# Training Dog NOT to Bark While in Cage



## banjoboyone (Jan 8, 2008)

I've been trying to train my dog not to bark while in her cage. I've been patient and I simply wait until she lays down in her cage and stops barking, then I give her what she wants, which is to be let out. 

Nevertheless, she still continues to bark whenever we get home from going somewhere or when she knows we are in the house, while she is in her cage. I don't think she is making the association that calming down and not barking means being able to be let out. Is this not the proper reinforcement? Do I need to introduce treats into the equation to make this work? 

The other thing is that she begins barking in the morning around 5:30 AM (whether she's in the cage or out), not so much because she wants to be let outside (she's trained to go on dog sheets) as much as she wants to eat first and wants our attention second. How do I break her of this annoying habit?


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Questions first:

How old is this dog? What breed of dog is this? 

How much time is this dog spending in its crate most days (work days)? How much time is the dog spending with you out of the crate when you are home? How much time is the dog spending in his crate when you are home? How long is he in the crate over night? How much exercise is this dog getting (hours and miles of walking and times and play and training)?

Answering those questions will help us to answer the original questions. 

As to the barking to be let out at 5:30AM.. it is starting to get light at that hour. Dogs see that it is getting to be morning and most young dogs hate to be burning daylight sleeping when it is obviously time to get up (according to the dog). He is just saying, "Come on Slackers.. GET UP and lets get DOING!" LOL

If the reason for barking is because the dog is fed right away, alter the pattern and feed at some other time that is remote from being let out of the crate. The other questions (barking when you get home or when you are home) really need more information to be answered.


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## banjoboyone (Jan 8, 2008)

She is a 6-month-old chocolate lab. I walk her in the morning, put her in the crate and to to work. I come home and walk her again on my lunch hour and then I put her back in the crate and she stays there until the kids come home from school. So, 3 1/2 - 4 hours in the crate in the morning and then another 3 hours or so in the afternoon. We put her in the crate when we leave the house, because she'll chew on things she's not supposed to, while we're not around - another habit we're trying to break her of, but which going by experience, we're thinking she'll grow out of. She doesn't go in the crate at all at night, because she doesn't seem as inclined to chew, then. She is walked two or three times a day, with some sessions of "fetch" and dog park-time thrown in between. She gets plenty of exercise. 

When she grows out of the need to chew on things as a puppy, we're hoping not to have to put her in the crate at all.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Treats are never a bad idea. 

If she is barking when you first come home that is pretty normal. Dogs are social creatures and she wants to be with you. 

To get her to stop, as you stand at the crate, if she is quiet, give her a treat and walk away (do not let her out). If she is not quiet, turn you back on her and just stand there. Most dogs will ruckus for a bit and then sit down. Whe she sits quietly, turn around and give her a treat. If she gets up from the sit, turn you back on her once more.

When yo go to opwen the crate, she is to remain sitting until you tell her it is OK to come out. You do this by shutting the door when she gets up. Do not let her have what she wants until she does what you want. You have to get the whole family on the same page. 

Read the NILIF sticky. That will help you with this crate concept. 

The trick is to not reward bad behavior.. or to punish bad behavior.. the trick is to reward good behavior. Never reinforce what you don't want the dog to do. 

I suspect that even tho you walk her as many times a day as you are, there may be a lack of duration. This is a young dog and she needs a LOT of stimulus in the form of walking and playing. This means 1/2 hour in the AM b4 work (and a brisk walk at that), another 15 minutes at noon (mostly to let her stretch her legs and eliminate) and another hour in the evening PLUS play time and training time. Training need only be a formal 15 minute session and part of that can be teaching her about the crate. If your kids are old enough, enlist them for dog walking duty (assuming you can trust them to actually do this and they will swap off etc.) and have them be part of the training. 

Have you thought of going to a beginners dog training class. They are not expensive and you can learn a LOT. 

My suggestion for barking to be fed is to change that routine. Out of the crate and out for a walk.. feeding and getting let out of the crate should be exclusive of each other so the dog is not let out and fed immediately. Make coming out of the crate no big deal.. not a lot happens.. so the dog is not anticipating coming out of the crate to go and immediately do some high end thing she loves (like eat). 

I have been getting up at 4:30AM for over 30 years. I have no suggestion as to quieting the dog in the AM, although I am thinking if this dog got more exercise she might be quiet. 

She is young and thrives on a lot of activity and action as well as being with you. 

Keeping the dog in the crate when you are not there is a good thing. Better to head off things you don't like (such as chewing inapporpriate items) than letting those things happen.


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