# I am officially 10 weeks and I hate my Crate!



## IrishThunder22 (Jun 1, 2009)

I am not sure what my owners are doing, but they keep wanting me to go in this box. I was really ok with it at first, except for the first couple of nights I was away from my mom and my brothers and sisters. It was fine. It looked like the pet store gave them the wrong one since they had to zip tie in some cardboard for the first week to get it to the right size. I got to go on my first ride to the Petsmart and they were really nice to me there and got my owners the right divider! (I even got a biscuit at the Chik-Fila!) Well, I am not sure if I like the divider, just don't like being along on the first floor, or being cooped up an hour or two at a time. I hate to go in there. They try to give me treats, toys, and play with me in there but I am really good at getting what I need and escaping to my favorite corner. I think they have tried everything, but I just want to be outside all day playing around. I sure hope the nice people on the forum don't have any good advice for them, because I like to keep avoiding my crate home. So please don't reply to this one!

Woof, 

Champ (My 10 week birthday is tomorrow)


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Champ,
The crate is for your own good. It helps you to learn how to hold it and go outside to go potty. And to keep you safe from getting into bad things. With all the goodies your mom and dad are giving you, I think in time you will love it. Keep up the good work with your potty training and I think you will need the crate less and less. 
happy almost 10 week birthday.


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## Dog (Sep 26, 2006)

Happy Birthday for tomorrow!!

Hey Champ!

Don't give your parents such a hard time about the crate. It is for your own good and in the end, if you learn well and quick, *it will mean freedom in the house for ever (even when they leave you in the house alone).*

We also had to learn the hard way. You are lucky they put you in a crate. For us humans our parents attached something called nappy/diper to the lower part of our body and sometimes they forgot to change us on time!! We had to stay in the poop and pee for hours...And the result was not nice!! :


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Champ my mom says crates are your friend. Sorry I don't buy that either. I made such a fuss when they brought me home, after the second night I won and I never slept another night in a crate. They did use it for a long time during the day but I didn't like it. They tried to say it was a happy place, I kept telling them, you get in it! Now I will go in, but I prefer to know I have a friend, like my Lab sister Belle in there with me. 

Sorry Champs mom I go with him! RUN FAR FAR AWAY!!!

signed
Maxine

PS Belle loves her crate (weird dog) and Teddi tolerates, but she thinks it is bad too.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

Rookie never loved his crate, but he accepted it. I always tried to make sure that I put him in there when he was very tired. Ask your parents to increase your exercise and play time, especially for the next couple of weeks to help you get more comfortable with your crate. It's best if you get all that fun and exercise right before they put you in there. It also might help if they don't play with you when you're in your crate and they cover it up so it makes you sleepy. Eventually you'll understand that the crate is where you go to rest. Rookie never really WANTED to go in his crate, but it didn't take long for Rookie to fall off to sleep as soon as he went into his crate. And after the first couple of weeks, it just became part of his routine.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

BTW, the crate was HUGELY helpful when Rookie was going through his bratty stage. It was great to have a safe place to put him when he was nipping or overexcited or misbehaving. There were definitely days when it helped me keep my sanity when dealing with an overexcited pup. Putting him in the crate would really help him to calm down. (It gave me time to calm down too!) As soon as we were both calm, I'd let him right back out.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Ok Champ, here's the deal. We are 5 1/2 now, but we can remember way back to when we were little pups like you are now. Your crate is YOURS.... all YOURS. After a while, it's a really cool fort. It will make you feel safe and secure and there will be lots of goodies that you'll get only when you're in there. Also a great place to get away from it all (kinda like Mom's Calgon bath...) and perfect place for a snooze (kinda like Dad's hammock). And, very important, it will help you learn about peeing and pooing only outside.,...... never do that in your crate... us big kids think that's gross. When we get to travel, we still take our crates and even if we're in a new kinda scary place, we know we are a-ok when we can sleep in our crates.

So, if you wanna be one of the cool, big kids, dig your crate ( not literally!). It will make your mom and dad very happy.......... and I think if you give it a chance, you'll like it too.
Signed,
Penny and Maggie


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## fuzzbuzz (Aug 3, 2008)

Champ, we didn't like our crates too much when we were your age. Mom would put treats in there for us and let us go in and eat them and then we could just walk right back out! We never knew when the door was going to close but decided the risk was worth the treat. Helped us get potty trained too, didn't want to lay in pee or poop so we had to hold it. Now, we'll just go in and take naps on our own!! 
We have crates in the van and when we are told to go in them we know we are going some place fun!!

Don't give up on your crate little buddy, you'll fine it your bestest place to be as you get older.

Golden friends,
Buzz and Clover


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## Thor0918 (Feb 28, 2008)

Champ, this is Leo. My mommy tried to put me in my crate so I ran under the bed. I wouldn't come out. Not even for a cookie. She tries to trick me that way but, I'm pretty smart. She always says it's for my own good. I'm not so sure. The one thing I do know is she doesn't give up very easily


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## rpodsim (Jun 8, 2009)

Howdy Champ, it's Skipper.
My dad keeps putting in my crate every night and during the middle of the day. He says it's good for me. Something about "house training." (What ever that means.) Some times he puts me in my crate when we gets mad at me for chewing on his shoes. I don't know what it's about but I think it helps him chill, and he gives me a nice bone! (Note from dad: I'm not mad, I just can't watch him all the time.) Some times dad doesn't lock the door behind me so I can leave when I want. It's not so bad, I do get a yummy treat when I in.  Oh, and at least my big sister can't bug me, so I can get some shuteye. Even my sister has a crate, I'm not allowed in it though.  She doesn't mind it. She even sleeps in it with the door open! I know I don't care for now, but it is my place so maybe it's not so bad. At least I know nothing can hurt me! 

I wish you best!
Skipper

(Translated by Dad)


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## rpodsim (Jun 8, 2009)

Howdy Champ! it's Sadie.
My dad gave a crate when I was your age. I loved it!  It kept me safe from the mean cats!  Whenever we go places, like camping , my crate always comes along. That way the strange noises I hear at night can't get me. My dad even puts a cover on my crate so I don't get to hot from the sun or wet from the rain!  (Note from dad: that cover is a tent.) Some times I don't want to be in my crate; but I trust my dad, that he knows best and will keep me safe, so I don't worry.

Don't hate your crate,
Sadie

(Translated by Dad)


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## LindaMarie (Jun 21, 2009)

Hey Champ

my first night without my mommy and other puppies was a rough night, but then my new mommy outsmarted me and put me in my crate while i was sleeping which made me upset but i got over it. then last week i had a bad nightmare that made me scared to go in my crate and so my new mommy had to help me get over this fear which was bad! but i have lots of toys hanging and my favorite dolly and now and then i find treats in there. i am 9 weeks old today and have been here for 3 weeks. you will be ok it is for your safety and so try not to worry your people love you very much!

Molly


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## hawtee (Nov 1, 2006)

Hey Champ,
"Jail" can be a happy place to, mommy taught me with a clicker if I go to jail I get a cookie and the door is still open, I ran to jail a lot once I got the hang of it then the door started to be closed. I also run to jail at night and during trials and in the car and to escape "Bath", but I did not like it when I first started and would cry, that didn't get me anywhere sigh, I soon realized that crying wasn't working for my cute furry self..but now I love it, you can to
Lilli


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