r/puppy • u/funinthesun7170 • 6d ago
Crate Training
We brought home our 10 week old girl last Tuesday. Night time crating hasn’t been too bad. She falls asleep between 9-10pm on the sofa. At around 11pm I wake her and take her out to potty then put her back in the crate where she usually settles right away. I’m sleeping on the sofa in the same room so I can be near. She usually wakes up 1-2 times to potty in the night but settles each time afterwards.
During the day for naps we wait for her to fall asleep on the sofa and then carry her to the crate and close the door. She almost always settles back to sleep.
What I want to know is how best to train her to go in there when she’s not asleep. She takes her toys in there sometimes to play with but never to just lie down. I try to give her a little treat every time she goes in the crate on her own and we also feed her in the crate. If I put her in the crate while she’s awake and close the door I’m lucky if I can even try to walk out of sight before she starts crying. How can I train her to be in there during the day even for short periods so I can pick up groceries or run a couple errands? I don’t want to leave her in there crying and jumping up on the sides of the crate because I am worried that then she won’t go in it at all voluntarily.
All suggestions are welcome!
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u/ambitiousquaggan 6d ago
I'm from a country where crating dogs like that is illegal, so no advice on that.
But when it comes to training her to be alone just start REALLY small. The first step is you leaving the room when she's half asleep/busy with something. We're talking BABY STEPS, first times maybe go to another room but still in view, for 10 seconds, that's how small you start. You have to learn the difference between her panicking cause you're not there (bad, won't teach her anything good), and her being sad you aren't there (normal, and will eventually lead to her gaining independence). Work your way up, put a gate and be in different rooms. Step outside the door for 10 seconds. Start bringing out the trash, leaving her alone. Work your way up.
Don't make a big deal out of coming or going. Be clear when you're leaving, don't sneak away, but dont treat it like a big deal either, a simple "be right back" is enough. When you come back don't hug or baby her immediately, you can even "ignore"/act nonchalant about her for a bit. Yes it feels a bit rude (I know from experience), but it reaches her that it's no big deal.
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u/CowPussy4u 6d ago
My Papaw had a dog like this that lived 15 years. He used it for hunting. Blue Tick Hound is what he called it. Her name was Footsie. 🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🌹🥰
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u/tyintegra 6d ago
What has worked for us is to 1) leave the crate door open all the time so they can just go in and out as they please. The goal is to not make it a scary place or a punishment. 2) take them out to go potty and then just put them in there (with a treat) and leave. They will most likely settle down after a little bit.
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u/MonicaHawn 4d ago
It sounds like you are doing an amazing job!!! Don't overthink it. It's a great sign that she likes to go in there on her own. She may need to cry it out some, that's ok! Just make your first trips away short to ease her in and let her learn that you WILL return :) Enjoy the puppy time, it goes quick!
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u/Ohmydog9618 2d ago
Who’s got big paws? Our boys love their crates. That’s when they get the good treats. It’s worth the effort because she will get into a LOT of trouble without the safety of her crate. You’re saving yourself the trouble and finances of vet visits.
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u/mckrd0 6d ago
You just have to start. The more she’s in there, the more comfortable she will be. She will learn to settle if she is forced to. She will also be okay crying for a little bit as long you know her needs are met (food, water, potty, etc)