# Crate Training advice?!



## pgr8dnlvr (Aug 7, 2011)

Well I've definitely got some pearls of wisdom from members on this forum, just thought I'd try to glean a few more...

What advice do you have for crate training a toy poodle?

I would like to have her be able to sleep in her crate at night (even if it's on my daughters bed) until she is house trained, and then the plan is for her to sleep with my daughter and have free rein to the bed and the crate with no door on it. 

I would also like to be able to have her travel in the crate while in the car, and be able to spend a few hours in the crate with the door closed (WITHOUT BARKING AND CRYING) whenever I need.

Basically I want her to think of the crate as a GOOD place to be!

Any hints or tips?!?

Rebecca


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Feed her in it.
All my dogs are crate trained now. There is a crate game I play with new dogs. Leave the door open, toss a really high value treat in it. She gets praised evey time she goes in on her own after the treat. At meal time, she sees you put the food in it and is praised for going in to eat. Leave the door open to start. Then, as she looses her reluctance to entering the crate, just close the door but don't lock it. Give her a treat and let her back out if she is not fussing. 

Do NOT ever let her out if she is whining (unless it's to ask to go out to potty), the instant she is quiet, open the door. Leave her in for a minute to start, then gradually increase the time in it. 

Associate the crate with good things, never put her in it as punishment, Don't get angry or frustrated as you're putting her in the crate. Periodically throughout the day, put her in the crate while you are in the same room. Let her have a bone or stuffed kong to entertain her. When she is quiet, let her out. 

I've never had a problem with mine going into crates, most take to it well. You may want to leave a little bowl on treats on it so you can toss them in when you say 'crate' or whatever your word for it will be. The tossing motion becomes a hand signal for going in as she gets better at it (really helpful if you're on the phone or whatever, you can just make the tossing motion and once it becomes a habit, she'll do it automatically. 

The first time or two, she may fuss and carry on, especially if she's gotten away with it before. Ignore it (as best you can) and again, once she's quiet, you may let her back out.


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## Kloliver (Jan 17, 2012)

All great advice from BorderKelpie.

Also, there is a really fun video called "crate games". It teaches them to think of he crate as a fun thing & teaches impulse control to boot!


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## pgr8dnlvr (Aug 7, 2011)

Thanks for the advice guys.

I watched the "crate games" available on youtube showing Zelda learning to go into her crate and found it very interesting. Excited to try!

Buuuut... The trainer started her pup at 12 weeks old, I was hoping to do something to get my toy poodle to spend as close to 3 hours straight through the night in the kennel, as soon as possible after bringing her home? 

I have a great breeder and visit my pup two to three times a week, she is just under 4 weeks now so we can definitely work on things before bringing her home at 8-9 weeks old. I plan to have the crate on the bed next to my daughter in the night if possible?

Also I am seeing more and more wire crates being used instead of solid ones. Are wire ones better for training a pup to be content staying in a crate? 

If a toy poodle is coming from lines that tend to end up about 5 lbs, what approximate measurements should I look for in a crate?

I'd like to purchase from Pet Supplies | Cat Supplies | Dog Supplies | Pet Products & More - PetSupplies.com, but am unsure which crate is likely to best suit my purposes and which has the easiest door to deal with?

Thanks again for any help!

Rebecca


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## Kloliver (Jan 17, 2012)

We used the solid crate he flew in & then a bigger one. As summer hit, he was too hot so we switched to a collapsible noz to noz N2 one. He's sleeping there now & making soft bunny chasing dream yips now. Try a snuggle buddy stuffed animal. You can use the disposable heating bag pads & it has a battery operated heart that beats. He cried the 1st night so i overnight shipped 1. My pup was hugely comforted by that.

If you get a wire X pen then have a blanket handy to darken the den. Puppies sleep a LOT.


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