Hello everyone, Just want some info really. I have a crate for my little guy and at night he sleeps in it. However it is too big for my kitchen so it's in the dining room. However in the day If I'm busy I keep him in the kitchen with the baby gate on the door to block it off as don't want any accidents in my dining room. He has his toys and a soft dog bed in the kitchen but I'm wondering if I'm being counter productive? I mean, if I'm crate training but he only goes in at night surely he won't be able to get used to it. I don't know what to do as I want him to be able to use the crate but don't want him to have access to my dining room at the moment! Any help would be great! Thank you!
Yeah, I had/have the same issue (Xena's 16 weeks). She was in the kitchen with a "day bed" during the day, and in the crate a few metres away in the living room at night. We gave her permanent access to the living room at 13 weeks, and she goes into her crate happily when I have to go out (with the frozen kong), but she will not take herself off to sleep in there like I'd hoped. I don't force the issue, she can sleep on the sofas if we're home, and as long as she's happy to be crated when we're out then...oh well. I followed Pippa's crate training guide on the main site so she's happy to go in there, it's just not her preferred spot to sleep. So yes, you can train them to use the crate even when your crate is kept in a different space. I hope this helps
It's more the toilet training issue as I couldn't leave the door open and leave him in the dining room as its carpeted with lots of things to chew. However I don't want him to view it as a bad thing if he's only locked in at night! Thanks for your response!
Just do a bit of "go in the crate" exercises during the day as well. take 10 minutes and let her wonder around near the crate while supervising, if she approaches the crate throw her a treat. Make it a bit challenging each day. After a couple days only give her a treat when she enters the crate by herself. Soon she'll be running towards the crate as soon as any physical barriers are removed
I didn't use the crate as a toilet training aid at all because Xena's bladder was just too iffy. Crate training (for me) was something separate. I toilet trained from the kitchen (taking her outside constantly), and I got her used to the crate by using this article: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/crate-training-your-labrador-puppy/ So what I'd do for crate training time was to take her out of the kitchen, and pop her in the crate following whatever step I was up to in the guide. I couldn't do the clicker training part of the guide of course, because I just didn't trust her to roam on my carpet for even the shortest time. I suppose I could do it now, but just showing her the kong and saying "in your crate" gets her in (well, the kong gets her in, let's be honest!).
I think getting a dog used to a crate is quite useful. Although toilet training is the most useful purpose, there may be times you need to use it - maybe for visitors, or holidays, or even if vet visits are needed (hope not). Lilly loved her crate as a den, and still goes into her "cousin" Georgie's when she is visiting - its a safe place to rest up and chill. Some dogs just don't like them but its still a worthwhile training exercise to encourage being comfortable in a crate though.
No, it shouldn't be a problem so long as the crate is a happy place for him. Tatze's crate has always been in another room and she's always even fine. ...
