Crate training a Beagle

dub0605 · 30-08-2010 9:38am #1

Hi, I had previously posted about our Beagel who pee'd and pooped in the house, things have gotten slightly better but its still happening so we went and bought a crate on saturday.

We put her bed in it and a few treats and left it open for her, shes eating the treats so has obviously gone in for a nose around but we dont think she is sleeping in it yet. She doesnt seem interested in it at all. We put a sheet over it to make it dark etc.

This week we are going to give her dinner in the crate, with the door open and see what happens but has anyone any other hints/tips??? Nobody else we know with dogs as done the crate training before so we are just trying to read about it online.

Some family members think its cruel and a bad idea so that isnt helping either.

Thanks

pugsnotdrugs · 30-08-2010 10:19am

We always give our staffy a special treat when she's left in her crate. She doesn't get this treat any other time so she's always delighted when we leave her in the crate with it. The treat we give her is a kong toy filled with peanut butter. It takes her ages to get all the peanut butter out of the kong so it keeps her occupied and tires her out while we're gone. Sometimes we freeze the kong before giving it to her so it lasts even longer. This has worked really well for us.

We also try to tire her out before she's left in the crate by taking her for a walk or a game of fetch. That way she'll just go straight asleep when we leave her.

Don't feel bad for using the crate. You obviously care a lot about your new dog to be putting in all this effort with her

mymo · 30-08-2010 10:46am

Where is the crate? Kitchen or utility room are good, mine are in hall due to lack of space.
I started by giving a kong stuffed with something tasty in the crate, shut the door and sweep the floor or something(within sight of the dog) and then open the crate(dog has to be quiet before you open it) and give a small treat. Gradually increase the time the door is shut, do this 2 or 3 times a day at least, and then move on to the nights. The dog should be good and tired, and it should be bed time anyway, let the dog into the crate with a small treat and turn off lights and go to bed. Best try this at a weekend first, as the dog will cry at first and make sure its not for too long(don't have a lie in until 10am;)) and as soon as you open the crate, open the door and let the dog out. Praise for toileting outside, it helps if you go out too and wait for dog to go before saying good morning.

Oh and don't worry about what others think, I have had so many people say how cruel the crate is, but my dogs are happy in them and toilet trained quickly, as well as never doing any damage to themselves or my house at night, unlike many others I know.

TooManyDogs · 30-08-2010 12:55pm

mymo wrote: »

Where is the crate? Kitchen or utility room are good, mine are in hall due to lack of space.
I started by giving a kong stuffed with something tasty in the crate, shut the door and sweep the floor or something(within sight of the dog) and then open the crate(dog has to be quiet before you open it) and give a small treat. Gradually increase the time the door is shut, do this 2 or 3 times a day at least, and then move on to the nights. The dog should be good and tired, and it should be bed time anyway, let the dog into the crate with a small treat and turn off lights and go to bed. Best try this at a weekend first, as the dog will cry at first and make sure its not for too long(don't have a lie in until 10am;)) and as soon as you open the crate, open the door and let the dog out. Praise for toileting outside, it helps if you go out too and wait for dog to go before saying good morning.

Oh and don't worry about what others think, I have had so many people say how cruel the crate is, but my dogs are happy in them and toilet trained quickly, as well as never doing any damage to themselves or my house at night, unlike many others I know.

+1

Good advise above, just what I was going to write. I always gave mine their dinner in the crate and locked the door, then opened it after they'd finished, gradually increase time.

As regards other people, don't mind them. I've crate trained all my dogs, and now they love crates! Any time I have a crate up for a foster dog I have to get my 6 out of it first, they'd rather be in the crate than the various other beds I have around my house! Tell your family that it's the dog's bedroom, not a punishment place

Cherry Blossom · 30-08-2010 7:42pm

If she's not too big you can pick her up and put her in the crate anytime she lays down somewhere else for a nap, leave the door open at first. Tell her that's her 'bed' as you put her in. If she comes out wait for her to lay down again and put her back in again and say 'bed' Just keep repeating till she gets fed up and gives in and has her nap in there. When she starts going in of her own choosing to sleep this is when you can start closing the door, but open it again as soon as she wants it open. Any problems just go back a step.

dub0605 · 31-08-2010 8:54am

Thanks everyone for the replies, much appreciated and ye have reassured me that crate training isnt a bad thing. I felt like a bad mother or something!!!!

