As I mentioned in the adoption post, I will not be able to adopt Kyoto nor any other dog until I get my own place which sadly wont be until may-july of next year.

But I am getting a puppy in three weeks. This puppy will get spayed when she is four months old so by time I move out I will be able to adopt a dog.

Anyways I purchased a puppy book and it covers crate training(different types of crates, how to train them, etc) I have been thinking about crate training for a long time and have decided to do crate training with this puppy after doing a lot of research.

However, my dad is extremely against it. I have tried explaining(sp?) it to him, and all the benefits of it to him and he is not budging on it, he strongly thinks that it is animal abuse and now that im actually getting a puppy he is trying to make me feel guilty about crate training. Im kind of at loss on what to do.

So I was wondering, what does everyone here think of crate training? Are you for it or against it and why?

Honestly, crate training is a fantastic way to house break your puppy. We got one of our dogs when she was 6 weeks old and the first thing we started her on was crate training. I know to some people it seems cruel and unfair but that's only because it can be abused. I don't believe in leaving the puppy in there all day long because if you're home you can take the dog outside frequently so the crate really has no purpose. We only had Harley in the crate at night or if we were going to run to the store. Dogs will not go to the bathroom where they sleep so you want to throw some toys in there so the puppy doesn't feel like he or she eing punished. It does take a few weeks and a lot of patience but it really does work. As long as it's done right it can be a very useful tool. Harley loves her crate still but we almost never have to put her in it. The only time she goes in there now is when I want to wash the floors and don't want her walking around until it's dry. Other than that she's a free dog who has only had like one accident in the three and half years we've had her. Good luck with it and I want to see pics of your new puppy!!!!

Right now I dont have a job, so I will be home pretty much all day. But I want to work her up in her crate training to where she can be in the crate while im at work(with another family member taking her out every four hours to go to the bathroom)

The book said to start it off slowly( a min at first then work the time up) and to reward them when they are in it so the enjoy it and as you said so they dont feel they are being punished. It said to put her in the crate when im home too so she doesnt connect me leaving with her crate.

But basically from what ive researched crate training not only helps with house breaking but also with keeping the puppy safe(so she doesnt eat/chew on anything unsafe when I cant watch her)

I tried explaining all of this to my dad but it was like he didnt hear any of it. Ugh, anyways thanks for your response im feeling better about my choice now! Ill post pictures of her when I get her!

I would definitely follow what that book says because it's giving you all the right tools for sure. We got Harley used to the crate by giving her treats when she would go in there. We would put her in, give her a treat, tell her she was a good girl and then do what we needed to do. Eventually she got used to being in there. The first couple nights were rough because she would just cry and whine and I felt so bad for her but it really does work. Even now I can tell her to go lay down and she goes and lays in the crate. When I want her to go to bed, I just tell her "Go to bed" and she'll hop down from wherever she is and run into our bedroom and lay down in her dog bed.

You're going to want to stay away from puppy training pads fyi. They are pads that you can lay down in case the puppy has an accident. In truth, they really just encourage the dog that it's okay to go in the house. And a schedule is a great thing to try and set up. We would take Harley out every two hours in the beginning just to get her used to going outside. Then we started increasing the time in between her outside trips and that helped get her used to holding it. Now, unless she whines, she goes out three times a day, once in the morning, once in the afternoon and one final time before we go to bed. When she has to go now she jumps up on the front door and will run around in circles. That's our cue so you might want to try training your puppy to go to the door too. Our other dog we got when he was older and was already house trained but when he has to go he'll stick his nose to the door handle and wiggle it then he'll go and touch his leash. There's lots of things you can do and since you'll be home it's the perfect time to train!!!

As my dogs are outside dogs I can't really give advice on crate training dogs, but I can on cats lol. Try to make it comfortable for the pup as not to scare it...like a warm blanket, or a stuffed toy.

It's easier to crate train any type of animals as it gives the owner piece of mind to know their place won't be destoryed while they are gone. So since it will be your puppy I say go for it!

