Crate Training Problem

Beanstalk

Hi Folks,

Just got a wee collie pup last week. He's eight weeks old. I've been trying to toilet train him. I've got him to pee outside but only when I'm with him. He's does the rest of his business inside on or around the mat near the patio door.

I've tried to put him in a crate but he nearly lost his life so i'm not sure what to do now.

Most of the poos he does are in the middle of the night. I also gave him a worming tablet which seems to have produced results last night. Could this have been a problem also?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

andreac

AT 8 weeks old the pup has no control of its bladder so will just go when it needs, regardless of whether its inside or outside. You have to have patience as it takes weeks, even months to house train a dog.

There are loads of sites with info on house training and crate training if you google them.

With crate training you have to introduce the crate gradually. You also cant lock a pup in over night as they need to be let out every few hours to go to the toilet as they cant hold it for very long at the moment. You gradually build up the time in it then as they get older.

How did you introduce the crate, did you put treats, toys, comfy bed etc in it to make it more appealing?

Toulouse

He's only a baby, it'll be a couple of months yet before he can hold it on overnight so you will need to get up with him to let him out.

Take it slowly with the crate, introduce him properly and you shouldn't have a problem. You can't just lock him in from the get go.

Good links for crate training

http://petcentral.yolasite.com/printables.php - download the Doggie Den document.

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/ch-2-raising-puppy

gimmick

While crate training didn't work much for us, it was great to have it around at the same time. Leave the crate open and leave him discover it himself. Put a few treats in their and his toy. One he is happy enough to go in there himself you may get some results. Putting him in there yourself when he doesn't want to go in might make the dog think he is being punished.

Our fella love going into his crate now for some down time.

Beanstalk

Thanks for your reply.

I put treats in it, and toys, and i left the door open to encourage him to go in and out of it. But when i locked the door he becomes very distressed, tries to bite the bars of the crate, and ends up sliding the tray out of the bottom too.

BillyMitchel

Also don't use the crate as a form of punishment! They can really become a great thing to have.

BluesBerry

My puppy didn't like his crate at first so when he went in we gave him beef jerky treats he loves these and it kept him occupied, when he was let out the he was always brought out the back before anything and let back in the kitchen with the crate door left open it took about a week before he got used to it and he now loves it!He just cant understand how to pull open the gate when he wants to get back in and he gets annoyed and noisy pawing at the gate when he wants to go for a lie down, everyone is under strict instruction to let him be when he goes in himself for his own quiet time. there does be the small accident ever so often (poo) he has been caught in the act weeing and brought straight outside and paws at the door now to go out and pee still working on the poo lol we have to catch him in the act. I did go outside everytime at the start but now will stand at the door saying good boy

( I learned from here not to wash floor with bleach as it encourages them I use white vinager in with the cleaner I heard it helps and noticed he didnt wee in that spot again)

Collies are intelligent dogs and learn quick it just takes patience, routine and lots and lots of treats and love

cjf

The fact he is going in and around the back door is already a really positive sign! clever puppy! When house training At that young age i still use a bit of newspaper as find it is a great help to show them where to go when they can't get access to the back garden. It's a gradual process and when old enough to go all night you start to come down to dry paper. Crate training takes time and patience and at such a young age he may not physically be able to hold all night yet. a heat pad and ticking clock are often mentioned on advice sites for crate training a new puppy.

nachocheese

When crate training my guy, I lead him into the crate and locked him in from night one. At the start I'd get up 3-4 times during the night to let him out to go to the bathroom and then put him back to bed. No playing or anything else, purely business only.

As the weeks/months moved on, he started not needing to pee when I'd bring him out during the night until I was only getting up once during the night until now where he just sleeps in the crate soundly through the night.

**Vai**

Beanstalk wrote: »

But when i locked the door he becomes very distressed, tries to bite the bars of the crate, and ends up sliding the tray out of the bottom too.

I'd take that as, hes not ready yet. Hes too young to be on his own really so I'd give it some time. Leave the crate open all the time at the start until he gets used to it.

cjf

I have a guy who was mega anti crate at the start and I'd tried everything - his one true love was his food so I fed him in his crate for about a month at the start I put the bowl at the back then let him eat with the door open after he was happy with this I would put it in and close the door and let him out the minute he finished. After a while I would find him standing in it waiting his breakfast or dinner or if he was just trying to be good for a treat. I started putting a small bit of food in during the day and building up the amount of time I left the door closed. After a while I put him in for his first night and after about 20 mins of crying he settled down and went to sleep. Now when he sees me locking the back door to go out he is in his crate head poking out waiting for a treat. I don't use it at night anymore but the odd time if I do he has no problems. Prob not the most conventional way of doing it but worked for him!