know he was overtired and would not settle down, so I put him in- he was very upset, but I walked away. I finally put a blanket over the crate so he could not see me (it's in our living room) and finally he settled down and is sleeping like an angel!

I don't want him to hate the crate, but I know he needs it. I have read all the articles I can on crating and they keep saying how much dogs love their crates- they have not met my little monster yet! LOL!

Since he hates it so much, should I be covering it to make him settle in so he does not see us when we need him to settle down?
Looking for all the crate parenting advice I can get!!
Thanks !
mary

 

[linwhite]

Try covering it more . If it helps, why not. I think the reason we go for wire crates rather than the hard sided ones is fear of over heating. Unless you keep your home over 70 - 72 degrees or so that shouldn't be a problem. If you become concerned about that you can slowly move the cover back or use a sheet instead of a blanket. Zelda always preferred to sleep in a den. Either a hard sided crate or under something.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

I don't think Bo would have taken to crate training as easily as he did except for watching Bea. She LOVES her crate and I think she "showed" Bo what a good thing it is. Their crates are right next to each other with an afghan thrown over them for that "den" feeling they prefer.

Crate training is just that; training. It takes time. I crated these pups anytime where I couldn't watch them with my own two beady eyes. LOL Their crates were left open, in a common area in the house, and more and more they'd go in there, on their own to nap. Bea used to take a toy in there and play with it. I never woke up the puppy to put it IN the crate UNLESS I was going to be somewhere in the house where I could not watch the puppy for potty training purposes. Since dogs do not want to soil their den, you've got that going for you as it's in their DNA. And these days, Bea's "den" provides a safe haven for her when her Brother Bo is trying to steal her toys. LOL

Bea and Bo are the first dogs I've ever crate trained and I'm kicking myself for not doing it before now with previous pups.

 

[LaurenA]

Rook didn't love his crate right away... He would have much rather stayed out with us at all times. But at night and while we are away it is the safest place for him.

For a long time we had to physically place him in the crate, he'd never go in on his own. Then, even after he would go in on his own when I told him it was bedtime, he would quick spin around and try to escape before the door closed. I started giving him a few frozen green beans every time he needed to be in the crate. Eventually, when I would tell him it was time for bed, he would go sit in his crate and wait for his beans. It took a really long time for him to be good about it, and he still gets his beans. But now he will go in there on his own to lay down and take a break. He knows it's his personal space where no one will bother him.

Don't worry, you are doing the right thing! Just keep being consistent and Bogey will catch on and understand. You have to out stubborn a bulldog, so it might just take some time.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Here's a great online magazine I used with Jake. They have some great info and I hope some will help you. There are many great articles..but this is to getting your pup used to the crate. Good Luck!
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/crate2.html#Cry

 

[Hstead]

We have had Spielman home for a week now and he HATED the crate for first few days. He thinks he has to sleep in my lap. I have put him in the crate and laid on the floor beside him until he dozes off, takes about five minutes and that has helped him get used to it. We put him in the crate when we eat dinner and he does really well. I also put him in the crate before he goes to sleep when I know he is tired and he can see me from it, it is in the living room as well, and that has helped. Last night was the first night that he didn't cry at all, and he was crated from 10:30pm to 8am and taken outside at 12, 2, and 4.

So far I have been impressed with his intelligence. I didn't think he would be as smart as he is. We have only had 4 accidents in the house in a week. We are diligent about taking him out every hour or when he starts his "potty dance" sniffing etc. The last two days he has actually gone to the door and stood a few times.

He has also learned several things he is not allowed to chew on, Xmas tree, rug, shoes, etc. He is bad about biting feet and hands. He understands he cannot bit mine but he stills wears the kids out. I am trying to teach the kids they have to control his biting as well. I have had several pups and this pup is by far the hardest headed I have had. He is hilarious, as he gets so mad because he is not allowed to chew on something and he will just stare at me like I am the meanest thing on earth. He then walks slowly over and lays beside it and then leans over to nibble and when I give him the command, he just rolls over and throws fit and then starts the process over again. He is really hard headed.

 

[bulldogs4me]

I only use the crate when I have to leave the house, I let the babies have free roam otherwise. If you are going to be there when Bogey is just taking a nap on his bed or the tile floor I personally would let him sleep out of the crate ... but at night and when you leave I think the best thing is to use the crate. He will get use to it, he is young and this is his first time alone without his littermates so it's a new experience ... you might try to find one of those stuffed animals with the heart beat that he can cuddle up with, that way he won't feel like he is alone in his crate. Stick with it, you are doing a great job!!!

 

[matzwd]

I can't offer any advice here. I'm the biggest pushover ever. I tried to get Clara acclimated to get crate three different times. Even with treats she would run to get away and squawk all night. I ended up letting her sleep in the recliner in bedroom because the leather would squeak when she woke up, and I'd know to take her out, and she was much happier there. The recliner is now her den.

Sent via Tapatalk on my S3

 

[2BullyMama]

Thei was sooooooooooooo long ago for us, but we tend to do what you have listed at #2.... night and not at home -- they now do as [MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] has stated, it is their den and where they go to be left alone to nap or whatever.

 

[KMARINO]

We adopted Vegas from a guy that was a young professional and worked 14 hour days (still in touch 3 years later, he did it out of love) , so Vegas was locked in a crate 14 hours a day when we got him at 4.5 months. Vegas LOVED his crate, I did use the crate as a pup when I would leave the house, as time went by and he got out of his puppy stage I would just leave the crate open and he went in on his own. He is almost 4 and still loves to nap in his crate. I never shut or lock the door, he just goes in to have his private space. Personally when I was home I just let him nap anywhere he wanted as a pup, when I went to work or left for a bit I crated him. I think soon enough Bogey will love his crate and use it for his own get-a-way, right now he is too young. Keep up the good work on crating him!!

 

[mer55]

THANKYOU all for the great advice! I have let him sleep where he wants today, but I have been tossing his favorite toys in the crate during play so he has to get them and can come right out. I also think he will do better if I cover the crate partially, so I will give that a try. I am also going to try and get up ahead of him tonight to potty rather than having him wake up and start yelping. We'll see!!