en-usSat, 21 Nov 2009 00:06:48 GMT60http://www.designermixes.org/Forum/Default.aspxDesigner and Mixed Breed Dog Communitycherylfrances@designermixes.org (cherylfrances)http://www.designermixes.org/Forum/Topic.aspx?TOPIC_ID=158Crate TrainingThu, 12 Nov 2009 22:33:40 GMThttp://www.designermixes.orgTopic.aspx?TOPIC_ID=158We have been crate training our Beabull since we brought him home last June. He started with just a wee little one with a box in the back to keep him from having too much "roaming" space. If he had too big a space, he felt comfortable enough to relieve himself in a corner and sleep in another. We had the choice of allowing him to roam certain areas of the house with the possibility of destroying it while we were away or crate training. We chose the latter and have had no real regrets for it. There were a few "accidents" during the adjustment period of not going out every 20 mins like on the weekends but once he was able to hold his bladder for at least 4 hrs, things smoothed out and he began to "respect" his new home and not soil it. If you can or have someone else who can let them out midway through the day, thats a BIG help! We luckily had a neighboring girl who came over to do so around 11:30 mostly everyday. He had to be crated while we were at work. We'd leave usually around 7:00 a.m. I arrived home around 3:15 p.m. daily to free him. At first it seemed so horrible to have to "lock" our adorable puppy in this "box" for such a long time. But when we realized he didn't mind his crate, it wasn't such a torture to see his little eyes peeping out through the crate as we left for the day. Getting him to enter his crate was almost as easy as we could've hoped. Not saying it will work this easy for everyone, but be patient and they will prevail. We just left the crate door open all the time while we were home and placed a few of his toys along with some "worn" garments of our own,(thx to a friend's tip) that had our scent on them inside. When he went in we gave him a treat and praised him, allowing him to go in and out on his own. (NEVER put your dog in their crate as punishment for misbehavior!! Their crate should be a place of refuge and comfort, not a cell for correction or discipline.) After a couple months, as he grew rapidly, we needed to upgrade to a bigger crate. We were fortunate enough to have both donated to us by family members who no longer needed them, as they can be expensive. We had to use a box again in the back until he was big enough to fill out the crate more.(Guideline: your dog should have enough room to stand and turn around comfortably in their crate. If they can walk from one end to the other in more than a stride, its too big.) Marley learned to move the box so you may have to find a way to secure it in place. <img src='http://www.designermixes.org/Images/Forum/icon_smile.gif' height='15' width='15' /> Marley will be 1yr old on the 22nd of April and still goes in his crate while we are home to "chill" from time to time on his own. We leave the door open and keep it "furnished" with fine linens<img src='http://www.designermixes.org/Images/Forum/icon_smile_tongue.gif' height='15' width='15' />, which he gratefully chews from time to time. With a simple "Marley, crate" command he drags his butt from the couch to his den with no remorse and receives a treat for doing so. We are currently tempting fate by leaving him in areas of our home with his crate open while we are gone for short periods of time(1-3 hrs) with mixed results. See pics in our gallery for evidence. Hope this long-winded "guide to crate-training" provides help to those interested. Any questions, feel free to ask. Have fun!<br /><br />There are 3 replies, with the last one on 11/12/2009 at 10:33 PM by cherylfrances<br /><br />Reply: We have crate trained Boshka from the night we brought him home at 8 weeks.<br />He started in the lounge with the door open and lots of patting to reassure him.I closed the door when I went to bed and he woke at 3am and I toileted him on paper.Thats the only time he has woken at night.After a week I moved him to the kitchen area and finally to the laundry. I still put him to sleep in his crate for a couple of hours each afternoon. He loves his bed and takes himself to bed during the day if I am out.I also have the exercise pen that clips onto his crate.This can also be used on its own as a circular pen and opens out to a fence.I use this a lot to confine him when I leave him on his own or at friends places, as he slides under pool fences, gates etc!<br />I travel quite a bit and the crate goes into the back of my wagon and into the laundry or verandah whenever we sleep over.I wash his bedding and bed toys frequently and put lavender oil in the rinse water so that its always smells fresh.(very important when travelling or at friends places. Bosh never soils his bed, and doesnt have food in there apart from an occasional tiny treat.Its really helped me to establish that I am the alpha dog and that his crate is where he sleeps and rests. I cant thank my big sister enough for the suggestion that I use a crate. Its worth it!