Silaria
Forums Sage
SheltieGuy, a dog is never too old to be crate trained. When I brought my Malamute home from the Humane Society she was about 3 or 4 years old and not crate trained. This was something we corrected very quickly.
The entire trick is to make the crate enjoyable. Place them in the crate, door OPEN, and treat the heck out of them while telling them they are good then let them come out. Repeat this procedure a few times a day until the dog starts to relax. (About 5 to 10 treats.) If the dog starts to cry or bark, the treats stop but they can't come out. As SOON as they are quiet again, resume treating.
Once they start to relax, close the door, but don't latch it. Give them treats through the wire of the door (wire crates and varikennels have wire doors) and tell them they are good. Open the door and let them come out. If the dog starts to cry or bark, the treats stop but they can't come out. As SOON as they are quiet again, resume treating. Repeat this until the dog relaxes.
The next step is to latch the door. Same process as above. Once the dog is comfortable at this step, start removing yourself from the room for a few seconds. If the dog cries, remain out of site until you have 3 seconds of quiet then reward. Letting the dog see you while crying/barking will just relay the message that the dog can get you to come back when they cry/bark.
It takes time to train like anything else but giving your dog their own "space" is worth the effort.
A few HUGE advantages to a crate trained dog:
1 - Hotels that allow pets usually require a crate
2 - If you have a service person at the house (plumber, delivery guys, etc.) you have somewhere safe for the dog; and therefore the "strangers" in their house. Some service people won't come in the house with a loose dog.
3 - In the car, crating in the car can save a dog's life. (Sometimes moreso than a seatbelt attachment.)
The entire trick is to make the crate enjoyable. Place them in the crate, door OPEN, and treat the heck out of them while telling them they are good then let them come out. Repeat this procedure a few times a day until the dog starts to relax. (About 5 to 10 treats.) If the dog starts to cry or bark, the treats stop but they can't come out. As SOON as they are quiet again, resume treating.
Once they start to relax, close the door, but don't latch it. Give them treats through the wire of the door (wire crates and varikennels have wire doors) and tell them they are good. Open the door and let them come out. If the dog starts to cry or bark, the treats stop but they can't come out. As SOON as they are quiet again, resume treating. Repeat this until the dog relaxes.
The next step is to latch the door. Same process as above. Once the dog is comfortable at this step, start removing yourself from the room for a few seconds. If the dog cries, remain out of site until you have 3 seconds of quiet then reward. Letting the dog see you while crying/barking will just relay the message that the dog can get you to come back when they cry/bark.
It takes time to train like anything else but giving your dog their own "space" is worth the effort.
A few HUGE advantages to a crate trained dog:
1 - Hotels that allow pets usually require a crate
2 - If you have a service person at the house (plumber, delivery guys, etc.) you have somewhere safe for the dog; and therefore the "strangers" in their house. Some service people won't come in the house with a loose dog.
3 - In the car, crating in the car can save a dog's life. (Sometimes moreso than a seatbelt attachment.)
One night she crawled under and Ember followed her. About 5 minutes later Jazz crawled back out and I fell asleep. I woke up in the morning and Ember was still in the same spot under the covers she was when I fell asleep and Jazz was laying on the escape route looking very innocent. I pulled up the covers and there was Ember looking traumatized and she quickly jumped out and ran off. I swear Jazz was laughing her evil terrier laugh. Ember would never go under the covers again. Man I miss that dog.
