Crates / Pens

[Apeke 4]

I was giving Suzie's pottying in the house some thought tonight and was on line looking at sites on potty training tips and I ran across this site called: Revival Animal.....

I really want to try to start crate training her, but hesitate to in the one she was flown in on the plane in, as I truly believe she is scared to death of that thing.

And plus, it feels so enclosed to her, and when I saw these crates/Pens, I thought how cool..Trouble is, they are so friggin' expensive.

Here's a link..

http://www.revivalanimal.com/store/p/5558-...teel-crate.aspx

But they are so cool..I love the openess to them and how they open in different directions for easy access and to enable her to feel like it's a bed too...and it comes with the padded pillow mat thingy....

Does anyone know of another site that has something similar to these that don't cost so much though?

I am at my wits end with Suzie not being trained by now...it's been over a year.....

I never went this long with Corkey or Bridgette and they both took to the doggie door real well..Not Suzie, she will not use it for nothing.

She started to several months ago, then my hubby started throwing a fit, because the flap was letting in too much cold drafts, so we switched to an economy one that is thicker and tinted to keep out sun, etc...now Suzie won't get near it let alone use it.

Even when she's outside, she'll lay on the back porch until Ilet her in. I worry too, because it can extremely hot / cold in this area throughout the changes seasons and if she's outside, I worry....

Not to mention the coyotes in our area...

Anyway...

My carpet is all but ruined and I am sick of the smell it leaves behind.

I'm just growing very discouraged with this entire potty ordeal and with her....

I love her with all my heart, but I can't face knowing this can be ongoing...

I am at a loss.....

Edited January 11, 2009 by Apeke

[enchantedmountain 2]

Those are really awesome crates! I had to take one of mine that I got as an adult and just start from square one. I treated her like she was a 8 week old puppy only I had to take her out on a leash because she never did learn to potty on command. I believe unless they can potty on command, they will never be potty trained correctly. I would take her out and when she pottied give her a treat, etc. I even had the probem if her pooping in her crate. I finally had to get the smallest airline crate (and she is a 9lb dog) and remove all blankets before she quite pottying in the crate. The hard work does pay off, as that baby is now totally potty trained, but for a long time, I did not let her out of my site and she was crated if I couldn't watch her every second of every minute. Good luck to you! Two of mine where flown in and I truely believe this should have no effect on them. Both of them to this day sleep in their crates, of course it took some time for them to get used too, as any puppy has to adjust to their new enviroment, now I say lets go to bed and they all run and get in their crates. The important thing with a crate is never punish them by putting them in the crate. They need to view it as "their space". Either way you choose, good luck :chickendance:

Edited January 11, 2009 by enchantedmountain

[Stacey 7]

the medium petmed ones at walmart are like 35 bucks at walmart and the padding you can either order online or buy at petsmart for about 20 bucks... however, i just use a standard size pillow that is flat. And put a pillow case on it, that way its washable.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8055995

the listed says 54 something but when your at the store they are cheaper.

and these mats look great if you must have one lol

http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/sh...p-flypage-17886

http://homeandkennel.petedge.com/Slumber-P...bCategoryId=380

I now feed my pups in the crates.... they are more eager to go in their now. I get the dishes out with food and they run to the crate. Just leave the door open on it when she's out and about with some toys, sit down beside of it, give her treats, and even start feeding her in their with the dry food and see if she dont perk up. She will forget all about that nasty plane ride

Edited January 11, 2009 by Stacey

[~Summer~ 0]

I use a pen rather than a crate, looks less cage like, has plenty of room and folds up and down easily, it has removable floor sheets, a zip on roof cover and two zip open/shut door flaps, its been a God send for us and offers security and protection for my pup when we're out.

[MaryBebo 3]

I started off with this carrier that I used when I first brought Cricket home. It really helped with being able to drop my hand down trough top zipper door to let her know I was there. I sat it beside my bed and she never cried. It comes in several different sizes. I have the 20" ( they have it from 16" up to 36" ) you can wash it and it looks great. We now use it to travel in our car. She loves it. For someone with a new puppy it's great just put a round comfy bed inside and they feel safe. It would be great to use in your house too unless you do have a chewer.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?...indingMethod=rr

We have this now in our bed room even though she does sleep with us. During the day when we leave her so goes in her crate.

http://www.jbpet.com/Midwest-Bay-Isle-Crate,1736.html

With this Crate pad I also still put her round bed inside on the crate pad for more comfort. I know I am a mushy momma. I like things nice and comfy

http://www.jbpet.com/J-B-Fleece-Crate-Pad,449.html

she loves both and so she is happy and doesn't mind going in either.

