new night-time crate

Formula86 · #1 05-20-2004, 11:00 PM

well, i talked about it and i finally did it. i went out and bought a crate for penny and chaquita to sleep in at night. it is big enough for both of them and some wiggle room, but not too big. it is plastic with a metal door on the front and holes in the sides. it's blue! haha!

the crate is only going to be used for sleeping purposes. when i leave during the day, they will be in the laundry room and have access to the yard. anyways...i have some questions and i'm hoping that maybe you guys can answer them for me tonight. i want to start using it tonight. thanks!!!

1. is the following idea a good one? ---> for the first 5 days, make them only sleep in the bottom of the crate (leave top off). for the 5 days after that, put the top on, but not the door. then put the door on and close it.

will this work better then just putting them in there all the way tonight?

2. when i put them to sleep in the crate at night, should i put a kong and a chew bone in there with them? i ask this because it can go both ways: i should put the toys so they aren't bored, BUT i shouldn't put the toys because it is suppossed to be BED time. which is better?

3. i'm only using this for bedtime (as i said before) not for any other time. should i still let them use it during the day? at night it will be in my bedroom. should i put it in the laundry room during the day when i'm gone or should they learn to recognize it as a confined (as in door locked) sleeping place only?

thanks!!!

Pure14K · #2 05-20-2004, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formula86


	2. when i put them to sleep in the crate at night, should i put a kong and a chew bone in there with them? i ask this because it can go both ways: i should put the toys so they aren't bored, BUT i shouldn't put the toys because it is suppossed to be BED time. which is better?

Well, I put toys (Kong & Bone) in with Dozer & Pixie during the day when he's crated (if I'm gone) but don't put any in there at night. I'm not sure if that's the 'correct' way to do it, but it works for us.

Good luck

Formula86 · #3 05-20-2004, 11:09 PM

thank you! yah..i was thinking this. i'm just worried about if they wake up before me in the morning. i don't want them whining and scratching. i thought maybe if they had a bone it might help. but then again...i don't know if this would encourage them to stay up or not. agh!!

haha! thanks nicole!!!!!!

Pure14K · #4 05-20-2004, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formula86


	i don't want them whining and scratching.

After a short span of time they should get used to being in the crate & whining/scratching won't happen. I think it took 2 weeks with Pixie & like 5 days with Dozer.

Formula86 · #5 05-20-2004, 11:18 PM

yah. they used to sleep in the bed and it took them about 5-8 days (can't remember) to get used to sleeping on the floor on pillows. so hopefully this will be as smooooooth. haha!

Formula86 · #6 05-21-2004, 12:34 AM

ok, i'm off to bed!

i will be on tomorrow to ck responses. then i will start with the crate! thanks!

RSbunny · #7 05-21-2004, 03:14 AM

I would put a kong and chew bone in there if you are having trouble with them getting in there cause it will give them something to take their mind off being in the crate! I'm going to buy a fold down crate for Biscuit soon....we are moving in a few weeks and won't have the convenience of the ever so tiny crate size bathroom. The dog trainers also said that if I can get her to be quiet in a crate then I can take the crate whereever and hopefully she'll still be quiet where as for now she is quiet in our house but anywhere else she mucks up!

elfomatic · #8 05-21-2004, 06:33 AM

I'm not really sure about your first question ... I would guess that it would be okay to just put them right in there. Praise them a lot so they know they are not being punished. You can even give them a small treat -- like a Milkbone -- to help the idea that this isn't a bad thing.

I don't ever put in toys for the night -- my dogs do have a blanket though.

I would think it is okay to leave it open during the day. Your dogs will soon identify the crate as their personal space -- kind of a safe haven. My dogs aren't crated but for the nights either but I leave the door open during the day. A lot of times I find Grover in there sleeping during the daytime.

They may whine at first buy they should adapt pretty quickly. They'll soon grow to love it. Crate training is great.

Formula86 · #9 05-21-2004, 03:44 PM

i would like for them to be able to use the crate during the day. the crate will be in my room during the night (when they sleep), but they aren't allowed in my room during the day (unless i'm in there). should i move it into the laundry room during the day?

thanks for all the help guys!

RSbunny · #10 05-21-2004, 04:55 PM

Yes you should! Move it around all day...you don't have to lock them in there of a day time but it should become a security thing for them. Biscuit is always off to the bathroom in the middle of the day...that is her quiet time and we know that she feels safe and content in there! When I first use to her to tell her to go to bed she'd tuck her tail between her legs and look miserable! Now when I tell her to go to bed her tail wags like crazy and she is truly happy to be there!

Pure14K · #11 05-21-2004, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formula86


	i would like for them to be able to use the crate during the day. the crate will be in my room during the night (when they sleep), but they aren't allowed in my room during the day (unless i'm in there). should i move it into the laundry room during the day?

If you are trying to keep the 2 rooms seperate (I.E. laundry room=day time; bedroom=night time) I would definitly move the crate from place to place. I'm not sure how effective that is going to be though, the dogs are going to be in the crate regardless of which room it's in (don't know if that made any sense the way I wrote it

)

Formula86 · #12 05-21-2004, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pure14K


	If you are trying to keep the 2 rooms seperate (I.E. laundry room=day time; bedroom=night time) I would definitly move the crate from place to place. I'm not sure how effective that is going to be though, the dogs are going to be in the crate regardless of which room it's in (don't know if that made any sense the way I wrote it )

i'm not exactly sure what that last part meant. sorry! my bedroom door will be closed all day. so they won't have access to it. that's why in order for them to use the crate during the day, i'll have to move it to the laundry room (where they will be when i'm not there). they will have access to the laundry room when i'm there, too. thanks!!

Formula86 · #13 05-22-2004, 03:59 AM

well, today i brought the cage in and set it up in the living room. my friend jim (their "dad") and i were in there, too, on the floor playing with them. we let them sniff it out, etc. penny went in to investigate. chaquita sniffed from the outside.

so we started playing with toys, and every once in a while i would throw the toy in the crate. penny would go get it (she is the only one who plays fetch). but then we started putting treats in there. that's when chaquita started going in...veeery slowly. i think the reason she doesn't like it is because it reminds her of where she slept when she was at the shelter. anyways....they were both all the way in there at one point, eating treats.

well...it is 3 am here. penny, chaquita and i were all on the couch (they were sleeping..me on comp) and penny got up to get water and then she got in the crate all by herself and is in there now itching!!!

she is doing the things she does before she goes to bed! i slowly got up and quietly got her a treat and gave it to her in there.

chaquita is still here on the couch passed out. she will be the challenge!

but we are getting there!!!

thanks for listening...and for the help!

Formula86 · #14 05-22-2004, 04:06 AM

omg! chaquita just went in the crate, sat there for about 10 seconds and then got out. at least she is testing it!!!!! i will be leaving the door on it open for the first couple days, then closing it. i don't wanna scare em off! i hope this goes well!!!!

Formula86 · #15 05-22-2004, 06:32 AM

ok, this is my last update before bed! haha! well, i went to take one of my looong showers (to read, people!!) and the dogs always stay in the bathroom with me during that time because they aren't allowed to roam the house. well, i put the crate in there with us and they slept in it the whole time!

it went well. i'm not sure how it's going to go tonight when i close the door. i was going to leave it open. but i'm thinking i should just close it cause my friend jim is staying here tonight and he will be up early. so their first night won't be very long. wish me luck! i'm going to attach a couple of pics of the crate for you guys to see! thanks for reading if you have gotten this far!!!

update! :)