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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 22, 2022 14:03:00 GMT
We got a Goldendoodle puppy on Monday and I have a lot of questions. She is 12 weeks old. We are working on potty training and she is actually doing pretty well, especially considering that it has been bitterly cold. The main issue is that she HATES her crate. The first night we borrowed a large crate from a friend. We had a blanket covered with a pee pad in there. She went in a few times and peed, but that was it. When we tried to put her in at night she threw a fit. DS ended up sleeping on the floor in the living room with her. The next day we got a smaller crate at the suggestions of some friends. She hates that even more. She has slept with the kids the other two nights and seemingly does well. We haven't detected any pee and she stayed by them on the floor or in the bed. DH has been getting her up when he gets up to fed her and take her out. I don't care too much if she is not crated at night as long as she isn't going to the bathroom everywhere or getting into things. She has been getting more comfortable and brave, though, and doing more exploring on her own. Especially after learning how to go down the stairs yesterday.
But the main thing is that she will need to be ok being alone. I'm feeling pretty stressed about that since she has such a bad reaction to the crate. We have tried putting treats in the crate, making it seem fun, etc. Any other suggestions? Thanks!
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Post by Lexica on Dec 22, 2022 14:13:30 GMT
I wouldn't want to sleep in my "bathroom" either. Do you think she has associated the crate with where she should pee? Can you close her off in a safer room, like a laundry room or the kitchen, somewhere without carpeting, with pee pads on the floor on one side of the room and sleeping blankets on the other side? And maybe a few toys in there too? You can order a fence/gate if you don't have a room that can close off with a door. Chewy.com has several styles, both movable and the type you affix to the top or bottom of the stairs. Enjoy your new family member!
When my pup was new I bought a gate that could either be used straight to close off a room or wrapped to create a big square to keep him enclosed. Not five minutes after I put him in the square was he at my feet in the next room. I put him back in the square and peeked around the corner to see how he got out. The little escape artist went to the corner and put one foot on each side and shimmied up and over! He flopped onto his face after reaching the top, but he was out. But when it was used flat to block off a doorway, he couldn't get out.
**added as a possible idea for you. I purchased one of those large plastic trays that are sold at hardware stores and meant to go underneath a washing machine to prevent a leak. I buy the large pee pads from Chewy and I put it into the plastic tray just in case he peed too close to the edge, which happened often. He was trying, but he would stand where his head was well into the pad surface, but his pee stream hit the very edge of the pad and would creep underneath. With the plastic tray, he was fine with stepping into the tray to use the pee pad. It seemed to help him stay away from the edges too. My dog is a wanderer when he poops. He will stand in one position and squat to pee when using the pad, but walks around in circles on the pad when pooping. And outside, he will lift his leg like a normal male dog but still walks as he poops. He is almost 11 years old now, so that is never going to change. But at least he never steps out of the tray itself.
I have some health issues and knew that taking him down the stairs at night, or even during the day when I was having a bad day, would be very difficult. And some days, I end up staying in bed all day because it is too painful to get up. I knew that I had to have a workable solution for both of us. I trained him to use the pee pad inside the tray when downstairs and I put the pad in my shower in the master bathroom when upstairs, leaving the door slightly open for entrance/exit. He never once had an accident, so it has worked very well for us.
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anniebeth24
Pearl Clutcher
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Jun 26, 2014 14:12:17 GMT
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Post by anniebeth24 on Dec 22, 2022 14:42:49 GMT
Check out McCann dog training videos on YouTube. They have one about crate training and it emphasizes using the crate every time you are not actively engaged with the puppy.
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Post by Basket1lady on Dec 22, 2022 14:55:24 GMT
Congratulations!
Don’t put pee pads in the crate. At her size and age, she should be able to hold her pee for 6-8 hours. Don’t teach her to pee in her crate.
Keep working on the crate. She’s likely reacting to the loss of her people and not the crate itself. If she prefers the larger crate, that’s ok. Not all dogs like their crate, but with training will tolerate it. Do all of her feedings in the crate. Put a highly desired treat or toy in there when she goes in and reserve that special item just for the crate. Play with her and the crate, tossing a toy and and letting her come right back out. Make it a fun place. Wear an old tee shirt or sleep with a towel so that your scent is on it and put that in with her, realizing that it will likely get chewed on.
