# Unsuccessful crate training



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Are you using the crate at any other time, like for naps and at night?

They do adjust, remember he's still a baby. But using the crate as a regular thing, even when you're home, helps a lot. If you only put him in when you're going out that's double his worries - he's in a crate and you're leaving!

You may want to cover it but make sure he can still get air and so on, and isn't getting too warm or stuffy too. Put the crate in the bedroom, put him in for a morning and afternoon nap for the first while so you can get things done, and then again at night for training. Even if you're home. Don't rush when you do go out and come back to get him either, get your stuff off, check the mail, go to the bathroom and then get him out. Give him bones and meals in the crate too, so he can get used to the idea of being in the crate as a good thing. It won't take long for him to figure out the routine of things and settle down but it's totally normal at this age for them to act up in the crate a bit.


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## Luccagr (Feb 25, 2011)

Hi Bender,

Yes i bring him in to nap in the crate during the day and at night he sleeps in the crate with the door unlock. But he doesn't sleep through the entire night in his crate. We usually find him on our bed in the morning. I'm at home most of the day so it's not like we only crate him when we're going out. Hence, not sure why he has such reaction. 

We have his toys in the crate and a worn shirt (my shirt) so that he still gets my smell in the crate to reassure him. He's really getting a huge reaction and i don't know why since when we crate him, we always 'show' him that we come back for him.

Oh, i left him alone at home before uncrated in the living room while i went to throw some thrash. He seems perfectly fine when i left and there was no whining or whatsoever. WHen i came back i stood outside my door for awhile to hear if there was any noise but NO! So he's definitely fine being alone.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Luccagr said:


> Hi Bender,
> 
> Yes i bring him in to nap in the crate during the day and at night he sleeps in the crate with the door unlock. But he doesn't sleep through the entire night in his crate. We usually find him on our bed in the morning. I'm at home most of the day so it's not like we only crate him when we're going out. Hence, not sure why he has such reaction.
> 
> ...


I feel your pain, the first couple of weeks of crate training can drive any new dog owner insane. I think I cried a couple of times when Cosmo first came to us...and that's pretty crazy considering I work with puppies and crate train them at a shelter for a living - it's just different when it's your little one acting like they're dying.

Most of all, know that it will get better. I promise you that if you keep at it you will look back at this time a month from now and you will chuckle at how frustrated you were.

A couple of tips if you haven't heard this already:
-try taking the toys out of the crate so that it's the place he sleeps in (some dogs are easier crate trained with toys in there but not all)
-get a stuffed Golden and put it in his crate. Tie it to the crate so it always remains there as his sleeping buddy
-make absolutely no fuss over coming out of the crate (if you can, while he is still sleeping open the door and leave and go about your day). Obviously never let him out while he is barking/whining etc. unless he has completely convinced you that he will have a heart attack if you don't let him out this very instant


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## Luccagr (Feb 25, 2011)

Just an update. Lucca has miraculously stayed in his crate for 2 hrs with a kong without barking. I had to go out for awhile and left him in the crate with a frozen kong. I left a voice recorder on so that I could tape down any of his barking/whining. Miraculously, when i got home, he was very quiet. When i played back the tape recording, he only whined (soft whines) for abt 1-2 min and then was quiet for the rest of the time. So happy!!


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## Bugsfire (Dec 11, 2007)

My goldie is a real headache for crate training. Its been a month since we got the crate and it seems not to progress any where. He is 3.5yrs old and needs to be crate trained as he is going though a extremely long flight at the end of the year. 

Right now, he is only progressing at this

1. Goes in only when there is a treat
2. Goes in when dinner/breakfast is served inside
3. If he goes in and subsequently lay there, he will start to bark if its a little too long inside. I will go and stop him from barking, he will stop. 
4. I tried to put him in the crate at night to sleep, but he will bark in the middle of the night and I get nervous and cant sleep properly. haha. 

I have never tried crating him and going out as I am still not confident he can do that as of yet. 

Any ideas?


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Crate training an older dog can be a lot tougher for sure. I'm glad you're working on it now though otherwise that flight is gonna be really difficult. I have not crate trained an older dog in a while so I'll let someone with more experience give you some pointers. Just wanted to say good luck!


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I don't really see the problem, I guess. Whether he likes it or not, it is fine to ask the pup to stay in the crate for an hour, more than fine. I wouldnt peak/ lie down in front of the crate etc, until you are ready for him to come out. Just be neutral, calm, matter-of-fact, and go about your business. The puppy will be fine!


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Bugsfire said:


> My goldie is a real headache for crate training. Its been a month since we got the crate and it seems not to progress any where. He is 3.5yrs old and needs to be crate trained as he is going though a extremely long flight at the end of the year.
> 
> Right now, he is only progressing at this
> 
> ...


Are you going to him and letting him out of the crate while he's barking? Because to a dog you are rewarding him for his barking. Crate training requires a little tough love - let the dog bark. Only when he is quiet do you let him out. However, if you suspect that your dog is getting overly anxious (you can tell by a dog's bark whether or not it is anxious or just bored) then you need to approach the situation differently. I had a dog that was tremendously anxious in the crate and so "just ignoring her" as I was told did not work in her case.

Good luck!


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## iansgran (May 29, 2010)

Some things that worked for us when Jaro was young was to feed him in the crate, and to cover it when we were away and to leave the radio on. Also, to increase the time he was left alone in it little by little, starting with very short periods. I also recommend the DVD Crate Games by Susan Garrett.


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