The Crate

R

robun

Forums Regular
I have an almost one year old sheltie, who has been crated from a puppy. I believe it's the best thing ever for him to sleep in, and also use it while setting up equipment at agility etc.

My problem is he hates it. Everynight we have to carry him to the crate and put him in. He doesn't struggle or get upset, just won't willingly go in by himself.

I have tried putting treats in--not interested even when he's very hungry. Tried his favourite toys--no go. Our 4 yr old son and his friends love using it as a cubby house, and even then he won't go in willingly. (and he usually will do ANYTHING to be with our son)

Agility puts a lot of emphasis on the importance of "crate games', and I've watched the seminar DVDs of "Control Unleashed", which similarly put emphasis on the crate.

Is it vital he's happy to go into the crate by himself ?? And if so, any suggestions for how I can get him to like it more ??

I've also gone a bought a bigger crate to see if that helps. But it hasn't.

ANy ideas ?? Thanks for your help

Robyn
 
Hi Robyn

I dont have any ideas for you. Deska just hates the crate, whereas Tully is happy to go in her crate and rarely complains. Tully used to complain a little but when she realised no one was allowed to disturb her in the crate (like my nieces and nephews) she decided she liked it a lot. Deska occassionally uses his to hide bones but otherwise he has resorted to biting the crate.

I think some dogs just dont like being confined. Nowadays I only confine Deska at agility/flyball and if staying with people.
 
All I can tell you is the Cleveland was like that. He wouldn't willingly go into the crate, but didn't argue with me about it either. When it was time, I opened the door to it, and placed him inside. No fuss, no muss, no arguement from him, but you could tell he didn't like it.

At about 18 months, I tried letting him stay in our bedroom with the bedroom door shut (food and water of course), and with crate door open while we were at work...............I would come home to find him asleep in the crate. I could tell he had slept on the bed too so..........Who knows. For many years then he had the option of both. Maybe he was more comfortable knowing that he could come and go at will.

McKinley is much the same way. No fuss, but doesn't "choose" it if he can sleep anywhere else.

My opinion, I would just never allow it to be an arguement or power struggle between the two of you and it doesn't sound as if it is. Is it vital that he loves his crate, again, my opinion: No!
 
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Smudge is not a fan of the crate! If I'm alseep and I roll over or the bed creaks he starts barking. :rolleyes2: The barking will continue until I let him outside for a little bit (his obsession with herding cats is riding my last nerve!). Then when I bring him back inside I have to pick him up, place him in the crate, and quickly lock the hatch before he jumps out. He's sneaky about it sometimes. He'll stick his paw in the way on purpose! Then when I barely open the door to move his paw, he squeezes though!

I have resorted to throwing a treat in there a few times. He grabs the treat faster than you can blink your eye and makes break for it. I don't think it makes a difference if they like it or not. Smudge will bark for about 45 seconds and then he's quiet. He doesn't like it, but he does accept it.

I don't crate Smudge very much anymore now that he's completely house trained. I did before he was house trained and when he got neutered though. As an added bonus, here's why shelties and puppy training pads in a crate don't mix:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=8667945&l=178f9420a3&id=611815429
 
Snap continues to sleep in his crate, at 1 1/2, and I share your view regarding crate for bedtime and when it suits you out and about. I also understand what its like having a dog that hates the crate, as I gave up on the crate with my other dog at 4 mos.

One thing you might try is the mat work from Control Unleashed --- away from the crate. For the mat work, make sure that you use fabulous treats and your upbeat voice, and keep the training sessions short. You might even get extra mileage by doing the mat work before you give him his meals.

Once he thinks that the mat is the best thing ever invented on earth, you'll find that he doesn't want to get off of it. Then you can start working to call him off it and send him (flying) back to it. At this point, I imagine that you could put the mat in his crate and send him to it there.
 
I guess the question to ask is this: At one year old, does he still need his crate. That is, is he still chewing, not quite house-broken, etc.?

If the answer is that he's pretty much trained, I would leave the crate in a restricted area of the house, but not close up the gate. When training - e.g. practising sits and downs, do it with him in his crate.

If the answer is that he's still not reliable, I also would feed him in his crate.

And also treat him when you put him inside everytime. When I was still crating my boys, they would beg me to go to work and would run to their crate so that they would get their treat!!!! No joke!
 
Katherine said:
One thing you might try is the mat work from Control Unleashed --- away from the crate. For the mat work, make sure that you use fabulous treats and your upbeat voice, and keep the training sessions short. You might even get extra mileage by doing the mat work before you give him his meals.

Once he thinks that the mat is the best thing ever invented on earth, you'll find that he doesn't want to get off of it. Then you can start working to call him off it and send him (flying) back to it. At this point, I imagine that you could put the mat in his crate and send him to it there.
Click to expand...

yes - 'on your mat' is really handy when you want them to sit quietly and stay there. Both mine know to stay on their mat. They also take their treats to the mat and sit on the mat if we go to a cafe. Recently they made it part of the syllabus for companion obedience training in Canberra.
 
It might make a difference what kind of crate you have. Some dogs prefer the closed kind (more like a den) and others are happier in wire crates where they can see everything around them. might be worth a try- maybe you can borrow the kind that you don't have to see if it helps.
 
Thanks for all your advice. I will certainly be practicing on the mat technique.

Thanks also for your reassurance that it's not essential he "loves' his crate.

I should also say, he's only in the crate to sleep at night. During the day he is inside when we're home, or in our (large) backyard. (no weather issues where we live!)

I'm off to practice on the mat, so thanks again

Rob
 
My two never really were crate trained, but now that I am taking agility with Maia, I have to use one, not for her to sleep in etc. but to learn good behaviours, drive, etc.My instructor recommended the 'Crate Games' DVD and it is awesome! Chinook NEVER liked his crate and within a half hour I have him running to get into it, the same thing with Maia! Infact, they both fight over who goes in!
 
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