# Won't walk into crate on own



## fullmanfamily (Oct 17, 2014)

Hello!

We may have tried too hard to get our Vizsla into the crate during the first week or two. Now she is almost 12 weeks and she is fine when she's in the crate, very little whinning unless she has to pee. She even stays in her crate while we're at work for 3 hours at a time. Luckily we're close, so we come home for lunch breaks. 

The issue is that she will not walk in on her own. We have to pick her up to put her in. We've been hiding treats in the crate to try and get her to walk in on her own, but she's very smart. She'll put half her body in, then back out. If she knows it's bedtime or we're leaving for work, she won't go near the crate. 

How can we get her to walk into her crate on her own? She's only 13lbs now so it's easy to scoop her up, but my biggest fear is that when she gets older we won't be able to do that.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Full - I'm not a big crate fan - but I do have a crate in the family room 4 PIKE - it has no door but it does have his mat - now & then he goes there because it is his safe place - now 4 U - try sitting by the crate - when the pup comes 2 you - put a treat in the crate - never close the door & leave - this will take hours of work ! @ some POINT the pup learns - the crate is a safe place - 4 V's there Very few quick fixes - try this - & let me know if it works - Did 4 PIKE & the 3 before him !!!


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## emilycn (Jul 30, 2013)

Lua did the same thing when she was that young. Tried hiding treats, tried only special crate-time treats, and nothing. Then one day it was like something clicked, and she started walking in there on her own. Every once in a blue moon, I'll even catch her putting herself to bed in her crate while I'm in the shower or up late doing work. And once she sees me doing something with her kong, she'll run straight back to her crate and wait in there while I finish fixing her treat. So I suspect, given what you've told us so far, that given time, your pup will learn the whole "kennel up" thing too. In the meantime, you could try clicker training and working on a "go get in your crate" command.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Good advice above. Scout has never been one to take naps in crate. Why would she when a lap or a couch is usually available and way comfier? When we're out training in the field, or camping she will go in her crate and is extremely protective of it when other dogs approach. I guess it's preferable to lying on the ground to the little princess. :

One thing I did from the start was making my girl wait for a release command before eating her dinner. Eventually I started putting her in a sit stay and then put her food in her crate in another room. I walked all the way back to her before releasing and she would sprint to her crate. So in addition to all the advice about making the crate a fun, happy place, also play on their impatience and desire to have what they cannot have. Let her see you put her favorite toy right after playing with it (that builds up the value) or something really tasty in her crate, close the door, and if she indicates that she really wants it, reward her by opening the door, and praise her when she rushes in. I didn't do that exactly and I'd be interested how it works if you try it. 

Probably the best thing I did for crate training was to start using it in the car. Not only is it the safest way to transport your pup, but teaching her that crate=hunting/beach/dog park/hiking was way more effective even than crate=awesome food.


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## fullmanfamily (Oct 17, 2014)

Thank you all for weighing in on this!! I did try feeding her in the crate this weekend. She did really well, but still didn't go all the way in. I'll take half-way in for now! She was a little more comfortable playing and hanging out with us around the crate too.


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## Ksana (Mar 30, 2013)

R said:


> Full - I'm not a big crate fan - but I do have a crate in the family room 4 PIKE - it has no door but it does have his mat - now & then he goes there because it is his safe place - now 4 U - try sitting by the crate - when the pup comes 2 you - put a treat in the crate - never close the door & leave - this will take hours of work ! @ some POINT the pup learns - the crate is a safe place - 4 V's there Very few quick fixes - try this - & let me know if it works - Did 4 PIKE & the 3 before him !!!


Same here. We are not crate fans, but have a large Midwest crate in the living room. It is cozy, with a soft blanket inside and another one covering the back and half of two sides; the door is permanently open (I like this kind as the crate's door may just simply rest on the top). This crate is my boy's safe place, he sleeps in there or just goes in when he wants some privacy. You better not be on his way when I command "crate", as he runs in there fast. He knows I will come to him in there with a treat (it is not the same treat, to keep it interesting).


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

emilycn said:


> Lua did the same thing when she was that young. Tried hiding treats, tried only special crate-time treats, and nothing. Then one day it was like something clicked, and she started walking in there on her own.


I NEVER thought I'd see the day when Dex would walk into his crate on his own. It was a running joke with our dog walkers - we often had to keep him on leash, bear-hug-walk-him-in, etc. He was not a fan of his crate in the beginning and while he came to accept it, it was always a challenge to get him to go in the crate. Once he was in it he was fine - he'd let you take his collar off and what not and fall asleep before the door was even shut. But he'd never step foot in it willingly. We hid treats in it constantly, played crate games (helpful but not if it was during our morning routine when he knew crating was coming). He's a picky eater so food never worked for us. He doesn't really care all that much for his Kongs either. About 3 months ago (he's about 18 months old now) he just up and walked down the hall and in his crate for me. He's done it every day since. He still makes you walk alongside him with a cookie, but that's a huge improvement. So there is hope!! Now, I don't think I'll *ever* find him napping in there on his own free will, but that's fine. He does pop in and out a lot to keep looking for those cookies 

Our weim pup, on the other hand, full out runs down the hall and plops herself in bed. My husband made the mistake of nudging her a little while she was snuggling on the couch late last night and she thought he was telling her it was time for bed. She jumped straight up and ran to her crate. God forbid you close the bedroom door - because she will run smack into it! She goes to bed earlier than Dexter so he can still get some special snuggle time. We don't even have to go in and close her crate - we just send her to bed from the living room and know she will be asleep in her crate when we bring him in later. It amazes me how opposite they are especially in regards to the crate.


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## Yillie (Jun 18, 2014)

Our puppy has just this week started to occasionally volunteer going in her crate on her own - she's 15 weeks old. It will come...eventually!


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## fullmanfamily (Oct 17, 2014)

Our puppy is starting to get more potty trained in her crate. I haven't seen too many accidents the last two weeks, no pooping in the crate and maybe just 1-2 pee accidents during the day.

I'd love to make her crate more inviting with some more fluffy blankets and toys, but we've been keeping it pretty " boring" to say for now in case she does have accidents in her crate. I know people say that dogs don't soil their crates, but she is still so young, sometimes she just can't hold it.

Do you guys think that making it more comfy would help her hold it/ want to be in there more? Or, should we hold out until she is not having any accidents consistantly?


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