Question:crate training or "weewee" pads?
have your dogs ever been terrafied of the crate after crate training?
Answers:
Crate training is the best. The dog/puppy shouldn't fear the crate if you encourage it to go inside and don't use is to for punishment. Also while he's inside the crate reinforce the behavior by talking lovingly to him and slipping him treats.
Potty pads teach the dog to potty inside the house. So when he's 'big' enough to go outside you have an old habit to break AND now a new habit to teach. It can be a very frustrating time.
For potty training tips refer to the below.
It is an undeniable fact that puppies need to eliminate. The frustrating part is the communication barrier as well as the lack of understanding about where and when it is appropriate to eliminate. Puppies come to us with the simple motto: "If I have to, then I'll do it." This pertains to eating, sleeping (ever see a pup fall over asleep in mid-play?), activity, exploration AND elimination! Puppies do not understand anything more than that. It is up to us to establish a bridge of understanding if they are to live with us harmoniously. We are the ones with all the requirements, not them! They'd be just as happy to take care of their needs the way they already know.
The most successful potty training methods consist of four key elements:
1. Confinement
2. Training
3. Timing
4. Praise
This article will discuss them all and also answer common housebreaking questions and address some special cases.
Confinement
Puppies (or dogs who don't yet understand where it is appropriate to eliminate) need to be confined in order to facilitate the easiest potty training. The BEST and most effective place to confine is in a crate or cage (more about crates in an upcoming article). At this point (new introduction to potty training) don't leave anything on the bottom of the crate (blanket, newspaper, etc.). Puppy will make a project out of destroying it. Most dogs do NOT want to eliminate where they live, therefore the crate needs to be just large enough for puppy to turn around and lay down. Anything larger will encourage a puppy to eliminate at one end and sleep in the other. For those puppies who will grow quite a bit larger, use a crate that is sized for an adult and partition it to a smaller size using a homemade insert or a crate insert made by the crate company to fit your crate.
Training and Praise
When I teach a new dog (or puppy) where to eliminate, I ALWAYS use a leash. Leashes keep your dog close to you, where you can supervise and control everything that happens. Puppies, especially, are easily distracted. A blowing leaf, new flower, stick, another animal - all can take a puppy's mind off the matter at hand. If you are near the puppy (or dog) with the leash in hand, a gentle tug will redirect away from the curiosity. Leashes are also good to help teach an AREA to eliminate (behind the garage, etc.). With a leash, you just take the dog there every time.
I also teach words for elimination. This way, when the puppy understands what the words mean, he will understand WHAT I want as well as WHEN I want it to happen. My words are "go potty" for urination and "go poop" for defecation. Your choice can be ANY word or phrase you want to use consistently (such as, "hurry up", "do your business", "get busy", "let's go", "tinkles", etc.). Remember when you choose your word or phrase that you will be repeating it A LOT!
As I take my dog outside on a leash, I start to teach him the word "OUTSIDE". "Let's go OUTSIDE!". "Do you have to go "OUTSIDE"? "OUTSIDE! OUTSIDE!" In time, the dog will learn that the word OUTSIDE is associated with elimination. Eventually you will be able to ask the dog "do you have to go OUTSIDE?" and get a response like barking, running to the door or tail wagging.
Using the Leash & Words to Teach
A slip-type leash is quick and easy to slip on the puppy to take him outside. If the puppy isn't used to the leash yet, slip the leash on and carry the puppy from his crate to outside, saying the entire time "Do you want to go outside? Let's go outside! Outside! Outside! Yay! Outside!". Your emphasis should be on the word "OUTSIDE". Once outside, set puppy down and change your mantra to your word/phrase "Go Potty! Go Potty! Let's Go Potty!". Let puppy sniff and move around a little, but keep him in a general area. Each time he gets distracted (leaf, squirrel, etc.) give the leash a tug and repeat "Go Potty!". The command is generally not said in a firm or angry way and not in a soft or pleading way either - it is usually said in an encouraging tone. When elimination occurs, use a happy tone and repeat "GOOD Go Potty! Yay! Go Potty!". I prefer to use WORDS ONLY to reinforce elimination, because petting or treats can interrupt the act. Verbal praise needs to happen DURING the act, not after! Usually dogs will urinate first, then defecate. You need to become familiar with your dog's habits so you can wait for defecation and use a command for it (i.e.; "more potty", "go poop", etc.).
Timing
Puppies (and dogs) earn freedom by eliminating appropriately. The best time for a puppy to be out of his crate is AFTER eliminating appropriately outside. This free time will still need to be strictly supervised, so any inclination toward inappropriate elimination can be immediately addressed. Baby gates are great for limiting a puppy's area of freedom. A short, inexpensive leash (4ft or so) attached to the puppy's collar (ALWAYS SUPERVISED, of course) works well and enables the owner to catch a quick puppy without grabbing for him (which, ultimately, can create a fearful dog). This works well when he needs to be corrected for inappropriate behaviors like chewing, eating things, digging or eliminating indoors.
The BEST rule of thumb is to ANTICIPATE the need!
As a general rule, the length of time a puppy can be left confined in his create without going outside is roughly equal to his age in months:
2 months old = 2 hours of confinement without a potty break
3 months old = 3 hours of confinement without a potty break
4 months old = 4 hours of confinement without a potty break
etc. - up to about 6 - 8 months of age.
