# Crate Training Dilema!



## VizslaPuppy (Mar 2, 2012)

Greetings,

I am new to this site and appreciate the wealth of information provided by experienced dog owners. Currently, I have a 13 week old Vizsla and a crate training dilema. I am not new to the Vizsla breed but rather new to crate training. (Our last V was a 4 year old rescue.)

Anyway, I have read a ton of books and posts regarding the issue. I have made the crate a pleasant place via positive reward training with the clicker and food. The pup will go in on her own to receive a treat and will work on her Kong. She doesn't mind if the door is shut as long as she is preoccupied with a treat. I gradually trained her from when she came home at 8 weeks, have never placed her in her crate. I can leave her for up to two hours in her crate while I am not in the house and based on my experiment today, she whines/howls/barks for 15 minutes, then sporadically for an hour before settling down. And by settling down, she doesn't seem to sleep but gently whines and slightly moans. We are going on hour 2 at this point. She can not see me or hear me at this point.

At night time, we have more difficulties. She will whine/howl/bark for 3 hours. It seems like she will do this for 45 minutes, sleep for 20, wake herself and whine again for a cycle. Now, after 3 hours, it was midnight. We live in a two story house on the bottom floor with folks above us. Midnight was just too late. I waited for a break in her whining of about 15 seconds and removed her from the crate. Her crate is next to our bed with a sheet over it (we have tried no sheet), but she simply rips the sheet off. Her crate is wire. 

Any advice? Next steps? Need more info?

I thank you all in advance.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

How much is she exercised? How long have you been having her sleep in the crate at night? One thing that might help at night is to make sure she is super tired before bed. A brisk play session, and even some training (the mental stimulation is tiring, too) a bit before bed might make it easier for her to fall asleep and stay asleep. Do you walk her yet? I think just making sure she gets really tired before bed might help.

Are you certain that she doesn't need to go potty at night? Lots of puppies need midnight bathroom trips up to 16 weeks or longer.

As for during the day, I would also encourage exercising her BEFORE she needs to be put her in her crate. Have you worked up to the 2 hour mark, or is that your first try? Some puppies need to gradually build up a tolerance for the crate, and need to start with very small increments of time to feel totally comfortable.

And, try googling "crate games". Good luck!


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## BraxtonsMom (Mar 2, 2012)

We were having trouble in the beginning with our puppy and his crate, so I tried moving it to a new location (it was in the family room, now it's in the kitchen) and I have no idea why, but he likes it much better in the kitchen and is much quieter. Again, I can't say why - but the change of scenery worked for him. At night we have another crate up in our room, he never fusses in there, because by the time we go up to bed, he is exhausted! I have 3 boys who play with him a ton before bed so he is good and tired.


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## Leirion (Mar 1, 2012)

Before you leave the house with her in the crate, have you left her for short amount of times while you're still in the house? When I got my puppy 5 days ago she was completely untrained and crate training was a bit of a struggle. My partner has health issues so I knew from the beginning she would need to be crate trained and also comfortable with being in the crate whilst we left the house. What I did is once your puppy is comfortable in the crate (i.e not whining) leave the room for 1 minute making sure your puppy cannot see or hear you. If she whines ignore it and when the minute is up go back into the room and praise her (do not go back to her if she is whining attempt to wait until she is quiet). Slowly over the course of a few days increase the time you are out of the room whilst she is in the crate, eventually she will realise that while you have left her, you always come back. Right now it's probably her insecurity at play, it was the same with my puppy Tori and now I can go out and be confident that she is quiet and settled in her crate. 

In regards to her night time howling/whining in the crate I can only repeat what the others have said, play with her until she is tired. Typically when a puppy/dogs excess energy has been 'run' off they become more submissive. The first night Tori was in her crate I played with her quite vigorously for about 15 to 30 minutes until she took herself off to her crate and didn't wake me until she needed to go potty. 

Good luck!


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## titiaamor (Nov 17, 2011)

Something to consider: Some dogs never adjust to a crate, and they aren't for every dog.


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## VizslaPuppy (Mar 2, 2012)

Thank you all for your insights. I am starting from the beginning and taking it very slowly with reward based training. The biggest problem is she hates to be separated from her people. She has no problem with the crate at all and happily goes in. Let the great experiment continue...


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