I hate crate training.

[blanche]

I should say I hate crate training the drama queens and kings.  Who scream and yodel and howl and generally act like they have been put in the deepest, darkest bowels of Hell.  And Pippin is now in the midst of it since he figured out how to jump out of his X-pen.  He isn't in for long periods of time, but he has to be crated when I go out so he doesn't bug the life out of the older dogs.  and honestly, what a stink he puts up.  I do give him stuffed things to chew and I throw treats in it off and on during the day so he associates the crate with good stuff. 

But I hate crate training.  Hate it.

[RockysMom]

LOL.......I hated it too Blanche.  Although Rocky adjusted really quickly (probably because we started his crate training as soon as he came home with us).

Good luck with that!! Get some ear plugs!! 

[Kathy]

Oh man I go through this with Bugzy everytime I take him in the car... if not in a crate he bounces around, driving me crazy.... in the crate he is obnoxious! screaming and howling, digging at it and generally freaking out... little snot..

[Pug-Mummy]

I had a rescue I fostered who would wail like I was amputating her leg sans anesthetic every time I put her in the kennel; and no I am not using veiled code to talk about Leila!!

Nellie hated being in her kennel despite the fact that her kennel was in the bedroom where everybody else's is.  I found giving her a kong with peanut butter smeared at the top of the inside of it worked like a charm.  She became engrossed trying to lick out the peanut butter and quickly forgot about her incarceration.  Then it was off to dreamland for me!

As I've said before, I'm not beneath bribery.  All of my guys LOVE their crates, because they get a cookie just for 'kenneling up'.  At bedtime, Leila will start running around yipping, jumping and barking at me because she knows she's about to get a cookie; a very rare treat in Leila's world.  All the presciption low protein treats are pretty big for such a little bean, so she gets very few a day.  All the more reason to love her crate!  Rosie is such a food hound, that she will get into anybody's crate if she thinks she'll get a treat for it.  Reilly is always a gentleman, but is ready and waiting for his turn to kennel up.

Sorry to hear you have your hands full Blanche!

[blanche]

I had a rescue I fostered who would wail like I was amputating her leg sans anesthetic every time I put her in the kennel; and no I am not using veiled code to talk about Leila!!

Nellie hated being in her kennel despite the fact that her kennel was in the bedroom where everybody else's is.  I found giving her a kong with peanut butter smeared at the top of the inside of it worked like a charm.  She became engrossed trying to lick out the peanut butter and quickly forgot about her incarceration.  Then it was off to dreamland for me!

As I've said before, I'm not beneath bribery.  All of my guys LOVE their crates, because they get a cookie just for 'kenneling up'.  At bedtime, Leila will start running around yipping, jumping and barking at me because she knows she's about to get a cookie; a very rare treat in Leila's world.  All the presciption low protein treats are pretty big for such a little bean, so she gets very few a day.  All the more reason to love her crate!  Rosie is such a food hound, that she will get into anybody's crate if she thinks she'll get a treat for it.  Reilly is always a gentleman, but is ready and waiting for his turn to kennel up.

Sorry to hear you have your hands full Blanche!

LOL.  H'es getting better.  It's outrage on his part, mostly.  That and I think he's always been with his litter mates in the past and is lonely as much as anything.

Leila was never a problem.  She thought her X-pen was much fun and went in it happily.  Pippin hasn't been awful with the X-pen, but didn't like it--but the crate is a tougher row to hoe.  He does get either a kong or a bone with peanut butter/yogourt/pumpkin in it.  I freeze them so (1) it's helpful for his teething and (2) takes him longer to get through it.  He happily goes in with the kong or bone, but once he's finished with it, then the yelling begins.  He's learning that I don't respond to the noise.  As I said, I do throw little bits of treat into the crate off and on during the day so that when he wanders in there voluntarily--VOILA!  An instant reward for being in the crate.

It's having to sit through the yelling until he dummies up that puts my teeth on edge.

[puglucky]

Kirby does this every night, and the crate is in our bedroom as well. He cry's like a baby and howls for a good 30 min to an hour..... STILL and its been about a month of this routine.

He does the same thing when we leave, and we can hear him from outside.... even when we return.

[Jug and Pug]

  He does get either a kong or a bone with peanut butter/yogourt/pumpkin in it.  I freeze them so (1) it's helpful for his teething and (2) takes him longer to get through it.  He happily goes in with the kong or bone, but once he's finished with it, then the yelling begins.  He's learning that I don't respond to the noise.  As I said, I do throw little bits of treat into the crate off and on during the day so that when he wanders in there voluntarily--VOILA!  An instant reward for being in the crate.

It's having to sit through the yelling until he dummies up that puts my teeth on edge.

I love the freezing idea as well.......how do you get peanut butter/yogourt/pumpkin in a bone or am I misreading this! 

Dave and Pugsley LOVE their crates and only are in them at night now.  That was Dave's routine so we have kept it since he came to us.  During the day they sleep on the couch and have the run of the kitchen and family room.  After Dave started jumping out of the XPen it was hopeless for him and I only kept Pugsley in the XPen while she had her cone on.  So far they are amazing when left during the day....no chewing or damage except the pee pads which I don't need for Pugsley anymore now. 

Dave has always been comfortable in the crate so hang in there Blanche..... do you always try and crate train rescue puppies? I imagine it is much easier if the puppy is used to it right from the start Is there an age where it would likely be too difficult for them to get used to as it seems some of the older rescues don't use crates at all.

 If you start looking like  let us know!!

[blanche]

With older pugs, I don't generally crate train unless they are (1) used to a crate or (2) exhibit the need for one.  Puppies, I always either X-pen or crate.  They are just too loonie when I'm gone to leave loose.  Older dogs I can gate off happily. Puppies aren't usually reliably house trained either so a crate serves double duty. 

As to the kong stuffing--I mix the peanut butter, yogourt and pumpkin and then use a small spoon and my fingers to stuff it into the kong or bone.  It's quite thick so doesn't drip down during this process.  Then I freeze it.

[Pug-Mummy]

To put peanut butter or pumpkin in a bone, you need to use a sterilized bone.  You can find them in pet stores; the marrow in the bone is missing due to the sterilization process.  As they are hollow, they become a great receptacle for treats!

[blanche]

To put peanut butter or pumpkin in a bone, you need to use a sterilized bone.  You can find them in pet stores; the marrow in the bone is missing due to the sterilization process.  As they are hollow, they become a great receptacle for treats!

I save all my old bones for this purpose.  Really useful for entertaining the crate resistant.