Within the next month, she will sleep less and chew more. You have a good year of her getting into stuff. My philosophy with dogs is the same as with toddlers. Keep them in your sight at all times and crated the rest of the time. Young dogs get into stuff and you’re likely to have an expensive vet visit eventually with an unattended puppy. Especially if it’s a teen “watching” her at night. Teens sleep long and hard!
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 22, 2022 14:55:40 GMT
I wouldn't want to sleep in my "bathroom" either. Do you think she has associated the crate with where she should pee? Can you close her off in a safer room, like a laundry room or the kitchen, somewhere without carpeting, with pee pads on the floor on one side of the room and sleeping blankets on the other side? And maybe a few toys in there too? You can order a fence/gate if you don't have a room that can close off with a door. Chewy.com has several styles, both movable and the type you affix to the top or bottom of the stairs. Enjoy your new family member! When my pup was new I bought a gate that could either be used straight to close off a room or wrapped to create a big square to keep him enclosed. Not five minutes after I put him in the square was he at my feet in the next room. I put him back in the square and peeked around the corner to see how he got out. The little escape artist went to the corner and put one foot on each side and shimmied up and over! He flopped onto his face after reaching the top, but he was out. But when it was used flat to block off a doorway, he couldn't get out. **added as a possible idea for you. I purchased one of those large plastic trays that are sold at hardware stores and meant to go underneath a washing machine to prevent a leak. I buy the large pee pads from Chewy and I put it into the plastic tray just in case he peed too close to the edge, which happened often. He was trying, but he would stand where his head was well into the pad surface, but his pee stream hit the very edge of the pad and would creep underneath. With the plastic tray, he was fine with stepping into the tray to use the pee pad. It seemed to help him stay away from the edges too. My dog is a wanderer when he poops. He will stand in one position and squat to pee when using the pad, but walks around in circles on the pad when pooping. And outside, he will lift his leg like a normal male dog but still walks as he poops. He is almost 11 years old now, so that is never going to change. But at least he never steps out of the tray itself. I have some health issues and knew that taking him down the stairs at night, or even during the day when I was having a bad day, would be very difficult. And some days, I end up staying in bed all day because it is too painful to get up. I knew that I had to have a workable solution for both of us. I trained him to use the pee pad inside the tray when downstairs and I put the pad in my shower in the master bathroom when upstairs, leaving the door slightly open for entrance/exit. He never once had an accident, so it has worked very well for us. Our goal is that the crate would be a safe, comfortable space for her to be when we are not home. I don’t really want her to go to the bathroom in there, that is just what she used it for.
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pantsonfire
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Jun 19, 2022 16:48:04 GMT
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Post by pantsonfire on Dec 22, 2022 14:59:08 GMT
You need to make the crate a safe, fun zone.
You need to crate during the day. Add toys, blanket and bed if you want.
If she fussed, say quiet immediately. Then says yes and treat.
Try to get her to be quiet longer.
Do this no more than 30 min. Then let her out.
Rinse and repeat all day.
Later in the day remove yourself from the room once she is quiet with you in the room. Again say quiet immediately, yes when quiet and treat.
Back off treats as you go on in the day.
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pantsonfire
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Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
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Jun 19, 2022 16:48:04 GMT
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Post by pantsonfire on Dec 22, 2022 15:00:10 GMT
Also begin word association.
Point to crate and say crate and out her in.
Soon you will be able to say crate or crate time and she will automatically go in.
Took Toby 4 days and Sadie 2 days to learn the word crate.
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Post by worrywart on Dec 22, 2022 15:33:52 GMT
It is okay to be a little stressed, puppies are stressful at first.
You have gotten some good advice - you can buy very small training treats to help. Also, just be consistent and she will probably learn to tolerate a crate as needed.
My dog was 2 when we got her (due to ds begging) and I just remember the first month or so just feeling like she was never going to 'fit in'. Eventually, most dogs will mold into what you want with training and consistency. In a few months, you will wonder what you ever did without her!!
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Post by peano on Dec 22, 2022 15:36:10 GMT
Echoing what others have said, reward her with high value treats for going into the crate. A Kong with frozen peanut butter or a safe chew toy will keep her occupied. I would not let her be uncrated at night--there's too much potential for her harming herself or damaging things in your house. A puppy of mine once chewed through an electric cord.
After watching numerous people give their dogs cookies upon return home, and then wondering why their dogs mob them when they come in the door, I started giving a cookie whenever I leave the house. Reinforces that leaving is a positive thing and distracts them.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 22, 2022 16:04:02 GMT
Check out McCann dog training videos on YouTube. They have one about crate training and it emphasizes using the crate every time you are not actively engaged with the puppy. I just watched one of their videos and it is helpful. Thanks for the recommendation.
