Night Time Crate Training: Golden Retriever (vet, schnauzer, barking, stomach)

[Ellwood]

I have a golden retriever puppy (6 months old). She hasn't had an "accident" in the last month. She has obediently entered the crate at night, but never goes in it during the day to nap or otherwise. She is only crated at night for approximately 7.5 hrs., at which time she will make a tiny "woof" to signal she needs to potty. The last two nights she has balked at entering the crate and had to be put in.

I am not sure if she is old enough to try sleeping out of the crate at night or should I continue night crating until she is a year old, which seems to be the norm from reading up on the subject.

Thanks for any advice.

[Viralmd]

Overall, an excellent crate-training technique:

Crate Training | The Humane Society of the United States (http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/crate_training.html - broken link)

As long as you can't be sure she's housetrained, I'd opt for crating her, not just at night, but when you're out and aren't sure she's going to be reliable!

[mamh]

Our little boys cockers 4 and almost 8 sleep in their crates every nite..the older one doesnt always want to, so my husband gives each of them a tiny milk bone when they get in their crate and off to sleep they go..
Try that and see if it helps..The crate is always the best place for them at night.
good luck

[titaniummd]

Mine sleeps in his crate at night also. Otherwise he wanders around barking at every little thing (including his reflection in the sliding glass door).

[leorah]

Just a thought: forcing a dog into a crate can create greater dislike for going into the crate in the future. Reinforce the crate as a great area for her to be by rewarding her for being in the crate, as mamh does. Use a high-value treat, like a bit of cheese. I'd keep her crated until you are sure she is trained, and even then, don't hide the crate away. You may need it from time to time, so you don't want her to forget how cool it is to be in her crate!

[Ellwood]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

I have a golden retriever puppy (6 months old). She hasn't had an "accident" in the last month. She has obediently entered the crate at night, but never goes in it during the day to nap or otherwise. She is only crated at night for approximately 7.5 hrs., at which time she will make a tiny "woof" to signal she needs to potty. The last two nights she has balked at entering the crate and had to be put in.

I am not sure if she is old enough to try sleeping out of the crate at night or should I continue night crating until she is a year old, which seems to be the norm from reading up on the subject.

Thanks for any advice.

As a follow up, although I would give her a treat, she continued to balk at going in the crate. So I stopped putting her in the crate and she was fine: no accidents. I began leaving her out of the crate when I wasn't in the house for very short periods and she has never chewed anything other than tags on dishtowels, never gone on the furniture. She is now 1-1/2 years old and a fantastic companion.

[DawnMTL]

I'm in photo mode now so...

Ellwood, ya got any photos of your golden girl? I'd love to see her.

[Hanna B.]

My puppy continues to hate the crate. He occasionally still goes out of his way to pee in it - even if he isn't shut in. I am blaming the fact that he is a shelter dog on his hatred of it - he may have been forced in at night or something, and he definitely thinks it is OK to pee in it. I'm sure as a shelter dog he was forced to sleep in his mess overnight.

[dogpaw]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

As a follow up, although I would give her a treat, she continued to balk at going in the crate. So I stopped putting her in the crate and she was fine: no accidents. I began leaving her out of the crate when I wasn't in the house for very short periods and she has never chewed anything other than tags on dishtowels, never gone on the furniture. She is now 1-1/2 years old and a fantastic companion.

My GSD ate a kitchen towel, we were home and didn't even notice it. He had never done that before, he was 5 years old. The only I can think of is it smelled like food. They couldn't get it all out so a small part of it had to be surgically removed. The reason I took him to the vet is because he kept throwing up his food. Vet gave him meds that didn't work so he took an x-ray and there it was, the whole towel in his stomach. I would keep your towels up.

[jaime_mac]

I have a question about teaching a dog to sleep else where than my bed.

I got Buster, a pug/schnauzer mix, when he was 7 weeks old. Him being my first dog, I didn't know any better, and let him sleep in my bed. He is 2 now, and refuses to sleep any where but my bed. It's not a problem when it's just me and him in the bed as I have a queen size bed, however when my fiance moved in, it became cramped, and then fiance and I got another dog, which we let sleep in the bed with us.

Fiance is up in Massachusetts working, so it's just me and the 2 dogs, but we will all be moving up there next year and I'd really like to figure out a way to get them to sleep in their own beds. Neither of them have problems holding it until the morning to go potty so I don't see crating them at night being important, however Bella does love her crate.

When he was living with me there were nights were we would put Bella in her bed and she would sleep all night long there, however if we put Buster down on the floor, he'd jump back into the bed. I think Bella would sleep on the couch if I just left her there at night, but I'd like them to get use to sleeping in their beds or crates and not on my bed at some point.

They're not huge dogs, but somehow take up the whole bed lol