Comments on: Dog kennel training http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:26:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-174626 Lindsay Stordahl Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:12:37 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-174626 Maybe she whines because she can see you and she just wants to be out with you. I think you are doing the right thing by teaching her she has to be in there at times, even when you are home. Have you tried throwing a blanket over her kennel? I'm sure you've tried all the usual techniques such as leaving a radio on near her, giving her Kong toys with peanut butter and so on. The main thing is to just keep ignoring the barking. Going to her and scolding her is usually enough of a "reward" for a dog to keep on whining and barking because it means you will return. If you do feel you have to return to scold her, I would walk up to her cage and without looking at her or speaking to her, squirt her with a water bottle. Most labs won't really care about being squirted in the face with water, but it would be worth a shot. You may find a few ideas in the posts I've written about separation anxiety and stopping a dog from crying all day: http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/06/10/stop-your-dog-from-crying-all-day/ http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/05/08/dog-separation-anxiety-2/ http://www.thatmutt.com/2011/02/02/how-to-prevent-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/ Maybe she whines because she can see you and she just wants to be out with you. I think you are doing the right thing by teaching her she has to be in there at times, even when you are home. Have you tried throwing a blanket over her kennel? I’m sure you’ve tried all the usual techniques such as leaving a radio on near her, giving her Kong toys with peanut butter and so on. The main thing is to just keep ignoring the barking. Going to her and scolding her is usually enough of a “reward” for a dog to keep on whining and barking because it means you will return. If you do feel you have to return to scold her, I would walk up to her cage and without looking at her or speaking to her, squirt her with a water bottle. Most labs won’t really care about being squirted in the face with water, but it would be worth a shot.

You may find a few ideas in the posts I’ve written about separation anxiety and stopping a dog from crying all day:

http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/06/10/stop-your-dog-from-crying-all-day/

http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/05/08/dog-separation-anxiety-2/

http://www.thatmutt.com/2011/02/02/how-to-prevent-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/

]]> By: TARA http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-173876 TARA Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:26:00 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-173876 we have recently got a 13 wk old labrador bitch pup and she uses a crate day and night in the day the doors are left open when she eats her food and she can go in and out as she pleases then every morning+afternoon we have 1-2hrs where we shut the door and leave her on her own and pretend no one is in to try and train her to be on her own but she whines and whines its awful im scared neighbours will complain but at night she goes in at 1opm and we dont hear her till 5am anybody have any ideas to stop the whining we have recently got a 13 wk old labrador bitch pup and she uses a crate day and night in the day the doors are left open when she eats her food and she can go in and out as she pleases then every morning+afternoon we have 1-2hrs where we shut the door and leave her on her own and pretend no one is in to try and train her to be on her own but she whines and whines its awful im scared neighbours will complain but at night she goes in at 1opm and we dont hear her till 5am anybody have any ideas to stop the whining

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-163022 Lindsay Stordahl Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:00:18 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-163022 You're right, he's better off in his kennel than loose in the yard or in your house. If you can, I would hire a pet sitter or dog walker to come check on him during the day. I am a dog walker, and I do that type of thing for people all the time. If that isn't an option, then make sure he is getting some good exercise in the morning and in the evenings. I recommend a 60-minute walk in the morning and probably another walk in the evening. You’re right, he’s better off in his kennel than loose in the yard or in your house.

If you can, I would hire a pet sitter or dog walker to come check on him during the day. I am a dog walker, and I do that type of thing for people all the time. If that isn’t an option, then make sure he is getting some good exercise in the morning and in the evenings. I recommend a 60-minute walk in the morning and probably another walk in the evening.

]]> By: Lisa Price http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-162913 Lisa Price Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:32:28 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-162913 I have to Keenel my Shepard all day while I'm at work which is 10 hrs a day(to long) but I don't want to just turn him loose in the back yard for fear of injury or digging out, he is only 4 months and lots of puppy in him, he has begain to chase his tail and I know it's from being Kenneled to long, I have knowone that can come let him out during the day. Any suggestions? Lisa I have to Keenel my Shepard all day while I’m at work which is 10 hrs a day(to long) but I don’t want to just turn him loose in the back yard for fear of injury or digging out, he is only 4 months and lots of puppy in him, he has begain to chase his tail and I know it’s from being Kenneled to long, I have knowone that can come let him out during the day. Any suggestions?

Lisa

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-24930 Lindsay Stordahl Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:44:42 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-24930 I would start with leaving her out for 10 minutes or so while you go out to get the mail, gas up your car, simple errands like that. Then progress to a half-hour or hour or two while you go to lunch or dinner. Then try a half-day and come home during lunch and kennel her. Then do full days a few times a week. If at any point she is "naughty," then you know she's not quite ready for full freedom and go back to the previous step. Do not rush it. And if she is still not mature enough for this, don't worry about it. She may be ready in six months or a year. And there's nothing wrong with kenneling a dog all the time when you're gone. It's much better than stressing out about what's being damaged. It's hard to enjoy a night out or a day at work when you're constantly worrying about the dog. A crated dog will not get into any trouble. I would start with leaving her out for 10 minutes or so while you go out to get the mail, gas up your car, simple errands like that. Then progress to a half-hour or hour or two while you go to lunch or dinner. Then try a half-day and come home during lunch and kennel her. Then do full days a few times a week. If at any point she is “naughty,” then you know she’s not quite ready for full freedom and go back to the previous step. Do not rush it. And if she is still not mature enough for this, don’t worry about it. She may be ready in six months or a year. And there’s nothing wrong with kenneling a dog all the time when you’re gone. It’s much better than stressing out about what’s being damaged. It’s hard to enjoy a night out or a day at work when you’re constantly worrying about the dog. A crated dog will not get into any trouble.