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scorpeao
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Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Dec 22, 2022 16:25:00 GMT
I have two crates, one in my room and one in the living room. The one in my room is for night time and so she can see me. They are pack animals and want to be part of the pack. The one in the living room is for when company comes over or I have to step out for a couple hours. The first couple days in the living room one she howled when I left, but I have cameras that I can talk to her through. I would just say her name and then quiet. I also leave the TV on for her so she doesn't feel alone. Finally, I prepare a lick mat and freeze it and give that to her in the crate when I leave. Before you do this you need to make sure your puppy isn't going to chew it up. My puppy licks it clean and then goes to sleep. Good luck...I had puppy blues for about two months. My doodle was a freaking piranha...I cried thinking that I was going to have a 60 lb psycho biting huge chunks out of me. I'm happy to report that Honey is now 18 mos old and seriously, the love of my life.
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Post by Katiepotatie on Dec 22, 2022 17:43:47 GMT
Congratulations!!!
Get the pee pad out of the crate. Crates aren’t for pottying. Put a comfy pad in it or some old blankets. Cover it at night. Put the pup in there throughout the day as well to rest and relax. Take the pup out every two hours, even throughout the night. Puppies are wonderful and exhausting.
Take a look at “Southend dog training” on Instagram, FB, or Tik-Tok for great advice.
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paigepea
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Post by paigepea on Dec 22, 2022 17:44:00 GMT
Put food in the crate to get her in. Don’t put the pee pad. She won’t pee in her bedroom. Make sure you have a very small crate or perhaps a crate divider. The bigger the crate the more chance she’ll pee in one area and sleep an another of it. We used crate divider when our puppy was new. Now she’s grown and uses the full space.
Look up size of your puppy and what size crate to use.
If you take puppy out and she doesn’t pee put her in the crate, wait 15 min, then take her out again. Repeat until she goes outside. Don’t let her in the rest of your house until she goes outside. Once she goes outside she gets two hours in the house and then repeat the process.
Also, make sure the crate has a cover.
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Post by birukitty on Dec 22, 2022 17:58:29 GMT
When I raised my German Shepard puppy I used the classic book "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by The Monks of New Skete. It helped me so much. Another author I learned a lot from was Carol Lea Benjamin especially her "Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence". She has a few other books too.
Training a puppy should begin as soon as you bring her home. It works best with positive reinforcement instead of negative consequences like Cesar Millan uses in my opinion. Dogs are very eager to please their owners. You can use a high happy voice as a positive reinforcement for some dogs (this is all I needed for Holly because as a GSD she was so eager to please and easy to train), but for others you may need to use a treat or a clicker-depending on the breed or the temperment of the puppy. Make it a game and come to it with a positive, happy mood. If you get frustrated-stop. Just start again at another time.
When we first brought Holly home I slept with her in the bed on our fold out couch in the living room so we could get to the front door and outside for the numerous potty breaks she would need. This didn't last long at all. Maybe the first 2-3 weeks. This helped her to adjust to her transition away from her siblings too. Soon she was sleeping in her crate and I honestly can't remember if we had it upstairs in our bedroom or downstairs in the living room. This was several years ago.
I wish you the best of luck with your new bundle of fur. Have you chosen a name yet?
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 22, 2022 18:45:04 GMT
When I raised my German Shepard puppy I used the classic book "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by The Monks of New Skete. It helped me so much. Another author I learned a lot from was Carol Lea Benjamin especially her "Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence". She has a few other books too. Training a puppy should begin as soon as you bring her home. It works best with positive reinforcement instead of negative consequences like Cesar Millan uses in my opinion. Dogs are very eager to please their owners. You can use a high happy voice as a positive reinforcement for some dogs (this is all I needed for Holly because as a GSD she was so eager to please and easy to train), but for others you may need to use a treat or a clicker-depending on the breed or the temperment of the puppy. Make it a game and come to it with a positive, happy mood. If you get frustrated-stop. Just start again at another time. When we first brought Holly home I slept with her in the bed on our fold out couch in the living room so we could get to the front door and outside for the numerous potty breaks she would need. This didn't last long at all. Maybe the first 2-3 weeks. This helped her to adjust to her transition away from her siblings too. Soon she was sleeping in her crate and I honestly can't remember if we had it upstairs in our bedroom or downstairs in the living room. This was several years ago. I wish you the best of luck with your new bundle of fur. Have you chosen a name yet? Her name is Koko (we all have K names).
