Crate training

mccrory · 03-10-2011

were just about to get our new puppy. he will be 7 weeks old when we get him. I want to crate train him. The puppy is going to be left in his crate during the week for 3-4 hrs at a time. Do I give him an area in his crate to eliminate or do I just put down his blanket and expect that he can hold it.
Also do I put food and water inside his crate.

lange · 03-10-2011

You should have the breeder hold the puppy at least until the puppy reaches 8 weeks old. It's best for the puppy & for you in the long run. It's also illegal in some places to sell a dog under 8 weeks, at least it is where I live.

The purpose of crate training a puppy is to NOT have it potty in the crate or house. So putting a potty area in the crate is the opposite of your goal. You would also need to put your dog on a food/water/potty schedule so that you can teach it & monitor it's potty breaks. So again, putting food & water in the crate will work against you.

I don't feel paper training is a good idea if your ultimate goal is to housebreak your dog but sInce you'll be leaving the puppy for 4 hours a day it may be your best choice. Such a young puppy can't always hold it for that long. Here's two links to paper training:
Paper-Training Your Puppy
Potty Training Your Puppy|Paper Training Your Dog

Learn as much as you can before your puppy comes home. Ideally you want to know a ton on puppy rearing before you even get your new guy.

Pick up some books on how to bring up a puppy. Then learn about obedience training & dog behavior. I would recommend you start with something like 'The Art of Raising a Puppy' by The Monks of New Skete first.

GSDS4Life · 03-12-2011

Just a question. Why are you wanting to crate train? Just curious. Have you thought of maybe blocking the kitchen?

I have never crated. Guess I'm old school. I blocked off the kitchen and had papers in one corner and water was always available. After 3 weeks they barely used the paper. And I have been doing this for the past 30 years of raising dogs. Think about it this way. How did people back in the day house train their dogs? It wasn't with crates. I know my parents never knew what a crate was. But they managed to raise and housetrain their dogs.

Sorry lange but crate training does not stop a pup from peeing in the house. I know people who have crated pups but they still did their buisness in the house. Supervision is what is needed.

mccrory just remember that every pup is different. Some can hold it longer then others. Also If you crate during the day, then the dog should not be crated during the night. Or if the dog is crated during the night it should not be crated during the day. And this is coming from a top Canine Trainer(Police Dogs)

lange · 03-13-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSDS4Life

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Sorry lange but crate training does not stop a pup from peeing in the house. I know people who have crated pups but they still did their buisness in the house. Supervision is what is needed.

mccrory just remember that every pup is different. Some can hold it longer then others. Also If you crate during the day, then the dog should not be crated during the night. Or if the dog is crated during the night it should not be crated during the day. And this is coming from a top Canine Trainer(Police Dogs)

Crate training does involve supervision so I'm not sure why you would infer I think crate training doesn't. If I felt a crate alone would stop any dog from toileting in a house then I would have suggested to the OP to crate train which I didn't. A dog will not willingly soil it's crate. If it does then the error usually lands on the person training. A dog should also be allowed to roam in the house supervised. Anyone who's learned about crate training can tell you it involves letting the dog roam the house with supervision. It also involves keeping a food & water schedule. If you don't follow through with either of the things mentioned then it's not really crate training. And supervision is needed in any form of training.

My current pup was completely house trained in under 2 weeks. She also learned house manners quick. All thanks to crate training & supervision. No papers needed. No closing her off or limiting her in the house.

You can be the top dog professional in a dog field & the value of what you say is no less or more than any other dog training professional who disagrees with your on the value of crates.

If you don't ever crate your dog how do they handle being crated under stressful situation like over night vet visits, grooming or traveling? My dogs have been crated in each of these situations without problem, courtesy of having crate trained them right. What works for you may not be the wisest scenario for everyone. Like you said, not every dog is the same, nor situation. There will never be a one size fits all method. I would rather my dogs appreciate a crate for what it is, a temp den & not run into issues in the future because it stresses them when they are forced in to one by someone they consider a stranger.