]]> By: Jenn http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-24923 Jenn Sat, 03 Apr 2010 10:25:11 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-24923 Great post with good info. I saw that you mentioned randomly crating them if they have access to the whole house. When do you think it is a good time to let your dog have the freedom of access to all or most of the house? We have a pup that just turned one and had great success with crate training, but I am a little uneasy of giving her the full access when we aren't home. Once a month back she managed to get out of her crate though (husband didn't latch it all the way) and the worst damage was some poo and pee...but nothing chewed up amazingly. Great post with good info. I saw that you mentioned randomly crating them if they have access to the whole house. When do you think it is a good time to let your dog have the freedom of access to all or most of the house? We have a pup that just turned one and had great success with crate training, but I am a little uneasy of giving her the full access when we aren’t home. Once a month back she managed to get out of her crate though (husband didn’t latch it all the way) and the worst damage was some poo and pee…but nothing chewed up amazingly.

]]> By: THAT MUTT: A Dog Blog » Using time-outs for dog training http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-24886 THAT MUTT: A Dog Blog » Using time-outs for dog training Fri, 02 Apr 2010 22:16:46 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-24886 [...] make sure the dog sees it as an OK place to chill out for a while. Just like when you are first kennel training your dog, continue stocking it full of goodies such as rawhides or Kongs filled with peanut [...] [...] make sure the dog sees it as an OK place to chill out for a while. Just like when you are first kennel training your dog, continue stocking it full of goodies such as rawhides or Kongs filled with peanut [...]

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-24879 Lindsay Stordahl Fri, 02 Apr 2010 19:59:36 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-24879 That's awesome Geoff! I'm glad the kennel is working well for your dog! Thanks Carla! :) Giving a dog a "time out" shouldn't be used as a punishment because we don't want our dogs to associate the kennel as a "bad" place. Plus, dogs can't understand the concept of "If I'm good, I won't get a time out." But a time out can be used to help a dog relax, especially if the owner helps the dog calm down before shutting the kennel door. I give my dog time outs all the time when he needs to chill out. You may have noticed that it doesn't always work to put an excited dog in his kennel. He just ends up barking from inside the kennel, so it's good to have him lie down, relax and change his state of mind before you close the door. That being said, I don't always take my own advice. Sometimes when I'm mad at Ace I yell "bad dog!" and then put him in his kennel. This is an example of what not to do because then the kennel becomes a bad place and chances are he doesn't even know why I'm mad. That’s awesome Geoff! I’m glad the kennel is working well for your dog!

Thanks Carla! :)

Giving a dog a “time out” shouldn’t be used as a punishment because we don’t want our dogs to associate the kennel as a “bad” place. Plus, dogs can’t understand the concept of “If I’m good, I won’t get a time out.” But a time out can be used to help a dog relax, especially if the owner helps the dog calm down before shutting the kennel door. I give my dog time outs all the time when he needs to chill out. You may have noticed that it doesn’t always work to put an excited dog in his kennel. He just ends up barking from inside the kennel, so it’s good to have him lie down, relax and change his state of mind before you close the door.

That being said, I don’t always take my own advice. Sometimes when I’m mad at Ace I yell “bad dog!” and then put him in his kennel. This is an example of what not to do because then the kennel becomes a bad place and chances are he doesn’t even know why I’m mad.

]]> By: Carla http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-24870 Carla Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:51:35 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-24870 What a well-written article, thanks! My dog sleeps in his kennel, and I also put him in the kennel when he's barking excessively. Is it bad to use the kennel as a "time-out" place when the dog is misbehaving? What a well-written article, thanks! My dog sleeps in his kennel, and I also put him in the kennel when he’s barking excessively. Is it bad to use the kennel as a “time-out” place when the dog is misbehaving?

]]> By: Geoff http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/10/24/dog-kennel-training/comment-page-1/#comment-16741 Geoff Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:18:15 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=4606#comment-16741 Great article! So much information on what is such an important topic! I recently bought a dog crate to crate train my 3 year old dog who was tearing my blinds down when I left home for work during the day. He was getting so frantic that he would try and jump out the windows and in the process pull all of my expensive blinds down! It took a while but I can honestly say that buying a crate and teaching my dog to use it was the best investment I ever made. Now everyday when i come home from work he is well behaved and waiting for me in his crate. Thanks again for the great article! Great article! So much information on what is such an important topic! I recently bought a dog crate to crate train my 3 year old dog who was tearing my blinds down when I left home for work during the day. He was getting so frantic that he would try and jump out the windows and in the process pull all of my expensive blinds down! It took a while but I can honestly say that buying a crate and teaching my dog to use it was the best investment I ever made. Now everyday when i come home from work he is well behaved and waiting for me in his crate. Thanks again for the great article!

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