Crate Tricks?

[Guest kimmel729]

So, as of lately I've been having trouble getting Brook to get in her crate. It used to be as easy as this: I would throw a treat to the back of her crate, she would climb in and I would shut the door. Now she has caught on. I throw in the treat and she just looks at me and refuses to get in. I know many people swear by the kongs to get their dogs to like being in their crate. Does anyone use these as their crate incentive? I just have a feeling it might not work for me because she won't even get in there for a treat anymore...How do can I get her to go in there? Once she is in there she is fine and doesn't cry or anything. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks

[MauCarden]

Maybe she wants to graduate from the crate. Why and when do you crate her? These dogs do seem to have a canny knack for trying to train us.

[GeorgeofNE]

Sounds like she's done with the crate. They're not necessary for all dogs for all that long. George was out of his after a month and there's never been a single problem!

[greysmom]

Do you really *need* to crate her? I know many many people swear by crating - and there is a time and a place for them - but she may be telling you she doesn't need it anymore. You might try a very short trial of left alone loose in the house to see how she does. Baby gate her into a dog-proofed room or close doors to rooms you don't want her in. If she's a destructive chewer she can wear her muzzle.

 

If you do really need to crate her you'll need to up the yummy quotient on the treat quite a bit.

 

 

[Guest IrskasMom]

Mine was just three Days in the Crate and never looked back.He,not once had an Accident in the House or destroyed something. The only Time he got into my Shredd-Sack ( I shredd everything and put it in a Trashbag for Recycling) and had a lot of Fun with the Shredds.

[Guest krystolla]

I'd suggest getting a better treat . Seriously, though, if milkbones don't work bits of sliced chicken might. Or burpdog biscuits or liver snaps or marshmallows . . . you get the idea.

 

The other thing is make sure that the crate time isn't always long hours. Have her go in the crate, get a treat, come out. Or go in and stay for just a few minutes. If the only time she's crated is when you are about to leave for work it's no wonder she's not eager to climb in there.

[Guest isntitgreyt]

I would say that maybe it's time for her not to use the crate. Give her a try and see how it goes!! Foxy and Molly always eat in their crate and get treats in there as well. I wouldn't crate them but they don't agree. The crate is their "safe" zone.

[Hubcitypam]

Crates are wayyyy overrated except for medical reasons and as safe places with the door left open.

 

Babygates are often a good alternative.

[Guest MyBoys]

Crates are wayyyy overrated except for medical reasons and as safe places with the door left open.

 

Babygates are often a good alternative.

 

I agree 100%

[rallyp]

If not letting her out of the crate is an option for you, then what I would do is make sure that crate is still a fun place to be while she's in there. When I foster, most of my fosters hit a point where they start getting reluctant to go back in the crate - they're basically reaching that point where they probably don't *need* to be in there. But for various reason, *I* need the foster to be in there. When this happens, I start doing things like randomly dropping a handful of kibble while the dog's in the crate (while she's being nice and quiet of course), dropping in treats here and there, and giving her attention while she's in the crate - talking to her, petting her paw or whatever I can reach.. This almost always works. I know one thing that often happens with me is I get into the habit of ignoring the dogs when they go into the crate - so they start associating the crate with getting no attention. Once I turn that around, they're usually good again.

[Guest rachelee]

Bistro only used his crate for 2 nights and he cried the whole time. Once we stopped using the crate he became happy. Not all dogs like being crated.

[ivon]

Hmmm, I haven't had that problem, in fact this morning when I called Karma over to "go in the crate" not only did she happily come running and went right in, Spud did too, and went into his crate, even though he is not crated, so I just left his door open. Some like it, some don't I guess....Karma is only crated because she likes it, it makes her feel secure, if I left her out she would be anxious because I am leaving, crated she is fine. I feed her in the crate, so that may be part of it....

[Guest 4dogscrazy]

Some dogs just come home and decide they no longer want to be crated. Good advice already given, I personally muzzle mine when I leave since I have four loose in the house when I'm not home. I don't really worry about them getting into anything major, but more about a disagreement when I'm gone. I do also have a destructive chewer, so she must be muzzled, therefore all of them are. You could try the baby gates, we use them with success here also. Good luck, sometimes they know things before we do

[Guest Jubilee251]

I would agree with trying the babygates unless there's a legitimate reason why she needs to be in her crate. Molly hated being in the crate when we made her go in there. After we stopped forcing it and leaving the door open, she started going in there of her own choosing. Now she happily goes in her crate at bedtime (she will run in there and wait for her bedtime treat); otherwise, we just leave her loose in the condo.

