Consumer Homes.

Question:

>         We have a nine week old yellow lab who we are trying to housebreak > using a crate. He is doing very well. He doesn’t mind the crate and let’s us > know (when he is in the crate) when he has to go out. He is out of the crate > for much of the day as my wife is home to supervise him. >         Occasionally, he will walk into another room and wet with no warning. I > guess what I want to know is: >         How often/when should he be in the crate?

He should be in the crate any time you cannot immediately supervise him.  This means that you are going to have to take time during the day to spend time with him, and not be doing anything else.  You can do this in 10-15 minute ‘breaks’, it doesn’t all have to be at one time. >         Is taking him to go out any time he wants to, the right thing to do? I > have been getting out of bed at 2:00 AM to walk the little guy and, as I brave > against the Northeast chill, I wonder if there could be another way?

Yes, it is.  He is still too young to be reliably dry through the night.  In about another month, he should be able to go six hours without having to potty.  In about two months, he should be able to last all night.  (Walking him is the LAST thing you do before going to bed and the FIRST thing you do when you get up.) >         At what point can I assume it’s safe to let him have run of the house?

When he never has any accidents.  Figure about 6 months. > Another point I would appreciate addressed: What is it in the dog psychology > that allows them to understand that outside is a good place to "potty" and not > inside, once the crate is no longer used (or at least not used for > confinement).

Every time he goes outside, praise him lavishly.  If you catch him in the act of going inside, say ‘no’ in a loud, firm voice, and take him out immediately.  He will rapidly get the idea. >         I also wonder if I am giving him enough excercise. He seems to sleep A > LOT! I understand he is a baby but I am new at this and have no idea what is > normal for a puppy.

18 – 20 hours of sleep a day.  He should be spending the majority of his waking hours playing to get enough exercise. Chris Owens

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > (Lots of good advice about Crate Training) >If I wasn’t clear enough, feel free to email me with any questions >Good Luck!! >Kim > You were clear as crystal. Thank you very much! Thanks also to all those who > took time to write with help and suggestions. What a treasure I have found in > this group. > Thanks again, > Alan Kantor

Alan, I’m glad I was able to help! Kim

Response:

(Lots of good advice about Crate Training) >If I wasn’t clear enough, feel free to email me with any questions >Good Luck!! >Kim

You were clear as crystal. Thank you very much! Thanks also to all those who took time to write with help and suggestions. What a treasure I have found in this group. Thanks again, Alan Kantor

Response:

        We have a nine week old yellow lab who we are trying to housebreak using a crate. He is doing very well. He doesn’t mind the crate and let’s us know (when he is in the crate) when he has to go out. He is out of the crate for much of the day as my wife is home to supervise him.         Occasionally, he will walk into another room and wet with no warning. I guess what I want to know is:         How often/when should he be in the crate?         Is taking him to go out any time he wants to, the right thing to do? I have been getting out of bed at 2:00 AM to walk the little guy and, as I brave against the Northeast chill, I wonder if there could be another way?         At what point can I assume it’s safe to let him have run of the house? Another point I would appreciate addressed: What is it in the dog psychology that allows them to understand that outside is a good place to "potty" and not inside, once the crate is no longer used (or at least not used for confinement).         I also wonder if I am giving him enough excercise. He seems to sleep A LOT! I understand he is a baby but I am new at this and have no idea what is normal for a puppy. Thanks in advance, Alan & Amy Kantor (Proud parents of Mulder…and two human girls)

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >         We have a nine week old yellow lab who we are trying to housebreak > using a crate. He is doing very well. He doesn’t mind the crate and let’s us > know (when he is in the crate) when he has to go out. He is out of the crate > for much of the day as my wife is home to supervise him. >         Occasionally, he will walk into another room and wet with no warning. I > guess what I want to know is: >         How often/when should he be in the crate? >         Is taking him to go out any time he wants to, the right thing to do? I > have been getting out of bed at 2:00 AM to walk the little guy and, as I brave > against the Northeast chill, I wonder if there could be another way? >         At what point can I assume it’s safe to let him have run of the house? > Another point I would appreciate addressed: What is it in the dog psychology > that allows them to understand that outside is a good place to "potty" and not > inside, once the crate is no longer used (or at least not used for > confinement). >         I also wonder if I am giving him enough excercise. He seems to sleep A > LOT! I understand he is a baby but I am new at this and have no idea what is > normal for a puppy. > Thanks in advance, > Alan & Amy Kantor (Proud parents of Mulder…and two human girls)

Hi, I hope that I can help you as I know how frustrated you must be I can only tell you what worked for me I know all dogs are different, but I think that this may work for you, I  have had no problem at potty training the 2 dogs I have used a crate for. You may have problems though if your puppy was kept in a crate before you got him, and was "forced" to soil his crate. I don’t know how  I would deal with that I would give it my best though First of all, make sure the crate for your puppy is not too large for him. He should have enough room in there to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably. If you have a crate for him that is large enough to accommodate him when he is fully grown, you should "section it off" somehow (some crates you can buy with special "partitions", if your crate does not have one, you can easily make one with a piece of plywood (untreated). Just make sure that it fits perfectly, with no wires or gaps that your puppy’s toes, etc. could get caught in (his crate should be a "safe place" for him Make sure the crate is located in an area of the house that is "around the family". We have a split level house and ours are at the bottom of the stairs (out of traffic…) where they can see the den, living room, kitchen, up ( or down) the stairs, and the front door. I would not have it in the basement or garage, they like to be part of the family You never want to give him a chance to have an "accident" in the house, so you must never give him the chance. What this means is that you must be with him always. Never leave him alone, for even a second. If YOU have to go potty, crate him. If you have to run out and check the mail, crate him. If you heve to run to the store, crate him. Just remember to shut the door  (It was easy to teach mine to go in when I said "bed". I would say "bed" then walk them to the crate, praise him and give him a treat, took them a very short time to learn.) By not leaving him unsupervised, you will be able to catch in "mid-stream" or "mid-push" tell him "no" then immediately (and hurry!) take him outside to finish, the praise him like crazy! It is much easier if you can catch him. You will want to crate him immediatly after meals, then take him out maybe 30 minutes later, on the leash. Take him to where you want his "spot" to be and stay there. If he doesn’t go then, bring him in and crate him, then try again in another 30 minutes. It helps if you have a leftover "accident" to put in that spot. Don’t let him lead you around, he is out there to do one thing for right now, and when he does… praise like crazy maybe even play a bit with him (in another part of the yard, or where ever) I probably drove mine nuts as I was constantly taking him out (every hour or so at first, then every 2 hours or so…) It worked for me, though. Once they figure out what you are trying to teach them, they learn rather quickly. They do have smaller bladders, etc. than adult dogs, though… and their food, etc. moves through them pretty fast too so you may want to keep that in mind. As for when they can have the run of the house, I just "knew" with mine. I would keep them crated at night at least for a year. Maybe someone else can help you a bit more on that one I hope I helped, and that I didn’t forget anything (geez, as long as this is, I BETTER have rememebered everything!) If I wasn’t clear enough, feel free to email me with any questions Good Luck!! Kim

Response: