Palkchop 0 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 (edited) Do any of you crate train your Shih Tzus? All the dogs we've ever had, we've always crate trained, as we both work. However, I do work from home occassionally. We never let our dogs have the run of the house while we weren't home. I just remember with our other dog we had, it only took a few days and she was fine in the crate. I just feel bad putting him in the crate because he gives me that sad face. Do you think after a while, he'll get used to the routine? Also - this is the crate we have for him. It's the smaller size of course. The ones we had for our old dog - they were way to big and beat up. They were the ones with the plastic sides, almost like a larger cat carrier. Is the crate we are using ok or should I buy one of the other ones? Edited January 5, 2009 by Palkchop Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tzukeeper 12 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I've always used crates for my dogs. They stay in them when I'm not home and sleep in them at night. I also used them for potty training. Sometimes during the day they will seek the privacy of their crates to take a nap. The crate you posted is the kind I have. I also have a room set up with x-pens for them to stay in when I have to be gone for extended periods. Here is a photo of an x-pen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Palkchop 0 Posted January 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 He won't sleep in it at night - probably because it's in our room and he knows we are there. That doesn't bother me - I just feel bad when I leave the house, wondering if he is freaking out the whole time. Now, should I put a blanket in there for him? To lie on? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tzukeeper 12 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 He won't sleep in it at night - probably because it's in our room and he knows we are there. That doesn't bother me - I just feel bad when I leave the house, wondering if he is freaking out the whole time. Now, should I put a blanket in there for him? To lie on? My dogs are a bit hot natured so I only cover half of the floor of the crate with a crate pad. I put the crate pad inside a pillow case because the crate pads are made of sherpa and tend to make them hot. Make the crate a good, positive thing by keeping it in the room you are in when you are home and leave the door open so he can access it at will. Feed him a treat each time you put him in the crate. I always keep a crate or 2 in our tv room and the dogs will lay in them while we watch tv. His crate needs to be a place he feels safe in and likes to be. Whenever my dogs see me put my shoes on they all run and get in their crates. I think that must mean that they are okay with being in them. :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gizmo's mom 0 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I crate trained my gizmo. Mostly for potty-training issues, but it's turned out to be quite handy. He sleeps in there at night and while we're at work during the day. We've thought about letting him stay out at night some, but never have, becuase he stays with my mom a lot and she'd never go for that. It definitely took a little while for him to get used to it. By a good pair of earplugs. He's just over 2 years old now and is fine with it. I've been thinking of getting him an x-pen to have a little more space when we're at work, but haven't quite made the jump yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
~Summer~ 0 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 (edited) I used a pop up pen for Alfie when he was a puppy and now I'm using it for Chino, (Alfie has the run of the house now he's a big boy and no longer seemed to need the security of the pen) I think the principle is the same as a crate, offering a safe secure environment and I have to say its been invaluable to us. Edited January 5, 2009 by ~Summer~ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tzukeeper 12 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Love that pop up pen! I have never seen anything like that. Very cool! Anyone considering the x-pen should know that they are great! They come in different sizes, can be folded up and stored in a closet or under a bed. Great for taking on a trip when you want an instant play yard for your dog. They also attach to the crate, making a nice and safe area for your pup to be while you are away. I have 2 different sizes. The 24 inch tall and the 36 inch tall. Emi has to be in the taller one because she is a climber. I love my x-pens! They provide so much peace of mind when I have to be gone for more than a couple of hours. :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stacey 7 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I have two crates and expen. I only use the ex pen when we go to dads now. however, when I go back to work they will have the excercise pen back because I cant stand seeing all dogs in crates for hours. They dont mind the crate at all or the excercise pen. I am currently crating right now for potty training. they are now getting fed their food in the crates now as well and have learned the command "get in the box" So now they see it as a good place to eat and sleep. I will swear by a crate for as long as i live lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cruzenbye 0 Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 We crate train. Here's a pic of my girls in their crates. Chloe, the big one, her crate door stays