[kcsheperd 13]

Gosh Vicki, I feel for you..because even though Payslee is only 14 weeks old people keep saying "Is she potty trained?" and I'm like "Dang, is she already supposed to be?".. with Rally it was so easy..He picked it up right away and has never had accidents in the house, but with girls it just seems harder. I tried the first month without giving Pays a treat when she pee pee'd in the right place, but she is so treat driven that I've found she does better if she knows she's getting a little bite of liver for doing the right thing. She is in an exercise pen when I'm gone to work..she has a pee pad in there, but rarely uses it. At night I let her sleep with me, which usually works pretty well, except lately before she gets settled down she has been peeing on my comforter and I have NO IDEA what thats about since she sleeps there!

I bought her a soft-sided pink crate when I first thought I was going to make her sleep in one..she liked it, but only to play in..she wouldn't stay in it at night..Although if I'm going to be gone for only an hour or so, I'll put her in it in the house and she does well in it..but her favorite crate is just the wire 4 sided kind..for some reason they just seem to do better in those, plus you can throw a blanket over them to make them look more 'hip'..or to let them know its 'nite nite' time..

Good luck girl! I'm right there with you!

[FairyTail Josette 14]

Vicki, don't feel bad, this is the only "crate" mine will get into to.

I think you either have to forget the doggy door for now, and start taking her out on your own, back to square 1 with her. Or, you could try working with her on the door, by taking her to the door, giving her a treat, just introduce the door to her, gradually, trying to "reward" her every time you can get her to go through that door. That doggy door seems to be the downfall in this equation, I think. I have to tell you, I don't think mine would use it, unless, it was introduced to them at a fairly young age, and then, switching the door, yes, would throw them all off. :)

[~Summer~ 0]

Lol! Ohhhh Suzi I love it! :)

[My2Cuties 0]

OMG Suzi that crate is adorable. Its the "CRATE PALACE"

Look how cute Josey is in there

I got really lucky with those pee pee pads. Molly is now 14 weeks and she is potty trained. I give her a treat every time she goes on it and that i believe has done the trick. I make such a big deal when she is a "good girl". Once it gets warmer out and i start training her to go outside, then she will only get her treat for outside.

Apeke- maybe try putting her through the doggie door and when she gets through it, give her a treat or have her favorite food on the other side of it???

Edited January 11, 2009 by Tammyblue

[tzuhouse 4]

Yea, I would forget the doggie door for now. Square one is potty training not door training. She has too much to learn with all those variables. I ALWAYS go out with mine, otherwise I would never know if they just went out to play or to do their business.

Summer, where did you get that pen, that is awesome.

Suzi, I LOVE Josey's crate.... :)

[enchantedmountain 2]

The only problem with a crate bigger than they are, is most babies if they are not crate trained will potty in it. I can't usually move my to a crate bigger than they are until they are older, otherwise they wouldn't hold it and just potty in the crate. If they are completey crate trained than a bigger crate works.

[enchantedmountain 2]

Vicki, don't feel bad, this is the only "crate" mine will get into to.

OMG!!!! That is the cuttest thing I have ever seen!

[~Summer~ 0]

Summer, where did you get that pen, that is awesome.

Thanks, I love it, its been really useful. I bought mine over a year ago from 'Pets at Home' here in the UK not sure if you have that in the US but found an identical one to mine on US Ebay.

CLICK HERE

[Apeke 4]

Well..

We have a small 10 x 10 bedroom that we use as a PC room..ALl it has in it are our computers/desks and my upright freezer. It's right off the kitchen and I usually place Suzie in the room and put a toddler safety gate up..(hubby took down the door to the room) and thus far, though she has room to roam, she has never pottied in there.

I stopped doing that a while ago, as she had made such progress.

