Crate Training

[Eldoop]

Hi how long should I leave Cody in his crate over night? until what age? I've had him for just over two weeks now (picked him up on the 24th sept) and he has had two poops and 3 pee's in the mornings, but other than that I get up around 5:30 to 6:00am and take him out, so how long should I keep him in the crate overnight before taking the crate away??

Edited October 10, 2007 by Eldoop

[Poodle wrangler]

I'd let him out at least once overnight, maybe twice? Does he make some noise when he needs to go?

I'm not exactly sure when they can hang on all night as both my poodles sleep outside.

Use the crate until you consider him 100% toilet trained. As long as your leadership is good, and you're consistent, that could be only a few weeks away.

Crate is still very handy for the car (easier to clean vomit from a crate), visiting friends, trips away etc.

[Eldoop]

No he doesn't cry to let me know, I always get up (for him) at around 5:30 to 6:00am every morning and take him out, and I take him out after he wakes up and has a feed, but I've noticed he doesn't go for a poo after he is feed anymore, so now I wait agood 10 minutes after his dinner before I take him out.....so I really hope he will start to let me know when he needs to go as all our past dog just sit at the door and never make a sound I have been told if you take them out all the time theydont let you know and just wait for you quietly

[Dogsfevr]

"I have been told if you take them out all the time theydont let you know and just wait for you quietly "

If you dont take them out how do they learn,by taking pup outside regualar;y & rewarding the dog learns that outside is toilets & to hang on.

We have a doggy door so they dogs learn very early they have access at anytime because many people who dont allow access miss the cue & the dog has toileted & learns nothing.

Some will teach there dog to ringa bell or push a buzzer to ask to go out but for us we encourage all our puppy owners to allow access for the pup & to take them out as many times to re inforce outside is for toilets

[R00]

and remember that when you take pooch out at night for toilet, there should be no playing. Off to toilet ( on lead) and good verbal reward then back in bed.

The other trick is to not take the dog out of the crate straight away in the mornings i.e walk past it a couple of times. That way the dog doesn't see you as the 'cue' that s/he will be let out.

A final hint do not succumb to letting your dog out when they wake up in the morning. Both my dogs stay sleeping till I get up, not the other way around