# Crating question?



## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Hi guys, I am looking for a bit of advice and help. I usually let my little Chloe sleep with us, but I do not think she feels really comfortable in the bed. She pants and moves around a lot, so in turn I figure she has to potty, so I bring her downstairs and sit her on the floor so I can put my shoes on and her leash. However, she doesn't need to potty, she just wants to lay on the floor. She doesn't like her crate either. I have even tried putting it beside my bed to make her not feel lonely and she still whines, even though she naps on the floor during the day? I've tried putting her a toy or two in there with her blanket, and that still doesn't help. I do not want to crate her much, only at night and when we are not at home. Can anyone give me some tips?


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## Sammy&Cooper (Dec 28, 2011)

I would suggest putting the crate right beside your bed so that it is close enough for you to put your fingers through and reassure your pup you are there when she whines (although of course let her out to potty if that is the reason for the whining, but after that right back in the crate to go back to bed). it may be a rough couple days for her to adjust to the new routine but it'll pay off in the end.


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## nparker (Jan 31, 2012)

From night one Bailey slept in her crate in the bedroom with us. Well, slept is a relative term. The first 5 nights was rough, I spent many hours laying on the floor in front of the crate with my fingers poking through for reassurance with multiple potty trips, I was a zombie after day 3. Even with a toy and blanket in there that we left with the breeder for 3 weeks prior to bringing her home the transition was trying.

By the 6th night she slept through with one potty break and minimal crying. I would just reassure her with a soft voice when she whimpered and all would be well for a while. Within 3 more weeks she was sleeping through the night without any fuss. Just keep at it and be consistent, all will be well in time.

The crate is a magnificent training tool. She's 14 weeks now and 95% housebroken (never pooped in the house) and trots in when I say "crate" most of the time.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Thank you guys, I will try that. Sometimes she sleeps the whole night, and others she gets up a couple times to potty.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Put the crate right next to the bed and ignore the whining! Most likely she will get used to it in no time and the crate will become a nice little den for her. It can be hard, but trust me if you ignore the fuss, she will settle down and get used to it and everyone will be happier for it. Try feeding her meals and treats in the crate so that she learns that it is a good place to be!


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Thank you vcm5. I will try that also


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Good luck! Theres also a great training video called Crate Games that teaches you to incorporate the crate into training and play all sorts of games with it. You might want to look this up and either use it or use some methods from it. Good luck! Let us know how it goes!


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Also feed her all her meals in the crate so she will start liking her crate more.
Do you have any bedding or towels in the crate? If so, I'd take them out because she probably just wants to sleep on the cool plastic/metal surface (my pup does).


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Rainheart said:


> Also feed her all her meals in the crate so she will start liking her crate more.
> Do you have any bedding or towels in the crate? If so, I'd take them out because she probably just wants to sleep on the cool plastic/metal surface (my pup does).


Same here! Riley always rips out any blankets or beds we put in there or pushes them all the way to the side. Try just letting her sleep on the smooth surface. Can't hurt to try!


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Thank you all, I will definitely try these methods. However, I do have one more question that doesn't pertain to crates. My Chloe is fascinated with grass, rocks and dirt. There are times when she will do nothing but rip up grass instead of relieving herself and when I bring her back in, she has an accident. This has been happening more and more everyday. I take her out about 10-15 minutes after she eats expecting her to have to "go" but she doesn't. We are also having a bit of trouble on the leash. She stubs up, or begins biting the leash and then my hands when I try to get it out of her mouth. What is the best way to leash train her. I looked into "pinch collars" but not sure how I feel about them and if she is too young for one.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

I would not suggest using a pinch collar on a puppy, definitely not.


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## Sammy&Cooper (Dec 28, 2011)

what I found useful when it came to my pups getting used to their collars and leashes was to start with havig the collar on and leash attached to it but for the leash to freely drag behind them (100% supervised by you of course) that way they get used to the feeling and they also get used to their leash being attached to them. (I did this randomly during the day for maybe 5-10 minutes at a time)


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Sammy&Cooper said:


> what I found useful when it came to my pups getting used to their collars and leashes was to start with havig the collar on and leash attached to it but for the leash to freely drag behind them (100% supervised by you of course) that way they get used to the feeling and they also get used to their leash being attached to them. (I did this randomly during the day for maybe 5-10 minutes at a time)


Really great idea!!