I agree with Daniella...stay away from puppy pads, because in all honesty when I did have pups in the house they weren't used to do business on they were used as chew toys or they just went where ever the pleased to go. So yes stay way from puppy pads!

Woah I actually just finished reading all of the things you said in the book I mentioned earlier it said the same thing you did about the potty pads. That using them is basically telling the puppy that its okay to eliminate inside the house. It also said the same thing about the schedule and that I should take her out nine times a day at least.

I honestly never knew any of this(all of my dogs had been adults/already potty trained when I got them)

Thanks again for the advice!

Daniella wrote:
Honestly, crate training is a fantastic way to house break your puppy. We got one of our dogs when she was 6 weeks old and the first thing we started her on was crate training. I know to some people it seems cruel and unfair but that's only because it can be abused. I don't believe in leaving the puppy in there all day long because if you're home you can take the dog outside frequently so the crate really has no purpose. We only had Harley in the crate at night or if we were going to run to the store. Dogs will not go to the bathroom where they sleep so you want to throw some toys in there so the puppy doesn't feel like he or she eing punished. It does take a few weeks and a lot of patience but it really does work. As long as it's done right it can be a very useful tool. Harley loves her crate still but we almost never have to put her in it. The only time she goes in there now is when I want to wash the floors and don't want her walking around until it's dry. Other than that she's a free dog who has only had like one accident in the three and half years we've had her. Good luck with it and I want to see pics of your new puppy!!!!I second this, i was able to crate train both my mini Schnauzers, and they were perfect!

our method was pretty simple, watch puppy eat/drink, always use really cold water, and twenty minutes later take outside for about 15 mins. if they dont go, put in box with toys, and about 30 mins later take back outside. usually at this point b/c both our schnauzers were babies when we got them they had to go out, and then rewards with high pitched happy praise when they did go out. or treats! puppies love snackable treats! but the vocal praise i think is better doenst make them think they get a food treat every time they do what they are SUPPOSED TO.

our oldest was so well trained that he would not only go back to the back door but actually hit his paws on the door knob by the time we got our next mini. our younger schnauzer was too short for that, but he did growl at the door angrily. he was a growler though so it worked out. and the older actually trained the younger.

Keep in mind the method with crate training is that for every month your puppy is old, ie. 2 months = 2 hours MAX being able to hold bladder and stuff. so the younger the puppy the more they need to go out. try not to let them drink/eat too late at night to avoid messes in the crate itself, b/c even though they wont as a rule mess where they sleep its not to say they wont. for most dogs, isolation as a puppy is kinda a bad punishment, so in the end, the box became more punishment then anything you could possibly do for both my dogs. (this is why a lot of people say that its cruel. but really by the time your puppy is abotu 2 motnhs into it, they've got it down that we go potty outside! though they will have accidents, it cant be helped.)

When this happens try to sternly tell them "No." to emphasize that this was a bad thing, but keep in mind they cant always control their body. If you make it TOO negative, depending on how smart your puppy is they may retaliate! My oldest mini once did that, actually potty'd on a shoe b/c he was mad at us for whatever reason.

either way, eventually the box will become more of a punishment then anything specially when they start doing really well, at this point you shouldnt be putting your pup in during the day unless you are gone from the house, or asleep, if you go that way about things.

for my dogs it was like this, when they ripped things up all you had to say was "go to your box" and they would go in and sulk. it was kinda adorable and cute, always made me less mad. sadly i had them with a roommate, one was mine the other hers but i couldn't separate them when i moved b/c they would be sad. so i had to leave them.

When i got my next dog, the one i have no, Bert, he's not crate trained at all and he's a total NUT, though he's house broken he has no @_@... manners? he's a brat basically b/c i wasn't able to give him the same time as my schnauzers since i had moved out. he listens only abotu 30% of the time... its rather annoying but he's a good dog, and now he's 3 so it takes a bit more to get it into his somewhat thick head. I'm currently using a spray bottle with stern "No's!" to try and fix him but gah... sometimes its easier to let him be a brat.