I put her dinner in there last night and she went in to eat it but I didnt lock her in, wanted her to get used to it. Then when I was going to bed I placed her in it and again didnt lock it.

Woke up to the usual poo and pee so I reckon tonight when im feeding her I will lock her in and see how she goes with that and then if she doesnt seem too bad I might lock her in tonight.

Or do ye think that is too quick???? Should I be easing her into it??? We got her from the dogs trust and they had suggested the crate to us becuase she is so nervous but I dont want to scare the crap out of her either

andreac · 31-08-2010 9:36am

What time do you feed her at in the evening?

What time do you put her to bed at?

How long is she in the crate at night?

It will take a while to settle into a routine but she might need to be let out of the crate earlier.
You need to make sure the dog has gone to the toilet before bed, poo and wee's.

dub0605 · 31-08-2010 10:31am

andreac wrote: »

What time do you feed her at in the evening?

What time do you put her to bed at?

How long is she in the crate at night?

It will take a while to settle into a routine but she might need to be let out of the crate earlier.
You need to make sure the dog has gone to the toilet before bed, poo and wee's.

She gets fed at about 4.30 in the evening and eats it straight away. We put her straight out after and she normally goes toilet

She goes to be at about 11 or so, sometimes a bit later maybe, depends. And then I am up with her bout 7am and shes let out the back straight away.

We havent locked her in the crate at night yet, only bought it on saturday and wanted to get her used to it first before locking her into it but am thinking about doing it tonight

She goes toilet before bed and several times during the day. We take up her water about 1/2 hrs before bed.

andreac · 31-08-2010 10:42am

8 hours is a very long time to leave a dog if you are trying to toilet train them.

I would suggest getting up maybe about 4 and let them out to the toilet and go back to bed then.
You can gradually extend the time then to be up at 7. Or try going to bed a little later and get up a bit early too for a few weeks.

I wouldnt leave a dog much longer than 5/6 hours when trying to toilet train them.
Im training a 12 week old pup at the mo and she goes to bed about 12 and im up at 6 to let her out and theres been no accidents in the crate overnight for the last 5/6 days.
So maybe just change your routine for a while and you will have to start closing the crate door as its inside the crate where they dont want to go to the toilet.
The dog is used to going in the kitchen at night so you need to stop them from doing that by changing their routine.

dub0605 · 02-09-2010 8:56am

Thanks again to everyone for their advice and reassurance.

The last 2 days she has eaten her evening meal in the crate with no bother. And the last 2 nights she has slept in the crate with the door closed

She goes out before bed (about 11.30) and my other half lets her out when he comes in from work (about 6.15) and she goes straight out and does her business.

I came down an hour later this morning to feed her and she had actually gone back into the crate for another little snooze. Its so good to come down and not have to clean up the mess every morning which means I have more time to give her attention in the morning which she is loving.

My other half has said that she looked cramped in the crate but its a medium size which we were told would be perfect for her. She stretches alot when she comes out of it but she stretches alot after sleeping anyway.

Just cannot believe the difference it has made so far and thats only after 2 nights.

TooManyDogs · 02-09-2010 10:39am

That's great news, well done, keep up the good work! You can cope with anything if you come down to a clean kitchen!
If she was too cramped in the crate she wouldnt take herself back in for a snooze.

dub0605 · 02-09-2010 12:10pm

TooManyDogs wrote: »

That's great news, well done, keep up the good work! You can cope with anything if you come down to a clean kitchen!
If she was too cramped in the crate she wouldnt take herself back in for a snooze.

Yes a clean kitchen is great because in the mornings I spent my time cleaning and mopping up wheres now I spend my time giving her attention. As soon as shes let out in the morning she goes out the back to the toilet and goes so she knows the concept of where and when but it was just putting it into action.

mymo · 02-09-2010 12:45pm

Congratulations!
Thats great, don't worry about the stretching when getting out of the crate, they all do that. Infact if you watch any dog will stretch after waking up, no matter what size the bed.
Once the dog can stand and turn around in the crate it should be fine.

Crate training a Beagle

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