And because this time of year we get LOTS of coyotes and I don't like the babies out doors in the back yard alone after dusk because that's when the coyotes are on the prowl for food....and will snatch up the little dogs like a steak from Outback...

But, I noticed as I placed the cover to the dog door on, Suzie did good, going outside with Corkey when I would open the door for them to go out.

Then, hubby took the cover off, because the cat couldn't get out on her own (she uses it too...no indoor litter box) and Suzie, started peeing and pooing in the house ALOT again...so I know there is some sort of issue with her and the dog door..what? I don't know..But it's there.

So, I guess it's back to square one.

Now my question to those who have succeeded at potty training...

How and when do you know they are completely trained?

In other words...when do I start allowing Suzie run of the house like Corkey?

See, Corkey is dog door trained. I know he WILL NOT go in the house, because for 7 years he's learned outside is the place to pee/poo by going through the door. And in this time, he has learned not to go indoors and will hold it until let out.

Should I (while I'm home) train her on the bells, like I have seen mentioned before? Do you think this will help her learn?

At least Corkey will go to the back door and jump up on it and slide down scratching it as he declines, Suzie does NOTHING....grrrr.

I'm at a loss ya'll...

Edited January 11, 2009 by Apeke

[FairyTail Josette 14]

I'm really not a huge advocate of crate training, but, I think it's your only real solution. Back to basics...take her out, you have to be outdoors with her, and praise her as she's going potty. Then, she figures out the correlation, potty outside...I get a treat. Take her out often, can't remember Suzie's age now. Praise and consistency is the key here. When you leave home, does she have run of the house? Mine have all been crated or in an x pen when we are gone or unable to supervise until they are potty trained. Important to clean up all odors out of the carpet so she doesn't keep going back to the same area to "go". I still take Josey outdoors every couple of hours and "remind" her, it's time to go potty. Suzie will get there, it takes time.

I think you'll know when she can have run of the house, by seeing her consistently going to the door and waiting for you to take her out, or, you can get her over her fear of the doggy door. :)

[MaryBebo 3]

I do feel that you do need to be with her when she goes out like Suzi said.

Cricket still isn't 100 % yet I just keep working at it :)

Edited January 11, 2009 by MaryBebo

[Apeke 4]

I'm really not a huge advocate of crate training, but, I think it's your only real solution. Back to basics...take her out, you have to be outdoors with her, and praise her as she's going potty. Then, she figures out the correlation, potty outside...I get a treat. Take her out often, can't remember Suzie's age now. Praise and consistency is the key here. When you leave home, does she have run of the house? Mine have all been crated or in an x pen when we are gone or unable to supervise until they are potty trained. Important to clean up all odors out of the carpet so she doesn't keep going back to the same area to "go". I still take Josey outdoors every couple of hours and "remind" her, it's time to go potty. Suzie will get there, it takes time.

I think you'll know when she can have run of the house, by seeing her consistently going to the door and waiting for you to take her out, or, you can get her over her fear of the doggy door.

VERY VERY GOOD ADVICE SUZI.....

The PC room we use is like that of an X pen, depending on how big the pen is.

Corkey goes on command, I never really trained him that way, it just became habit when he and Bridgette were together with me 9before Bridgette's death last year) and it became routine that I would say right before bedtime..."Com 'on, let's go night night potty" And up off the sofa and out the dog door they went..pottied and came back in for the night.

Now, as I look back, it was impossible for them to go during the night, because they both slept in the bed with me...and it is VERY high up off the floor and they hesitated to jump down.

And Suzie got used to that too..

But, for the past couple months, I have been sleeping on my couch, and yes, with the babies, lol, due to a frozen shoulder I developed from work and now Suzie has run of the house, because she can jump off the couch and go on the carpet by the door or on the tile by the bathroom door. I tried to keep her in the PC room with the guard gate up at night, but hubby gripes, because she whimper and whines being there all alone and it's right next to the master bdroom where he sleeps and he's a grump when he dosen't get any sleep.

So, I keep her with Corkey and myself at night.

I may have to work out something that will allow me to start sleeping in the bed again without it hurting my shoulder, so that Suzie can learn to hold it through the night..

Also, I cannot take her out often, as I work away from the house for 8 hours and so does hubby and so this is when I need to keep her in the PC room.

only problem is Hubby doesn't keep his eye on her when he gets home and lets her out of the room, I am still at work for another 5 hours after he's home..so that defeats all my hard work...

