crate training

[adamnaubry]

I've been working with Verbena on her crate training. I will occasionally put her in the crate and then sit on the couch and watch tv (the crate is right in front of the tv, facing the couch). And she just sits in there calmly waiting to be let out, but if she knows that I'm actually leaving it's a different story. I have a sheet in there for her, but she has ripped it to shreds now. How do I train her not to rip at the sheet if she only does it when I'm not looking? She's very smart and knows the difference between "this is crate time" versus "they are leaving me here alone time".

 

[Gempress]

Sounds like the crate training is going well, so far! Verbena doesn't need a sheet in the crate. She'll be just fine without one. How old is Verbena? She probably needs some toys. Try giving her some safe chew toys instead of the sheet.

 

[Tobysmom]

I found a heavy duty small rug at Wal-Mart for about $5 to put in the bottom of our crate. It is better than him having to lay on the cold plastic bottom. Having lots of indestructable toys are a good idea too. Sounds like she may be tearing up that sheet out of boredom.

 

[adamnaubry]

Verbena is now 23 weeks old. I'll have to look at getting a rug in there instead. She does get one of her more durable toys in there whenever she's in there for the day. She doesn't really like tearing her toys up. She's still got the first ones we bought her still in really good condition. She plays with them, but she won't tear them up. It's really cute whenever we get home and let her out, the first thing she does is give us kisses, then she runs back into her crate and gets her toy out. Then we'll go outside and she'll use the bathroom with the toy in her mouth.

 

[bubbatd]

Get the samples from a carpet store... about $1...............

 

[LeoAussie :)]

Id say go with the rug like Tobysmom and bubbatd said. Also you could always try giving her a Kong toy. When Red was a pup we'd put in a Kong right before we went anywhere and when we got back he'd still be going at it. We usually filled it with Kong Stuffing and some peanut butter.

 

[Whitedobelover]

you know i use a fluffy pillow and they love it because when my dobes both of them are pups go in they lie down and go to sleep or chew on their toys..

 

[LauraEyes2]

I would stick with the suggestion of putting nothing but rugged toys in the crate with her while you are gone. If a dog is tearing apart bedding (of any kind) they put forth the risks of ingesting pieces of the rug/sheet/etc or choking on it. The same goes for toys if a dog is destructive as well, I would stick to hard toys, nylabones and kongs, or other rugged toys that won't risk choking or ingestion. Dogs unfortunately don't know they're not supposed to eat things that aren't food, and in my experience as a Vet Tech i've seen countless incidents of dogs with intestinal blockages due to eating foreign objects.

My college roommate got the grand idea once of putting a pillow in the crate with her 6-mo old shepherd mix puppy. We came home from work to find the puppy up to her ears in pillow feathers. Was hysterical, but a mess to clean up after she ran out and feathers blew everywhere!

My golden puppy stays in his crate with a kong and his small nylabone--no sheets or beds quite yet because he can't be trusted not to shred it to bits! I would wait until your dog can get past that stage before you keep making more messes (and risks to your dog)! My adult golden was around 2 years old before he got out of the destructive stage, but i'm sure it varies for all dogs

Laura

 

[bubbatd]

Aren't puppys fun !!! I remember when my first Golden puppy discovered pop up kleenex .... a sea of tissues !!! Bless their hearts !!