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Gennifer
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Jun 26, 2014 8:22:26 GMT
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Post by Gennifer on Dec 22, 2022 18:52:56 GMT
The general rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold their bladder one hour for every month old they are, meaning she probably can’t go overnight without peeing.
You need to be taking her out during the night for that, not training her to pee on a pad in her crate. (You don’t want her thinking the crate is an acceptable place to pee.)
Have you tried putting a blanket over the top of the crate?
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 22, 2022 19:06:33 GMT
The general rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold their bladder one hour for every month old they are, meaning she probably can’t go overnight without peeing. You need to be taking her out during the night for that, not training her to pee on a pad in her crate. (You don’t want her thinking the crate is an acceptable place to pee.) Have you tried putting a blanket over the top of the crate? We initially put the pad over the top of a blanket to protect the blanket, not to encourage her to pee on the pad. But it seems that wasn’t a good idea so we didn’t put a new one on when we took that one out.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Dec 22, 2022 19:07:26 GMT
A very good friend mentioned never getting a puppy during the height of winter - I did not listen, but understand why she made the recommendation when I was shivering the first few weeks. As those above have said - DO NOT teach her to pee in her crate, that is the exact opposite of what you're looking for. She'll need to go out in the middle of the night for the first few weeks. We got on one of those puppy heart beats for the first few weeks and made sure to use a blanket from the litter to transition. smile.amazon.com/iHeartDogs-Heartbeat-Puppy-Toy-Comfort/dp/B0B8332Y5D/ref=sr_1_8?crid=5QZUL7FXXYB8&keywords=puppy+heartbeat+stuffed+animal&qid=1671735882&sprefix=puppy+heartbe%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-8Some people say you can just use an old fashioned alarm clock that ticks for the same effect, but it seemed to help. the first few nights in the crate were the hardest and then he was used to it. Like everything else, if you don't stick to the routine, they won't adapt.
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Post by Bridget in MD on Dec 22, 2022 19:14:40 GMT
She's adorable!
We only crated during the day, the puppy wanted to be with us. we use a kong with frozen PB when we leave, she goes in willingly. But then you should probably leave while training her. I wouldn't want to be separated from the fun/people i love if they were still there but if they were gone, she'd probably settle and sleep.
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Post by Basket1lady on Dec 22, 2022 19:17:03 GMT
Those photos are adorable! I’m another who used the Monks of New Skete method. Their Art of Raising A Puppy is my gold standard. Basically, their training consists of “don’t let a puppy do what you don’t want a 60 lb dog to do (jump on you)” and “catch a puppy doing the right behavior and reward it” (sitting before being given a treat). A golden doodle is unlikely to need a heavy handed method like the Caesar Milan methods. Regular old Cheerios make the best training treats and they are cheap.
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Post by busy on Dec 22, 2022 19:24:13 GMT
A golden doodle is unlikely to need a heavy handed method like the Caesar Milan methods. No dog needs his BS methods. I know he's popular, but his methods are not sound, can be dangerous and counterproductive, and please don't try them.
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Gem Girl
Pearl Clutcher
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Jun 29, 2014 19:29:52 GMT
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Post by Gem Girl on Dec 22, 2022 19:58:23 GMT
So cute! Thanks for sharing the photos. If she's got Golden in her, she would rather chew off her own foot than be a bad dog. Kind consistency is key.
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Post by Zee on Dec 22, 2022 19:58:34 GMT
All dogs are different. My current dog was not getting the hang of potty training even after FIVE MONTHS. I despaired of ever being able to put away the Spot Bot.
I read here about the Monks of New Skete book and applied that, basically starting over with her at the age of 10 mos. It was a fresh approach that worked miracles. I also introduced a set of bells for each door that she could ring when she needed to go out. Light bulb moment for her! If she rang them just to go out without pottying, she went into her crate for a time without any interaction from me. When she did go, she was praised.
Very very rarely she'll ring them just to see if her friend from next door is out so they can chase each other, lol. And she knows what she did and will put herself in her crate when we come back in 😂
Anyway this book helped put ME in the right mindset to get through to her. She is different than our previous dog and has different motivations. I was the one that needed a re-set. It's a great book, check it out if you're having trouble.
