SLF Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 :) probably a very simple question but at what age can you start crate training? I have the litter here and they are 6wks old. I am keeping one of the pups and wish to crate train her. When can I start and for how long etc.. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 (edited) I introduce my pups as soon as they come home at 8 weeks. If my litter goes as planned the puppies will be introduced to a crate before they leave - leave the door open, pop a few treats or toys in there and let them explore. Once they are comfortable with that I will separate the crate (say next to my desk) and just give each pup a few minutes on their own in it. I'd probably start very briefly and extend it - ensure they are relaxed and a bit sleepy and have something to snuggle with. And open the door when they are calm. You really don't want any scary stuff happening but I think it's a nice way to introduce separation from the litter. I think 6 weeks would be fine but slowly, slowly and depends on the individual pup of course. Edited February 26, 2015 by The Spotted Devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 My young guy was already crate trained when I got him at 9 weeks....he loves his crate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 My youngest girl who is 10 weeks Sunday came crate trained to. Her breeder had them sleeping in crates overnight from 7 weeks. I think they were started before that though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaCharlie Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 We start ours from pretty early on. Our whelping set-up is a ccrate over the whelping box with an xpen coming off it as Mum's escape/puppy play area when old enough. At about 3 weeks the whelping box is removed and the ccrate remains with the vetbed inside and they have free access to their big play area. Then at about 4 weeks we replace the ccrate with a couple of 32" crates and clip the doors to the xpen so they stay open. The real crating starts about 5 weeks. To begin with they go into a crate with at least one other and it is only closed for eating and sleeping. As soon as 1 wakes up every is let out to toilet and play, doors are then left open (and they usually go back in there to sleep). From about 6 weeks they are left in there with lots of toys (and a buddy to begin with) and they generally just play or sleep. We rotate them all through as they get older so that by the time they are ready to go to their new homes they love the crate and are more than happy to sleep in there. We don't sell to pet homes, and all of our pups to date have gone to homes where they sleep in a crate initially. A new home is stressful enough, I figure at least they don't have to be stressed about being stuck in a cage all night too :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotdashdot Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I had my last pup in the crate the night she came home, but she was obviously used to it so I'm assuming crate training started at her breeder's place! 6 weeks would probably be about right, considering for an 8 week old pup to be so used to it by the time she came to me, surely she must have been seeing and possibly using a crate for at least a week! I did run a puppy pen off the crate though, so she wasn't entirely locked in but she didn't protest at all and always curled up on her little bed in the crate :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLF Posted February 26, 2015 Author Share Posted February 26, 2015 So I'm wondering, is it too much to ask of my little pup to begin separating her during the day to socialize with us and play etc on her own. During this time introduce the crate. Which is in the lounge room and full of toys and vetbed? Treat her and spoil her inside then take her back to her "family" at meals and night times. ? will this confuse her? also when would it be ok to close her in the crate while we are here with her? also if she cries, when I do, I guess its a matter of leaving her there until she is quiet and then let her out? not while she is crying? thanks for the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaCharlie Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I'd be leaving her with her littermates and Mum for now :) She is still a baby and has lots to learn about doggy stuff that we humans just can't provide. If you are keeping her, she has her whole life to spend with you so an extra 2 weeks won't make much difference in the grand scheme of things. That's not to say she can't start to learn the crate though and learn to settle in it and amuse herself. Just make them short sessions or during naptime, and put her with the others for the rest of the time :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLF Posted February 26, 2015 Author Share Posted February 26, 2015 Thankyou Delta Charlie. yes that is my concern she is just a wee babe in the grand scheme of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 (edited) No offense. I'm an old-timer raised in a time when people spend a lot of time home and no one crated their dogs. But I find early crate training a scary indication that the role of 'the dog' has changed. Brave New World for puppies is here. Edited February 27, 2015 by sandgrubber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 (edited) No offense. I'm an old-timer raised in a time when people spend a lot of time home and no one crated their dogs. But I find early crate training a scary indication that the role of 'the dog' has changed. Brave New World for puppies is here. Really? If I had a pup that was flying interstate to a new home I would much rather it was familiar with the crate as being a safe place before it travelled. Even a long car journey home can mean a few hours in a crate. Add all the other stressors of being separated from everything the pup knows. Crate training for me is not about locking dogs up for hours for my convenience. My pups sleep in their crate next to my bed from 8 weeks - they are safe, can't get up to mischief, are close to their humans, rarely cry because they have company and I can toilet them as soon as I hear them getting restless. Not to mention how I incorporate it into games that encourage drive and self control. Some of the working dogs of old spent a lot of time in very restricted spaces unless they were working. I witnessed that in the US actually and I find some of those practices more concerning. The good old days aren't all good. Are crates abused? Certainly. But socialising a puppy to a crate early on is far from it. Edited February 