chloechanel'smommy 2 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I am at my wits end with Chloe'. She has been here for three weeks now and is still not catching on as to what she is supposed to be doing. First of all, as I stated in a previous post, she definately hates her crate. She totally has a fit when you put her in it and barks nonstop forever! I finally stopped trying to make her stay in the gate and just gated off the kitchen. Well, she still barks like crazy! I am back to work and the kids are back in school now so I cannot have her barking her head off all night long. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that she knows how to climb over the baby gate and goes wherever she wants to! That's right. I couldn't believe it! Anyway, she's got me pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to get some peace back into my house. I had thought about puppy proofing the livingroom, shutting doors to all rooms and just let her sleep freely in her doggy bed but with what happened to CoCo, I don't know if that is a good idea either. Someone please help. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kcsheperd 13 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Well dang..I'm sorry you are having such a hard time.. I wouldn't let her run freely, or like you said you never know what she could get into. I still don't let mine roam freely and they are 10 months old. IT just makes me too nervous. I put mine in the kitchen (baby-gated in) when I leave in the morning for work. I put down 3 or 4 delicious chewies..Kongs full of liver bits, chicken, etc..and to be honest, they could CARE LESS about me leaving! lol.. I only put them in the kitchen when I am going to be gone for more than 3 hours. Otherwise they go into their crates, and I say "Go to your house" and give them liver treats when they jump in there, so they are excited to go in there.. So thats my DAY routine.. Rally can Scale TWO pet gates, so He had to go into a crate rather than the kitchen..but you might try putting up two gates on top of each other. Although I wouldn't want her to get hurt if she fell.. Now, as far as nights.. I did not crate train them in the night. I couldn't do it either. I admire those who can, but Payslee was very stubborn as well, and when I put her in there at night she chirped, squealed and barked her face off! I get up at 3:30 am, and I can't afford to just 'be up all night with a barking baby..so I consented, and put her in bed with me..She slept like a lamb..I did the same thing with Sawyer.. I am a very light sleeper, so when they woke up, I would take them outside, and they would pee pee..I never had any trouble with that. So they are basically crate-trained during the day, and my bed bunnies at night. A lot of folks will put them in a playpen beside their beds, and I think that has worked well too, because they are right there by you, and you can reach down and love on them..So that might be an option if you don't want her in bed with you.. Hang in there! Tzu's are stubborn, but she will eventually get it. :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cackle 144 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Yep they are stubborn. Molly started off in a crate in my room and I gradually moved her out. Now she sleeps in a playpen at night till she wakes me around six thirty and I lift her out of the playpen and she runs into a crate which is kept in my room. She will stay there till I get up. Molly is 5 and I can't break her out of the habit of waking me in the morning. Mitsi sleeps in the loungeroom on her bed and doesn't move till I get up. They are all different but you need to start off the way you want to go on and be tough, stick with it, they are very stubborn. Put a treat in the crate, try and make it her safe place. Leave the door open to it when you are home and praise her if she goes in there for a nap. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stacey 7 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 i agree, stick to your guns...... things you may have already tried but going to suggest just in case warm towel with a ticking clock inside feeding in the crate only giving treats to her whiles shes in the crate never ever take her out while she's kicking and screaming lol playing near the crate... put a blanket over the crate during crate times, especially if its a wire crate crate her also while your home during the day not just at night, while your in the same room when out of the crate always leave door open heres a helpful link http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
borzoimom 24 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Did you try using a wire crate, with a little blanket over it, and one inside. Take her out first before bedtime- Play play play!- Wear her out, let her cool off a little bit, get a drink of water, take her back out to pee about 10 minutes before you go to bed. Keep your voice calm so as not to " reve her back up again" and put her in her crate in your room, near your bed. Usually this type of insistance is from maybe not enough play. A tired mind and body sleeps better. Give her a small amount of water in her crate, and a toy she only gets at bed time. I use a little rubber bone- they chew for a minute or two, I am done, in bed, do not get up, lights out. Another question- do you have the same schedule every day, or is the weekends more stimulation- ie play for her? If so it could be when work resumes Monday, she is confused of " wait a minute- I use to stay up later, play more etc- what is going on here????" I keep my dogs on the same schedule all week, every day, day after day. They go to bed at the same time on the weekend they do during the week. Also sometimes a fan helps- that hum of the fan if run everytime at bedtime. ( ie the fan goes on, its bedtime type thing.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mr.coffee 364 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Yeah, it's a tough one; Harley's big epiphany came when he realized being crated next to our bed was better than being crated in the dark & alone in the other room. No idea if that'd work for other dogs.... -m Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chloechanel'smommy 2 Posted August 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I'm going to try and find a taller gate that she can't climb over. A friend recommended the one that she has for her yorkie. I have tried everything trying to get her to use the crate. I have even moved it into my room the kids room. Nothing has worked. She will stay in it for naps or while I clean but never overnight. Things should be better when I get the new gate. Thanks everyone for your advice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Seastar 44 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 She wants to be with you. We just always keep puppies with us at night, in bed. Works good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chloechanel'smommy 2 Posted August 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 She wants to be with you. We just always keep puppies with us at night, in bed. Works good. What about during the day? Are they in their crate? I might have the problem solved at night. Last night I brought her doggy bed in our room and she slept all night. Everyone did. Lol. Now I have to work on what to do with her during the day until I get the new gate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stacey 7 Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 mine get crated during the day most days..... and sleep with me at night... nothing wrong with that as long as she not in it too long.... I feed mine in the crate and give them kongs in the crate etc..... rarely do they get anything outside the crate unless its a cookie not a chew or messy... when I grab the food bowls bert jumps right in like he's happy to do it... now when I changed the crate locations.... they had a fit..... all because they couldnt watch tv lol.... I do think while they are in their crates they watch tv... its weird.... so when I had that trouble with them... i moved the crates back and now no whining anymore..... so now i leave them be lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyTzuLady 16 Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 I also have a gate scaler. Huey can get over just about anything. The only thing I have found to work so far is to stack two baby gates one on top of the other. He has not managed to get over them. Just the other day we caught him trying to go over the 6 foot fence outside though! :yikes: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheShihtzuation 0 Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 Have you tried a regular playpen? When Pokey got too big to stretch out in his crate comfortably we bought a playpen at Target.. and he loved it. Like Stacey, we'd feed him in there too to help him get used to it and know it's not just a place to go for bedtime. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chloechanel'smommy 2 Posted August 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 Have you tried a regular playpen? When Pokey got too big to stretch out in his crate comfortably we bought a playpen at Target.. and he loved it. Like Stacey, we'd feed him in there too to help him get used to it and know it's not just a place to go for bedtime. I tried to playpen first. She hates that too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ariel 0 Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 I've heard it helps to have a toy they ONLY get in the crate. That could make them look forward to being there. Same thing for dogs with separation anxiety. For potty training, Shih Tzus can be difficult. It took my Cricket about 5 years to learn to go outside and she STILL doesn't really tell us very well when she needs out. Luckily she seems to hold it in unless it's absolutely not necessary. Accidents are to be expected. It does help to take the dog out to potty after every drink and meal, and after every time they wake up. If you can't be around, a doggie diaper may be the only thing to keep your sanity and your floors clean. Hang in there, they are totally worth it! I'd sooner tile my entire house than get rid of one of our 5 dogs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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