# Crate Training Help Needed



## pippa31 (Aug 2, 2011)

We brought home our beautiful vizsla 3 weeks ago! We have been working on crate-training with her. We give her treats in the crate, we feed her in the crate, etc. and she STILL HATES THE CRATE. Lots of crying, moaning, frantic digging, etc. whenever we close the door. She is only crated for 2-2 1/2 hours at a time at this point (except at night). She does settle down after 5-20 minutes (depends on how tired she is). How do I make her like her crate more????


----------



## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Keep crate door open and wait and encourage her sit and then lie down. U can say something soothing or not say anything. Once she is down and calm U can gently close the door. I do this with our V and it works well for us. Our V also has something to chew - a real bone. But this is also very good http://www.nylabone.com/

Cesar Millan Mastering Leadership Vol 3 there is info on crate placement as well as how to make puppy enter the crate without fuss. 
Cesar Millan Mastering Leadership Vol 4 is very informative also.


----------



## pippa31 (Aug 2, 2011)

Thanks for your help! After reading your post, I had her go in her crate and then said, "good Girl!" and kept praising her. She was quiet the whole time listening to me. Then, she laid down and went to sleep. Hope this continues!


----------



## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Wow, nice. ;D


----------



## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Never open the door when the pup is making noise. NEVER.


----------



## Lincolns Parents (Aug 6, 2011)

We always say good Lincoln when in his kennel and NEVER let him out until hes been quiet for a min or so then tons of praise..."good quiet" Works like a charm for us. Its hard to ignore the crying but it is the best. You don't want to reward the crying by letting them out of their crates or they associate the two.


----------



## Lincolns Parents (Aug 6, 2011)

Covering the kennel with towels also helps.
Lincoln will cry if we leave the door uncovered, put the towel down and he goes right to sleep. He even sleeps through the night.
Come morning we lift the towel and he'll be waiting patiently for us to let him out.

Then its potty, breakfast, and playtime.


----------



## pippa31 (Aug 2, 2011)

Lincoln's Parents - Those are some great ideas! I will try the towel one tonight - Pippa has been waking up at 5:30 and I think she can see the sun! Maybe the towel will let me sleep until 6.... 

Thanks also for the encouragement with waiting until she is quiet to take her out of her crate. I will try what you suggested!


----------



## KonasPop (Aug 9, 2011)

8mo. Female, work from home. 

I should have done a better job of getting her used to day-time crating. If it's light out she knows she should be in the office with me sleeping away. Any change in that schedule puts her off. Unless she's whooped from a nice outing.

Agree with the towel over the crate - our 8mo old just got the towel taken off the top and she doesnt mind it. She likes being covered up at our feet and in the crate though, so i think this really helped early on. 
Kona has always loved the crate for bed time / has hated the crate in the day time since day 1. 
at 9pm she will walk upstairs without us and plop down, door open and stay there. She's beat most days from training and exercise. 

Depending on how tired she is, she will generally go in during daytime w/o fuss, maybe whine for a few mins, but when we get home during the daytime she is either sleeping or patiently waiting. We kong her, treat her, anything to keep her busy for those first few minutes we're heading out the door. Sometimes works sometimes doesnt. When she is frusterated however, watch out. She'll cry like a mug and shred a towel if we leave one in there. So, now we take the towel out if I know she's going to have a fit and just leave. I can hear her cry from the car as we back out of the driveway....;( But it is best for her and she's still just a youngin...


----------

