Help needed with Crate training and general puppy advice

[Zumie05]

I am still in the process of crate training my little girl, Coco. We brought her home at 10 weeks old, and now at 15 weeks is really starting to enjoy her crate. This wasn't the case for the first two weeks, especially week one!

We have two crates, one in our bedroom, and one in our living room. The one in our bedroom always has an open door, and puppy pen around it. The pen isn't expanded all the way, but there is enough space for just a potty pad out front of the crate and that is it. This enabled us to not have to take her outside in the middle of the night because she peed on the pad instead of in the crate. Surprisingly, she only used it about 3 times and now can go all night dry. We still have it there just in case.

Downstairs is where we practice shutting her in the crate and leave her there when she is home alone. We close the door on her when she has a special bone, chewy, or a stuffed kong. She would cry a lot, and for long periods of time at first...but we ignored her. Sometimes she would go for 3 hours before giving up and konking out for a nap. We would only let her out when she was quiet. Also, when we leave her home alone, we leave a radio or the tv on for her.

Now that she is used to the routine, she likes her crate and will go in on command and runs in there if we scold her for something and her feelings get hurt. It is her little safe haven and she likes it in there now Although she will still sometimes whimper a little bit when we have to put her away for a while when we are busy, but usually just for 2 or 3 minutes and she settles.

[GoodDoggie]

GoodDoggie is a certified, professional dog trainer, and her advice is the right starting point. I agree the best option is to get up at night -- this hastens indoor housetraining because though you can give them space distant from the crate to go -- eg have the crate inside a puppy pen -- then they get housetrained more slowly because you are giving two conflicting messages -- go outside, but sometimes at night you can go inside. Most new puppy owners will need to get up at 3-4am nightly with their puppy for the first couple of weeks.

You don't ever need to shut the door if the crate is kept inside the playpen BUT it is useful to actually crate train your pup to staying happily in the crate for periods of time. Plenty of advice on doing this in the book mentioned below. On feeding the cats -- just feed the pup in the playpen area. You cannot freefeed cats with a dog in the house however -- this breed especially will tend to eat all their food and grow fat! I keep my cats' dry food up on a counter where the dogs cannot reach it.

I'd also advise downloading this FREE copy of Dr Ian Dunbar's well known book After You Get Your Puppy, below. It has types of great advice on training and behaviour -- everything that a new owner will need!

http://dogstardaily.com/free-downloads

It's a shame your puppy's breeder won't keep him a bit longer though? -- 8 weeks is considered pretty young for toy breeds and they really benefit in terms of housetraining, bite inhibition and socialisation if they stay with parent and siblings til 10-12 weeks (more the norm for homing the breed with most reputable breeders these days).

Thanks for that Karlin im not one yet,im currently doing the course with DTI,and I hope to do a course with Coape in the near future.

and Her should be He..........

[The Rouge Princess]

Hello fellow Yorkshire Lass! Thanks for all the advice. Is it wise to use a puppy pen as well to feed Harry in and leave his crate in? I need to feed him away from the cats and so that he doesn't feel intimidated whilst the cats are around?

Thank you


Yey! for another Yorkie.Where abouts are you from, if you don't mind me asking?

I have not experience with using a puppy pen but their is a good amount of advice on this thread for which ever way you wish to proceed.IMHO, I think it'd be better, whilst he's still young and allows the cats to become accustom to him, but again, I've no personal experience with using a PP, so it's jmo.

Do we have any piccies yet?