Crates for older dogs.

Mummy2Bslim

Banned
I everyone,

Looking for some advice I'm thinking of getting a crate for my 3 year old pooch, he is not the best behaved of dogs and has recently started doing wee and poo in the kitchen he hold it in after a walk or garden trip. It's all started since I got pregnant. She said after 5 days he should be able to go back to his bed instead of the crate at night as it should rid him of the behaviour.

A vet nurse recommended a crate as he doesn't go by his bed, she also said it would make life easier after our baby is born because if he misbehaves he can go in the crate but still be with us in the living room.

I'm just worried because he's 3 isn't it a bit late?

Any ideas hints and tips very welcome!

X x x
 
Hiya, i don't think its too late, anything that is rewarding is attractive so thats the key- our crate has been an absolute godsend for our dog and helping her to toilet train. I'm not sure it would rid the behaviour but it might well work, by keeping the dog in the crate during the night he'll need the toilet as soon as you let him out so straight into the garden. Dogs are quite clean and so wont go to the toilet in their bed area so he wont go in the crate but he might still go in the room. The only way to know is to try. Introduce the crate slowly give him the time to understand its part of the furniture and its nice to go in there but I've always been told not to use the crate as punishment. Have you tried speaking to a behaviourist? I would be concerned about protective behaviours, sometimes when dogs get used to their pack they become protective over you until they realise that the pack is going to expand and they are still at the bottom of the pack. It's a natural behaviour for them to want to challenge the newcomer for a higher place in the pack but its obviously not an acceptable behaviour in a family. Also as you say 'he's not the best behaved' have you done obedience classes with him? I know this takes time and money (sooo not easy with a baby on the way) but if maybe if he learns better manners and gets some quality time with you he wont be so attention seeking the rest of the time? I dont know if that helps or not really, haha, sorry!!
 
3 isn't too late. But you want the crate to be a safe and happy place for him that is never, never associated with punishment.
You can put food inside the crate with your dog on the outside of it, door shut so he cannot get in but really wants to! Then let him in after a little while (less than a minute).
The crate becomes his haven, his sanctuary when things are too much for him.

If you train him well, he'll happily stay in his crate for an hour or two at a time with the door shut. I wouldn't have him in for longer than that.

Another thing is you can use baby gates to restrict his access to certain parts of the house. Some places become no-go zones. Your dog will learn what they are. He might test from time to time, so just gently but firmly reassert what the boundaries .
 
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