bradpattison.com

Hi there!

I have begun crate training. OI, this dog is putting me into debt. I wish I had known the right things to do four months ago. I could have saved hundred of dollars. Oh well, that's what VISA is for. I know the investment now will pay off in the end.

I had read that some of you were feeding your dog in the crate to get them used to it so I did that tonight, BUT my cat walked by sniffing the air and Ella didn't look impressed. Cats like boxes of all kinds so I know they will want to investigate it too.

Should we keep food out of there all together so we don't create a posession/guarding behaviour with the crate?

Do you leave it in there?
I put the food in at breakfast, made Duke sit, then let him go in to eat, with the door open. When he finished I took it out. I only did that for 3 or 4 days, then gave him a bone to chew in there for a few hours with the door shut, for a couple of days. Then just put him in at night with nothing, he whined for about 5 mins. that was it.
Looking back, I probably should of just put him in cold turkey, but my way worked. Never let him out if he's whining or you'll just encourage him to whine.
This is just over the past month or so and now he goes in on his own, quite willingly.
Good Luck

My cats investigated the crates too at first. But they just kinda stopped after the dogs took over it. Remember, the crate is supposed to be your dogs safe place anyways, something that belongs to them. How is your dog with yoru cat overall? All my animals tolerate each other very well so I wasn't worried about any issues really. If the cat gets too close to something my dogs just let them know to back off and vice versa.

Ella really likes the one cat and he likes her when she is gentle. I'm starting to wonder if the sensors on the end of her nose are defunct because she noses him so hard sometimes that he smacks her hard in the face to let her know she's too rough. Still young and fairly new here. She's learning. The other cat and Ella have an understanding for the most part. He doesn't like her so she pretty much leaves him alone. There has never been a fight or aggression between any of them. Just nosing too roughly sometimes.

I have caught Ella growling twice when she had a bone and they went near but that hasn't happened in a long time. Yesterday Theo rubbed against her face while she was chewing on one and she never blinked. I didn't see it coming in time to shoo the cat away so was holding my breath, but it was fine.

I think because the dish hangs on the kennel door, she was directly facing the cat while she was eating. She never growled but I could see her body tense up while he was sniffing the air by the crate door. Then he moved on.

I think I am answering myself as I type. I'm going to skip food in the crate. She has been in there twice tonight for up to an hour and not a peep out of her. She seems fine with it. I'll keep her food to where it's always been.

Hello everyone,

I see a lot of people talking about create training their dogs, i myself have done it with all my dogs, what
i start doing is showing them it's ok to go in, by showing them a toy they like or a treat,i also have put food dishes
in their create to also show them it's ok.

I have also left the door open for them to walk in or out, i have also had put blankets down for them to make more
like a little den with blankets also over the cage. I started create training my dogs right from when they
were just puppies over time they will get use to the create as this will not happen over night, try at least
two to three times a week and see how that goes and it's always good to do it when your home, i know the
whining can drive some of us nuts, but if we give in then the puppy will never learn.

Here something, every time your puppy walks into the create tell them they are good, with a pet or a good chest
rub, this will show them that they are doing good.

I hope this has helped with some of the questions that i have read on here.

Good- Luck...................With create training.