[TwiggysMom]

Crate debate aside, if you want her to be happy to go in her crate, I have something that might work. It is what I do for all my fosters, and it has worked so far. (BTW, I crate because I have cats and work all day, so I don’t want to take the risk).

 

All meals served in crate. I use stainless steel bowls/holders that attach to the inside of the crate. I also feed 3 times daily (not specifically recommending, just that it works for my fosters, and my own girl). 1 of those meals each work day is given just as I am leaving for work. The pup is too busy eating to care that I am leaving. Also, 3 meals means that odds are, when they go in for a meal, I won’t be leaving. (I don’t know if that enters their conscience, but they were racing dogs…)

 

Of 15 fosters, all have learned within 2 days to happily trot into the crate for their meals (a few balked for the first day or so). Once in, I haven’t had any of them be frantic to get back out again, and all of them have spent at least some time in the crate voluntarily (i.e.: door open & many other available dog beds that aren’t in the crate).

 

Of course, there will be some hounds that just won’t crate well no matter what you do, but there’s a chance that this could help.

[Guest kimmel729]

Thanks, great advice! I guess maybe I can go without crating her. I have only had her a month and all the books recommend at least 3 months of crate training so I guess I just wanted to do the "right" thing. She is free roaming except when I leave the house and then she is crated. I am not always in the same room as her and she seems to be doing fine. I have even left her alone for 10 - 15 min without incident so that must be a good sign. I will try blocking her in one room when I leave as suggested and maybe start out muzzling too just to be safe.

[MauCarden]

Tell Brook she has a whole lot of aunties looking out for her. I think you are making the right decision, especially if she is already showing good sense. Try longer and longer periods away with and without muzzle. Also nothing wrong with leaving her with a treat-maybe even inside the crate but let it be her choice. Nothing wrong with Brook deciding the crate is her friend which she can leave at will.

[Guest Spencers_Greyt]

The way I taught Spencer is that I feed him in his crate so he automatically associates good things with the crate and then in order for him to get a treat, he must get in the crate first to receive it. Six years later and he still runs to his crate to eat and get treats!

[cleptogrey]

sorry for the double post...opps!

Edited June 23, 2010 by cleptogrey

[cleptogrey]

check the bedding in your crate, the crates are large enough that it might be soiled in a corner.

 

i always travel w/ crates and it is well appreciated. this way i can go out w/ friends and leave the dogs crated, safe and sound and no one is concerned about any possible destruction or accidents in a strange place.

 

my dogs are lined up, waiting to get into a crate when i have a boarder. often i will find 2 dogs in a crate. try giving high quality treats, a couple of kongs and feeding only in the crate. that might help change your pup's attitude. also, if you dog is not soiling the bedding, try a dog bed in the crate as well. make it as comfortabe as possible.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

I respectfully disagree that crates are overrated. I believe as clepto states so well in that there are many times when a crate is needed. Should your hound not be used to a crate, then when the time comes where you "need" to crate then you are in for a world of anxiety. I see nothing wrong with a crate. If your hound spends more time outside the crate during a 24 hour period than inside, no problem. Some of the times when a crate is handy is if you are hosting a party, have a maintenance person in the home, go on vacation and take your hounds with you (hotel or family/friends house), have multple hounds (medical issues such as seizures, or injuries where one needs to be safely separated quickly), when you are training your hound (the others need to be able to see, but not interact when training is going on), I could go on and on.

What I would recommend if you wish to keep your hound interested in the crate is as others have stated, feed your hound every meal in the crate. It is as simple as that. I feed all three of my hounds in crates, as well as my foster (long term fosters in this house). I also have an agreement with the group that I foster for that all foster dogs shall be crated when left alone.

I truly believe it is safer to have a crate around and have the hounds used to going into a crate, than not having it and an emergency comes up. JMO.

 

Chad

[jenn8]

If your hound spends more time outside the crate during a 24 hour period than inside, no problem.

 

For who?

 

Jenn

[Guest GreyFan09]

We use frozen cow hooves and kongs with some kibble and peanut butter in them. Comet used to HATE going into his crate and has some bad SA. We used to have to work to get him in there, including dealing with howling and crying. But, since he figured out that he gets a frozen peanut butter hoof once he goes in, all I have to do is say "Comet, go to your crate", and he immediately jumps up and runs upstairs into his crate and stands there, wagging his tail, waiting for me to give him the "treat". Once he gets his peanut butter hoof he immediately starts working on it, and is totally oblivious to anything else, including us leaving the house. This has been a miracle for his SA problem which no longer exists!!

 

Good luck!