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Well, I mean she walks on it pretty well until she gets distracted by grass, thats when she stubs up and doesn't move. I try tugging on the leash a little and sometimes it works, and then sometimes she just fights harder.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

If she is not going potty outside when you take her out for a potty trip, bring her back in, put her in the crate for 5 minutes and then take her back out. Repeat until she goes. Use a word outside to associate it with going to the bathroom like 'potty' or 'quick'. Bring treats, too, to reward her when she goes.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

She does get rewarded everytime she goes outside. She does pee outside pretty regularly. We wake up, first thing she goes outside and does her business, gets fed at 9am, I take her out and she will pee, but doesn't poo after she eats usually. I take her out about every 30 minutes to an hour through out the day, feed her again around 5pm. She has only been pooing 2-3 times a day, is this pretty normal? She was going A LOT when we first brought her home.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

2-3 times a day is normal. Puppies usually can go even more, but it sounds like she is adjusting well. Beamer goes 2 times a day. As long as it is looking normal don't worry. Did you take the vet a fecal to check when you brought her home? If not, I'd do that but if you did then she is good to go


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Okay thank you. Yes, her stool is looking normal, and trust me, I'm a constant poo checker lol, even at night when she is done I run out with my flash light to check it. I was not aware I needed to take my vet a fecal sample? They've never asked for one.


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## Aislinn (Nov 13, 2010)

I would never put a pinch collar on a puppy. (I won't personally put one on an adult, but Never a puppy.) This is where crate training really helps. Take her out. If she doesn't potty about about ten minutes, take her in and crate her. Wait a short while and take her out again. Repeat until she goes. When she does go, say your command for pottying and praise her. "Go Potty, Good girl, Go potty" for example. Then she can have free play time in the house with you. The biting is a puppy thing, it's why you'll see people here that stage the 'landshark' stage. I yip when I get bit and keep toys handy.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

nevershoutsav said:


> Okay thank you. Yes, her stool is looking normal, and trust me, I'm a constant poo checker lol, even at night when she is done I run out with my flash light to check it. I was not aware I needed to take my vet a fecal sample? They've never asked for one.


For her next shot visit I would take the vet one. Puppies are dewormed when they are at the breeder, but it is always a good idea to take one to the vet once you have your puppy home and have them check one once they are away from the rest of the litter. Heartworm prevention does deworm for certain parasites, but not all, so just take a sample in so they can make sure. Generally they do have some kind of parasite... it's a puppy thing.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Though I really never got any tips on how to get her better on her leash. As I said before, she walks on it fairly well, but when she gets distracted by something she stubs up and will not move. I tug on the leash a little but there are points that she would rather choke herself than to follow.


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## nparker (Jan 31, 2012)

I keep training rewards and one of her favorite small squeaky toys with me and use them alternately to keep her focused on the task at hand when she gets distracted. Occasionally I let her stop and sniff around for a break but it's at my discretion not hers, she follows my lead not the other way around.

One more note on the crate, I made a big deal when she would go in and not when I let her out. Also as others have said regarding feeding her one meal a day in there so as to make the crate a good place to be.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Okay guys, good news. I managed to get her to sleep for about 30 minutes in her crate, mind you I did sit there and talk, pet her through the openings until she stopped whining. I tried to put her food and toys in there, but she wasn't having that, she knew I was trying to trick her.

Something else on the leash thing. Recently we removed honeysuckle that had completely took over the back part of my fence, only to uncover that the fence there will need replaced. That being said, I put a long thin rope on her collar to play fetch (and to keep her away from the bad part of the fence). We played for a good hour and came in when it got dark. I took the rope off of her collar just fine, and rehooked the leash to bring her inside. After we came inside, I knelt down to remove the leash and she began trying to get away, shaking her head, growling and nipping at me a bit. How do I correct her from doing that?


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