open 24 x 7 and she has full run of the house day or night whether we are home or not. Although, she is 7 yrs old. The first 2 yrs she was crated whenever we weren't home. I took her crate down once, she would go and lay in that spot on the floor, so we just leave the crate up. Its her "den". Miccah, on the other hand, we have been crating since the day she came home. Since we work during the day, we put a piece of Plexi-glass down with a grate in order to raise the floor 2" off the bottom. She sleeps on the bed, but if she has to potty, she will do so over the grate and onto the pee pad underneath. Truth be told, its been over 2 months since she pottied in her crate. I purchased a package of pee pads when I got her in September, there were 33 pads in the pack. I still have 5 and when she was pottying in the crate I'd change that pad daily. Miccah sleeps in bed with us at night. We tried the crate, tried leaving it in the living room with the big dog, and tried it in our bedroom - but she would wake up several times a night and cry. Hubby finally let me leave her on the bed one night in late October, and she's been there ever since. Never an accident, and she lets me sleep all night. My big dog looks at the crate as a safe haven, a bed, and a home. I'm hoping Miccah will get that way too over time. And if you look at the pack mentality of dogs - and their sleeping "dens" that is what the crate is to the dog. When we travel, she's crated. and when we go camping, she gets crated in the camper too. Its a good, secure habbit to get them into. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
My2Cuties 0 Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 (edited) I have never crated my dogs. When Dixie was a puppy i locked her up in the laundry room with her bed, toys, food, water and a pee pee pad when we were gone. Once she was about 6 months old or so she had full range of the house. She is now 7 yrs old. I am now doing the same with Mollie. She is 12 weeks old now and pretty much house broken with the pee pee pads. Once it gets a bit warmer out i will be training her to go outside. The pads have worked so well for me. And they both sleep with me at night . When they have to go potty during the night they wake me up. I have never had a problem. Edited January 6, 2009 by Tammyblue Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Apeke 4 Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 Nope...I have never crate trained. I tried once with Suzie when I got her last year, but I have learned that Suzie is a very anxious little dog. She seems to be a little more filled with anxiety then what I have ever seen in the others. She's not confident like what I am used to seeing in Bridgette (when she was alive) or in Corkey. She was flown in from Ohio at 3.5 months and something must have tramatized her, because I started to use the crate she was flown in (a nice one too) to allow her to adapt to her new environment, but she literally freaked out when I tried to put her in it. For DAYS, I left the door to it open and placed her blanket and tossed some yummo chew toys way in the back... and she wouldn't even go near the thing to investigate let alone go in to get the treats.. So, I decided to put it up and use it ONLY if necessary for emergency transport, etc... I trained Bridgette and Corkey with the leash first then graduated them to the dog door, which was a success. Still having issues with Suzie using the dog door. But will buy a new clear one come Spring. This one I have is a tinted one. Suppose to help save energy, etc... But, I'm not looking to start putting Suzie in her crate now.. She's doing ok..Has a few accidents throughout the week...but is getting better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyTzuLady 16 Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 Nope no crates here either, I have one but it only lasted a few nights with Gizmo and then daddy caved and he has been sleeping with us since. As each of the others have came along we add one more to the bed. It works for us and I am lucky enough to be home with them 99% of the time so that is'nt an issue. But I have warned hubby if he brings home any more pups then he is gonna have to find a new place to sleep because a queen size be with two adults 4 dogs and two cats gets a little tight. It sure makes romantic times interesting. LOL..........I also have an xpen for when we go somewhere that I don't want them wandering, works out pretty good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tzuhouse 4 Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 Nope no crates here either, I have one but it only lasted a few nights with Gizmo and then daddy caved and he has been sleeping with us since. As each of the others have came along we add one more to the bed. It works for us and I am lucky enough to be home with them 99% of the time so that is'nt an issue. But I have warned hubby if he brings home any more pups then he is gonna have to find a new place to sleep because a queen size be with two adults 4 dogs and two cats gets a little tight. It sure makes romantic times interesting. LOL..........I also have an xpen for when we go somewhere that I don't want them wandering, works out pretty good. just the other night, hubby said "how the heck can one get with four eyes staring at you all the time, or fur in your face, uh dog fur honey, quit laughing" No here lately !!!!! ^_^ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
