Adult dog crate training?
Druby is a 2 yr old rescue. He was a free roaming dog. He came to me with heartworms,so I needed to keep him calm/less active for 4-6 weeks. I tried using the crate we had made for our Old English Mastiff. (Basically 1/2 x 1 inch rectangular plastic covered heavy gauge wire. We had it made when the OEM was 7 weeks old and she loved it until she crossed "the bridge" this past summer.) Druby was very unhappy in it and tried to eat his way out. (Only left him in it for an hour, while I went for some supplies for him. He seemed fine when I left. I had put a Kong in with him loaded with peanut butter and he never touched it (OEM favorite snack and past time). I gave up on keeping him calm in the crate and just secured a small portion of the backyard for him. He was very happy there because he could see and interact with my son's dogs through the chainlink. (His original owner had other dogs.) I am slowly trying to convert him to being a house dog. His behavior is fine in the house. Plenty calm, no accidents, enjoys the cats, stays off the furniture, etc. for long periods. (My son's dogs may not come in the house, as they are so wild they destroy everything.) He then gets restless and wants outside. I'd like for him to sleep in the house but he still hates the crate, even when I am right there. Going away and ignoring him while giving him rawhide bones (which I don't like for health reasons) doesn't help either. He loves the bone, he desires his freedom more. He tries to eat his way out of the crate. As soon as I open it, he grabs the untouched bone to go chew it elsewhere. I've tried putting him in the utility room, but he tries to break the door down. He seemingly chooses to go back out for the night. He spends the day outside playing with my son's dogs. They are still in separate areas of a large chain link fence, but they run and play along the dividing fence. (No one is home during the day.) In the afternoons we let them play in the same area before we take them walking. He then spends the rest of the evening in the house. Any suggestion on how to win him over to being a house dog? |
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| Hi Duane,
I hope you don't mind me asking but why do they have to be separated in the back yard? How many dogs do you have - including your sons dogs? How long have you had him? Before I explain crate training there is one very important thing you need to know about dogs. They learn by association! Here is an example: If I told you "Duane, gyere ide" you have no idea what I want you to do. So, I show you a $100 bill, wave it to you or lure you with it to me and when you get to me, I give it to you. Next time I say "Duane, gyere ide" and I show you the $100 bill, you come to me and then I give you the $100. The third time I say "Duale, gyere ide", you will come to me and wait for you $100! So, now you know what "Gyere ide" means in Hungarian. (I'm Hungarian that's why I picked that language.  )
So, this is the exact same thing you have to do with Druby when crate training him. First you just throw treats in the crate without closing the door. This will show him that the crate is a pretty good place to be because there is food there all the time. When you see him become more confident going in the crate - should take 2-4 days but really depends on the dog and how much you work with him - you can ask him to wait for a couple of seconds and close the door. Don't lock it, just close it! Count up to two, open the door, let him out and give him plenty of treats. This will teach him that even if you close the door he is getting treats, praise and he doesn't have to stay in there long. Again, when you see him become more confident, do the same as above but instead of 2 seconds, do 4 seconds. Soon you can lock the crate and repeat this - but don't leave him in there! By doing this he will learn to like the crate just like you OEM. Don't forget that they are two different dogs and I'm not talking about the breed. I'm talking about their personalities, behavior, etc. They are individuals just like you and I. One may like peanut butter the other may not. So, try to see Druby as a new and different dog and you need to teach him, show him that the crate is a fantastic place. If you stay consistent it should take you no time to crate train him! |
| This is no advise but an observation. I have a doggie door at my house and both of my dogs I consider "house dogs". Both China/Violet come and go as they please between the house and the privacy enclosed backyard. During the summer, when it is hot here, they spend most of their time inside the a/c house. Once it cools down some, like now, they spend most of their time outside, by choice. There are dogs in the yards behind us and they can hear the neiborhood noises. Violet likes to sleep either under the Chinese Palm Tree or Banana Tree (she can peek at the neighbors backyard through the slates of the fence at the Banana Tree lol) China's favorite place is under the Chinese Palm, under the swing, or laying in my flower bed. They even sleep outside at night, other times they sleep inside the house, but it is all by their choice, they can come in at anytime. I guess what I am saying is they love the outdoors, like your dog. They also come in and check on me periodically. Prof. Boni had great advise. Good luck with your new OES. |
| Thanks for the suggstions!
We have three dogs total. The OES, one lab mix and one Australian Shepherd mix. We just keep them seperated when we are not around to insure they don't play too rough, (or fight.) I wish we lived in area where we could have a doggie door, but living in the country we would have constant uninvited guests. (Racoons, 'possums, skunks, etc...) The 'possoms are really bad about getting in the container where we keep the dry dog food in the garage. (We keep the door cracked so that the outside cats can get inside.) I use our firewood "tongs" to get the 'possum out and usually take them for a ride before I let them out. |
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