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Post by birukitty on Dec 22, 2022 21:00:13 GMT
When I raised my German Shepard puppy I used the classic book "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by The Monks of New Skete. It helped me so much. Another author I learned a lot from was Carol Lea Benjamin especially her "Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence". She has a few other books too. Training a puppy should begin as soon as you bring her home. It works best with positive reinforcement instead of negative consequences like Cesar Millan uses in my opinion. Dogs are very eager to please their owners. You can use a high happy voice as a positive reinforcement for some dogs (this is all I needed for Holly because as a GSD she was so eager to please and easy to train), but for others you may need to use a treat or a clicker-depending on the breed or the temperment of the puppy. Make it a game and come to it with a positive, happy mood. If you get frustrated-stop. Just start again at another time. When we first brought Holly home I slept with her in the bed on our fold out couch in the living room so we could get to the front door and outside for the numerous potty breaks she would need. This didn't last long at all. Maybe the first 2-3 weeks. This helped her to adjust to her transition away from her siblings too. Soon she was sleeping in her crate and I honestly can't remember if we had it upstairs in our bedroom or downstairs in the living room. This was several years ago. I wish you the best of luck with your new bundle of fur. Have you chosen a name yet? Her name is Koko (we all have K names). Koko is adorable and I love the photo of her sleeping with your child. So very sweet.
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Post by Zee on Dec 22, 2022 21:12:02 GMT
I should add that once I put up the bells and she learned to use them, she's never had even one accident in the house again. That's over 3.5 years ago now, even when I got a flat tire on my way home from work while DH was out of town and she held it 16 hours. Boy did I feel bad about that, the poor thing!
She's very very smart, I just had to learn how to train her in a style that worked for her.
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Post by brynn on Dec 23, 2022 5:25:31 GMT
A beautiful Goldendoodle lives up the hill from me, so I have puppy envy. I love the photo of your child and her. Enjoy her!!
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 23, 2022 5:41:53 GMT
I should add that once I put up the bells and she learned to use them, she's never had even one accident in the house again. That's over 3.5 years ago now, even when I got a flat tire on my way home from work while DH was out of town and she held it 16 hours. Boy did I feel bad about that, the poor thing! She's very very smart, I just had to learn how to train her in a style that worked for her. We got bells but not sure how to get her how to use them besides just shaking them when we go outside.
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Marina
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Aug 12, 2014 23:32:21 GMT
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Post by Marina on Dec 23, 2022 7:43:17 GMT
The crate with a divider works well. The sleeping space should only be big enough to lay down and turn around. No extra space where she can pee. I highly recommend getting her a snuggle puppy from Amazon. It has a heartbeat and my dog still sleeps with his (20 months). I got a fitted crate cover with Velcro closures. When he occasionally fussed I would play lullaby music I had his crate on my side of the bed where he could see me.
There are videos to teach bell ringing to go outside. Mine rings whenever he wants to be outside. You first teach them to touch the bells and treat. Then I would stand outside the glass door and hold up a treat for him to ring the bell and then open the door. They learn quickly.
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johnnysmom
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Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Dec 23, 2022 14:53:40 GMT
Awww, she’s cute! As cute as puppies are I have zero interest in reliving those early puppy raising days. Since I wasn’t working at the time I was the one who did most of the work the first few months. I spent a few weeks sleeping on the couch near the crate so we could quickly go out for mid-night potty breaks, even slept on the floor one night with my fingers poking into the crate as it was the only way to stop him from whining.
The hard work did pay off, he potty trained quickly, stays off the furniture and out of areas he’s not allowed, goes to his crate when told without complaint, etc. I completely agree with not allowing a pup to do things you wouldn’t allow a full grown dog to do. Our dog knows that he can put his paws up/stand up with dh & ods (when invited) but he has never tried it with me or yds. We never allowed it when he was little, I constantly told him “down” when he’d attempt as a pup even though it was obviously not a threat to me at that point, now he’d knock me over.
I will say, as smart as my dog is, he never did pick up on the bells. They’ve been on the door since he came home yet he refuses to hit them. He’ll stand at the door and wait to be noticed 🙄 If no one is around he’ll come find us (usually me) and stare until I say “show me” and follow him.
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pinklady
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Post by pinklady on Dec 23, 2022 15:38:46 GMT
I’m am completely opposed to crates. I think it’s cruel to lock a dog in a cage. I know some people say they feel “more secure in their safe place” but I disagree.
I use baby gates and give my dog a room or two with access to go outside to the backyard when she’s alone.
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