emmasmom 14 Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 (edited) just the other night, hubby said "how the heck can one get with four eyes staring at you all the time, or fur in your face, uh dog fur honey, quit laughing" No here lately !!!!! Cathy, you crack me up!!!!!!! ^_^ Edited January 7, 2009 by emmasmom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyTzuLady 16 Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 just the other night, hubby said "how the heck can one get with four eyes staring at you all the time, or fur in your face, uh dog fur honey, quit laughing" No here lately !!!!! ROFLMAO!!! OMG Cathy you just had to go there! :rolleyes: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tzuhouse 4 Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 ROFLMAO!!! OMG Cathy you just had to go there! Yea, well it's "going there" that seems to be the problem and when you are over 60 it ain't often anyway... unless we rent the just in case... :hysterical: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MaryBebo 3 Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 ROFLMAO!!! Cathy you are too much. The funny thing is....is I know how you feel.... when do we feel like it or have the energy and then there again .... those little eyes and when we put her in the crate in our room she is like hey what about me? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my3tzus 0 Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Okay...just need to say....been there.....do that. All 4 of my furbutts sleep in bed with us. My husband is very gracious about it, although he hates that 2 of them are leg sleepers. They curl up on his legs so he can't move at all. As for the other extra curricular activities....what's that???? 16 legs + 8 eyeballs + 4 tounges and wet noses = no nooky We have even tried bribbing them out of the room so we can close the door, but smart little buggers have caught on to that too. It's like they know, and all of them hide under the blankets . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyTzuLady 16 Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 We have even tried bribbing them out of the room so we can close the door, but smart little buggers have caught on to that too. It's like they know, and all of them hide under the blankets . Oh yeah that sounds like my bedroom alright. It is like a race betweeen the 4 of them who gets under the covers first. Delila sleeps right between our heads so it is quick pick her up move her over and scoot together quick before she jams her way back in there. It's like an olympic sport I swear! Cathy your killing me. But when it does happen it certainly makes ya get a little more creative now does'nt it. :blink: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Apeke 4 Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 I'm afraid we're all about in the same boat, 'er should I say bed.. Suzie is a leg sleeper too. I hate that...but what you start, you have to allow. I remember hubby just recently saying... "Um..Honey? Ya think perhaps we could send the furkids to winter camp so we can...well...ya know... have some camp time of our own?" I said..."Whaaaa? Send my babies away from home? Oh my goodness...do you know what that would do to me?" He's like.."No..but I know what that COULD do for me" (sigh ) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tzuhouse 4 Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Oh yeah that sounds like my bedroom alright. It is like a race betweeen the 4 of them who gets under the covers first. Delila sleeps right between our heads so it is quick pick her up move her over and scoot together quick before she jams her way back in there. It's like an olympic sport I swear! Cathy your killing me. But when it does happen it certainly makes ya get a little more creative now does'nt it. Oh yeah, but the pups think we are killin each other...they start the "attack"....ugh...even a kiss and they get so jealous. No creativity about it.... they have to be LOCKED out of the room and if they "hear" us (gosh, guess we are a noisy lot !!!!, they will whine and scratch and will not stop. We try to practice "silence" VERY difficult. Feel like Yep, cuddles are few and far between. Hubby comes in after work, I am sitting on couch and they run to him. He MUST greet them first....then he comes to give me a kiss and both jump up on the back of the couch and they both have to join in on the kiss..... Big babies :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyTzuLady 16 Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 :) :mf_seehearspeak: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cruzenbye 0 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 So much for the crate training thread... this one has degenerated... When we first got Chloe she'd go nuts when we tried to get cozy. She thought we were fighting or playing and she wanted to get involved. But she learned quickly and would leave us alone. Miccah is now learning - although slowly. She likes to be up in bed with us, but will hang at the end of the bed and ... watch... I think all dogs tend to be like that. They want to be around their humans all the time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tzuhouse 4 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 So much for the crate training thread... this one has degenerated... Yep, it's all done gone to pot!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cruzenbye 0 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 to the dogs, is more like it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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