27, 2015 by The Spotted Devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 No offense. I'm an old-timer raised in a time when people spend a lot of time home and no one crated their dogs. But I find early crate training a scary indication that the role of 'the dog' has changed. Brave New World for puppies is here. Really? If I had a pup that was flying interstate to a new home I would much rather it was familiar with the crate as being a safe place before it travelled. Even a long car journey home can mean a few hours in a crate. Add all the other stressors of being separated from everything the pup knows. Crate training for me is not about locking dogs up for hours for my convenience. My pups sleep in their crate next to my bed from 8 weeks - they are safe, can't get up to mischief, are close to their humans, rarely cry because they have company and I can toilet them as soon as I hear them getting restless. Not to mention how I incorporate it into games that encourage drive and self control. Some of the working dogs of old spent a lot of time in very restricted spaces unless they were working. I witnessed that in the US actually and I find some of those practices more concerning. The good old days aren't all good. Are crates abused? Certainly. But socialising a puppy to a crate early on is far from it. Some of the dogs of old...back in the dark ages spent a lot of their time chained to a 44 gallon drum & most dogs were hardly ever allowed to come inside the house. My dogs feel secure in their crates. Thunderstorms????...no problems...in the crate & they go to sleep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedaler Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Like Sandgrubber, I too am an old timer raised when crates were never even dreamed of but.............I always have my dogs crate trained. They pretty much do it themselves. The crates are open for them to enter at any time they wish and they do, even very young puppies. As TSD says pups need to be familiar with crates if they are flying interstate which many of my pups did. I actually liken crated to the traditional dog kennel except they are more portable and practical. Another reason I like to encourage crate training is if the pup/dog needs to stay at the Vet then they will IMO be less stressed about being shut up there if used to crates. My dogs are always crated in the car too. As with anything there is potential for misuse. Do you remember when it was common to see cattle trucks heading to or from market with the dog in a little box/enclosure attached to the bottom of the truck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I find most breeders have the whelping box inside a large C Crate and as the pups grow the whelping box disappears and the pups are already used to being in a crate. When they go outside they are usually in portable pens so they are usually crate trained when you purchase them. Many of us have pet pak inside the pen so the pups may learn to sleep in them are used to small area's. Its a great help when they have to be flown to their new homes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLF Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 Interesting to hear the different points of view. For me the main purpose of crate training is for when we travel. We drive long distances often because of our rural location. We travel our dogs in a crate in our car. Secondly, about being able to sit quietly and calmly if I decide to compete this pup in sports like agility etc.... thankyou for the replies. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonniebank Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I'm a big fan of crate training and even have a big crate that is permanently in my family room (complete with soft bedding and toys). The door is usually left open but if, for any reason, I need to put anyone in there and close the door, they are so used to it as it's been just another one of their beds to sleep in. If you need to close the door, a chewbone or pigs ear etc is good to put in there with them so they don't feel they're being punished. I'd start as early as possible but that doesn't mean you have to lock them in. Leave the crate with an open door so that they accept it as just another dog bed. Then as training for when they need to stay in the crate you can occasionally close the door and give them a chew treat. My dogs think of the crate as just another dog bed now, even if I close the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAZNAT Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 We will be crate training our new pup (I believe he has already been introduced to it from our breeder) and was wondering if I should also purchase a separate pen so he can be safely left to not get himself into trouble with the cat, or just general household stuff when we are not with him in the room, eg. Whilst showering, cleaning etc, or should I just secure him in his crate? Will he develop any dislike for his crate if we need it secure him for other reasons other than sleep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 For brief periods the crate is fine provided you make it a positive experience. Keep a portion of your pup's ration aside and use it to stuff a few Kongs or similar. I put pup in the crate and leave them with a stuffed Kong or frozen raw meaty bone (appropriate to dog size) and get on with what I have to do. Next time around I will have a larger pen which will attach to the crate as I'm getting a new one for the whelping box. Nice to have but not absolutely essential. Vebopet has some great set ups - good quality and great value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwoman Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 :) probably a very simple question but at what age can you start crate training? I have the litter here and they are 6wks old. I am keeping one of the pups and wish to crate train her. When can I start and for how long etc.. thanks There is a crate in the puppy pen for them to explore as soon as they can find their way out of the whelping box - by three weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 :) probably a very simple question but at what age can you start crate training? I have the litter here and they are 6wks old. I am keeping one of the pups and wish to crate train her. When can I start and for how long etc.. thanks There is a crate in the puppy pen for them to explore as soon as they can find their way out of the whelping box - by three weeks +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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