He will let her out, then walks away and doesn't keep pumping her to potty and watch her go and praise her like I do. He lacks serious patience in this area.

Anyway...

Good advice ya'll, thanks... and I'll simply have to come up with a solution that will fit our lifestyle somehow.

[FairyTail Josette 14]

That's funny you mentioned your hubby not being as consistent. EVERY TIME I leave town to visit my family and leave the furbabies with my hubby, there's accidents in front of the door. He tells me about it, when I return home. Helllooooo, they are standing at the door, let em out for pete's sake. Men, honestly....I told him maybe, he shld look into some growth hormones for them, so, they could grow longer arms/legs and open the door themselves, silly puppies. :signthankspin:

[Stacey 7]

Well for corky and the cat, they are trained to the door. Fine no problem there. But suzi is not (i do believe because its tinted not clear, maci was the same way at the board facility I took her to when I went out of town, the woman had to switch her kennel to one with a clear door, maci was also doggy door trained when I got her)

You will have to get up and let suzi out each and every time, until either you get the clear door, or forever if she doesnt eventually pick it up. As you know I do use bells. But it took maci 5 months to learn to use them. The pups picked it up in no time. But they still have accidents in the house, I have no idea why. Other than if they see im busy, they wont ring the bells, they will just go. But more so they seek out the only rug that is in front of the door, or a towel that is laying down on the bathroom floor. They are starting to realize not to go on the hardwood floor.

But Im not having as many accidents these days. So it is working. Takes time.

I to think your gonna have to start from scratch again.

You will either have to crate her, or teather her. And hubby is just gonna have to get with the program, or it will never work.

Pottys when you wake up, after din dins, after play, before bed. If hubby lets her out to potty, then he needs to put her right back in that room (and/or crate if you get one) when she's done instead of letting her roam the house.

Here is my schedule. Potty when we wake up, usually they wake me up for pottys, play, eat in the crate and they stay for about 3 hours, then immediately potty, then play. I usually let them stay out at this time since I know they dont have to eat til later. Potty when one rings the bells, they both potty at the same time, doesnt matter who rings the bells. Play, dinner in the crate again. Another 3 hour nap in the crate, then immediately outside. Play, naps, potties. And then again pottys 5 mins prior to bed time.

So far with that schedule we are doing fine. And we will keep that schedule until Bert gets it. Lea is 98% potty trained. Bert is about 75% But as you can remember, Bert was pad trained and Lea wasnt. Lea just didnt like the pads.

So as you see, Suzie may never get the dog door, even with the clear door. But you'll never know unless you get the clear door.

[Mom_to_Franklin 0]

I feel your pain - I too was there with Sassy (my almosy 2 year old girl). It has taken FOREVER to train her.... ans she is my third dog ( well 4 if you count my Boxer Linus who passed away). I know I may get a lot of flack for saying this.... but I think female dogs are harder to train that males. I mean, I did 3 times with 3 male dogs and had them FULLY trained in weeks.... Sassy really gave us a hard time....... You are not alone!!

I have always crated my dogs until I knew that they would be ok alone and of course, the amount of time they used a crate varied on their personalities (My Boxer will likely always need his crate as he is a chewer and has some seperation issues when we are not home).

Instead of using a crate for Sassy I used my daughters old play pen. It had mesh sides so Sassy could see out of it and was super easy to clean. We had to turf it afterwards though......

Good luck!

[tzuhouse 4]

The only problem with a crate bigger than they are, is most babies if they are not crate trained will potty in it. I can't usually move my to a crate bigger than they are until they are older, otherwise they wouldn't hold it and just potty in the crate. If they are completey crate trained than a bigger crate works.

Totally agree...I alway blocked off part of the crate as they grew I gave them more room.

Vicki, is there any way to change the door back to the old one or a clear one right away. Only then will you really know if that was the problem. If so, then your problem is solved. Didn't you say she was trained before the switch?

[emmasmom 14]

I would say, go to the basics. Crate her when you have to be away from home & when either of you are home, take her out on a lead & if you think she has to go, just stay out with her until you see her go. It can be a pain, but that way you know she went.