Please help with crate training

[Karen]

Charlie knows the command for going in and does it enthusiastically .. for treats of course!
But he doesn't like to stay in unless he is sleeping. He whines to get out. If I know he has gone to the bathroom and is completely safe should I let him whine. I have read that I should...but then also read that you don't want him to be left in there unhappy because he will have a bad association with his crate.
I have had him 4 weeks now and I really need to be able to at least run out for an hour or so without waiting for someone to be home or taking him with me.
Please tell me what you guys did!

[lotsadox]

When I had mine at obedience school, they discussed separation anxiety and using the crate. They said that you start by putting them in the crate while you are in the room for just a few minutes. If they cry, you can use the squirt bottle to correct them if you want. If they are quiet, you just leave them for a bit then treat them and let them out. This is done over and over gradually lengthening the time in the crate. Then you put them in and move out of their range of vision. Same thing. Start for a short time and then lengthen it.

Personally, I see no reason to be captive to a puppy. If you need to go out, you put him in the crate and go. He'll be fine. He's in there all night and is fine. When we got Scooter, he was six months, a wild dog and never been in a crate. I worked and the dogs were left for 8-9 hours a day. I couldn't leave him loose or he would have eaten the house. So I tossed treats in the crate, put him in and closed the door. He was just fine. And he loves his crate now and often sleeps in there with the door open rather than in the bed.

[Karen]

Yep! I did all that...he was eating in it for quite awhile before I even starting training him to go in. Did the gradual thing. He has been in there while I'm cooking with the door open. But most of the time he whines to get out while he is awake.

I guess what I needed to know is that I won't scar him for life and have him hate it if I leave him in there when he is upset. Thank you!!!!

[Ivan]

Good luck. We also kept hearing "make it a happy place", as you're already doing. So we pretty much followed this:
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/puppyrai...ucingcrate.htm I'll bet he'll calm down, in due time.

[Rae]

Savannah Jane Wild Child is crated and she's not scarred for life. Sometimes you have to put your foot down and realize that no matter how much we love them, and no matter how much we humanize these little people with fur coats..... THEY ARE DOGS. He'll be fine, and I have great faith that you're smarter than I am. I lost a year and a half of my life sleeping on the couch with Miss High Maintenance so she wouldn't have to go in the crate at night.

That was dumb and I'll never get that time back!

[lotsadox]

Yep! I did all that...he was eating in it for quite awhile before I even starting training him to go in. Did the gradual thing. He has been in there while I'm cooking with the door open. But most of the time he whines to get out while he is awake.

I guess what I needed to know is that I won't scar him for life and have him hate it if I leave him in there when he is upset. Thank you!!!!

No, it won't. He'll be fine. When I got Scooter we were both working a lot and he was a wild child. There was no way to leave him loose. The first night I dragged the crate into the middle of the room (so he couldn't mess with anything), tossed some treats in and literally shoved his butt in there. Next morning after he ran for an hour, repeat. I still put him in it when I need to to calm him down. He loves his crate and even sleeps in it sometimes rather than sleep in the bed.

Putting him in the crate when he needs to calm down and behave is NOT punishment. It's basic discipline. Dogs need discipline. Especially puppies. And especially dachshunds. Without any discipline they turn into little monsters (not unlike children) Whining doesn't hurt them at all. In fact, allowing him to whine and not giving in to him increases his respect for you.

[Karen]

Awesome!!! Thank you so much!
He has been better. We left him for about a little bit home alone Saturday and Sunday and seems to accept being in there while we are home a little more.
The cats keep going in there when he's not though LOL