ANY time there is a change in activity, such as after waking, playing, or eating, puppy MUST be taken outside!
Your puppy will also give certain indications each time he needs to eliminate: abrupt stop of play, circling, sniffing, running out of the room, a "look" on his face. You will eventually become familiar with these "warning signs".
Accidents
All is not lost if puppy eliminates in the house or in his crate! If you catch him in the act, make an abrupt noise (clap hands, say Angh Angh) and use a firm low voice to illustrate your displeasure. "Bad dog! Bad! Outside to do this!" (voice starts to get friendlier now) "Let's go OUTSIDE! Outside!" (now in normal command voice) "Go Potty. GOOD DOG go potty!" Use a lot of cheerful praise if he finishes outside.
Remember, you MUST catch puppy IN THE ACT of inappropriate elimination to facilitate an effective lesson. Rubbing his nose in "it" afterward (even by just a few moments) only teaches him that "doo doo" in the house gets him in trouble. "Oh no", you say, "my dog KNOWS!". Well, not really. A behaviorist once told me he illustrated this to a skeptical client by sending the client out of the house while he collected stool from the backyard and set it in the middle of the living room. The client was invited back into the house and the dog ran and hid! Here's another example of how dogs think: Puppy poops where he shouldn't and wanders into another room to quietly chew a bone. The owner finds the poop, locates the puppy and drags him to the mess and stuffs his nose in it. Puppy wonders, "I was off chewing my bone and now I'm getting my nose shoved into this mess! I just don't get it! I get punished for chewing my bone?"
Good Luck
crate training
Neither. I prefer my dogs go outside. I have never crate trained them. (I don't even own a crate)
I take my dog outside
Crate training. I did both. Weewee pads make it more difficult for your dog to learn that outside is the only place for him or her to pee and poop.
Your dog won't be afraid of his crate if you only use it to help with housetraining (it works on the principal that a dog won't soil his sleeping area). The crate should NEVER be used as punishment!
I use crate training to house train my dogs. They love their crates and consider them to be a safe place. When people with rude children come over, instead of the dogs being tormented, they go to their "bed-bed", which they KNOW I won't allow anyone's children to disturb.
I also crate mine when I will be away to go to the store and such. I alerted my local fire department which room has the dog crates and how many to expect. I've seen too many pets lost in fires because no one knows where they are, or the dogs hides out of fear. It also prevents them from getting loose and lost or biting a rescuer out of fear.
putting your dog in a cage is totally wrong. how would you like it being locked up in a cage??
Crate training if your intent is that the dog go potty outside in the future. With wee pads you are training the dog twice - once to the pads and then again to go outside.
Have crate trained twice and the dogs were never terrified of the crate afterward.
i don't like crate training. most of the dogs i have tried this with were terrified of the crate. but some ppl have sucess
i live way out in the country and have a large fenced in yard so my dogs go outside (for the most part) i orrignally train them on wee wee pads as babys.. then move the pad closer and closer to the doggie door.
of course if its raining or snowing or too cold... i always put out a wee wee pad by the door... cause the dogs aren't stupid... they aren't gonna go outside in bad weather.
good luck
I prefer crate training, my dogs go lay in their crate on their own too. its like their own spot, each dog has their own and know to stay out of the other dogs crate.
In my oppinion wee wee pads just teach the dog it ok to go in a corner of the house (where ever you lay the pad) if they have to go and there is no pad down, they are going to go anyway.
Pee Pads!
I Think That Crates Are Creul!
crate training. my dog shreaded the "wee wee" pads.
I crate trained with the pads in the front of the crate and a blanket in the back for a bed so the pup would not have an accident on her bedding. They will not go where the sleep or feel safest. now I only locked her in her crate when we were gone or at bedtime until she was 6 months old. when you crate train you STILL need to potty train. Taking the dog out after it eats, plays and sleeps.
good luck.
i used both, the training pads in the crate! less mess...
i like housebreaking, that way they dont have to go in your house.
crate training is much better, not only is it a valuable tool for housebreaking, but it is also great in other circumstances. It gives your pet a place to go, like a den. If crate training is done right, your pet will not suffer any trauma. Introduce him / her slowly and only leave him / her in it for short intervals of time while you are home. praise puppy when quiet. try not to give any attention if puppy makes noise... but don't neglect puppy, remember as a rule of thumb puppies can only hold "it" for as many hours as they are months old. Example, a 2 month old puppy on average can only hold "it" for two hours. Every dog differs, but it is a good place to begin.
Good luck
I've used both and vastly prefer crate training. My dog love their crates.. of course they are fed there and not confined all hours of the day in them.
I use the pads with very young pups who are not yet old enough to hold it more than a few hours. I confine them in a pen area, when I am not watching them, until they are 12-14 weeks old with the pads on one end and a crate with blankets to curl up in on the other end. I also leave them a bunch of toys to play with... I usually find the toys all piled in the crate in the morning. When I'm working with a young pup individually I set a pad by the back door... this trains them to head for the door when they have to potty.
At 14 weeks or so I start formal crate training. They learn to sleep alone in a crate for 3-4 hours and I get up in the middle of the night to potty them. Because they are already familiar with the crate in their pen I usually don't get a lot of whining or barking. Of course, because I use wire crates they can see each other... if I had a single pup I would move the crate to my bedroom.
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