TYLER23 Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 We have had our little fella (9 weeks old) for just under a week now, most things are going well, no accidents inside the house, and we are working very hard on his mouthing although he has broken skin a few times i built a 5mx5m dog run which will be his confinement area when we aren't home and i want him to get used to it as quickly as possible. He woke at 0730 this morning, so i put him in the run with his brekky and some of his toys and went back into the house. i was watching him from the back window (but he couldn't see me), he sniffed around for a bit ignored his food and starting jumping at the gate and yelping non stop. I gave him 15 minutes, but he didn't settle, so i brought him back into the house as i don't want to upset the neighbours. Any tips on how to get him in there? When i'm in there with him he's fine. The run has a small shed in it which i have put a kennel in. He has his crate inside the house which he loves... but i don't really want to be carrying a crate back and forth from the house to the run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirty Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Why does he have to be confined? Why not crate him when you're out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Make the run the place were all fun things happen ... play with him in there, feed him, spend time sitting with him etc. Maybe also take a piece of bedding from the crate outside into his bed out there so he has a familiar smell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Just perserve. Get some really exciting toys and only let him have them in the run. Continue to feed him in the run (all meals). Put him in the run when he's tired and absolutely ignore any protests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER23 Posted September 26, 2009 Author Share Posted September 26, 2009 Why does he have to be confined? Why not crate him when you're out? um, isn't a crate a form of confinement? His crate is inside the house... i'd rather have him in the open air (with shelter) when we aren't home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER23 Posted September 26, 2009 Author Share Posted September 26, 2009 Thanks for the replies Tilly and Sandra...certainly makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all that glitters Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Why does he have to be confined? Why not crate him when you're out? If the OP works fulltime or is gone for extended hours that wouldn't work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 A run is a fantastic place for your dog..... fresh air.... sunshine.... a place to call his own.... much better than a crate. You wont be sorry you went to the trouble to develop this now. Imagine: whenever you have annoying children around the dog has somewhere to go where those kids cant bother him. Also if you have tradesmen doing any work you have somewhere safe to put him where you dont have to worry that someone might leave the gate open. Start by putting him the run after excercise. Take him for a walk or give him a good play and then place him in the pen with his meal his toys and perhaps a chewy bone or such. Then ignore his complaints. If you bring him back in then you are setting yourself up for a longer period of training to the pen. He must understand that you put him somewhere, he has to accept that this is where he is to be and learn to be patient. If he cries for an hour, bad luck, as long as he is safe and you can peek at him without him knowing. Leave him be.... your neighbours will have to put up with it for a day or so and then all will be well. If necessary explain to them what you are doing and they will be more tolerant as it is for the short term. Once he is good with the pen you will be able to leave him there either day or night and he will be okay with it. Leave the crate inside for when you want him contained there. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER23 Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 A run is a fantastic place for your dog..... fresh air.... sunshine.... a place to call his own.... much better than a crate.You wont be sorry you went to the trouble to develop this now. Imagine: whenever you have annoying children around the dog has somewhere to go where those kids cant bother him. Also if you have tradesmen doing any work you have somewhere safe to put him where you dont have to worry that someone might leave the gate open. Start by putting him the run after excercise. Take him for a walk or give him a good play and then place him in the pen with his meal his toys and perhaps a chewy bone or such. Then ignore his complaints. If you bring him back in then you are setting yourself up for a longer period of training to the pen. He must understand that you put him somewhere, he has to accept that this is where he is to be and learn to be patient. If he cries for an hour, bad luck, as long as he is safe and you can peek at him without him knowing. Leave him be.... your neighbours will have to put up with it for a day or so and then all will be well. If necessary explain to them what you are doing and they will be more tolerant as it is for the short term. Once he is good with the pen you will be able to leave him there either day or night and he will be okay with it. Leave the crate inside for when you want him contained there. Best of luck. I pretty much tried exactly what you described yesterday, but being a sunday morning, i didn't want to make too much of a ruckus for the neighbours. I played with him in the run for 1/2 an hour, put his bedding in the kennel, filled the kong and left him there... he cried off and on for 30 minutes before i decided to bring him in before the neighbours knocked on the door. i'm working from home tomorrow, so i will give it another go. i might try and bribe him with a few chicken necks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER23 Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 SUCCESS! i took him into the run just as he was falling asleep in his crate, he cried off and on for an hour, but he was just too tired to keep going. He dragged his soft toy out of the warm insulated kennel with nice bedding and has fallen asleep on the grass in the sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER23 Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 Spoke too soon... crying again after only 20 mins of sleep... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Persist..... just keep up the program. If pup has been in there for a time you can then wait for a period of say 5-10 minutes when he has been quiet and then go over and let him out. Get him used to spending lots of smaller session in the pen. good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Hi Tyler. Your plan is good, and I can see your frustration, may I suggest a couple of things... firstly, always "set yourself up for a win". You have a fairly good idea that he is going to start to bark and carry on when leaving in his new pen, and you know you will start to worry about the neighbours and bring him inside, right? This you already know for sure. So, don't put him in there until you have - spoken with all the neighbours that you think are going to be affected by his noise, and explain to them that this new training may take a couple of days, even a peace offering of a bottle of win or something would not go astray. Then when you go to pop him back out there for some training, ensre that it is at a time of the day when you will not worry so much about the neighbours if he barks for 2 - 3 hrs, so you can relax a bit more. Make sure you are going to be home, so you can take a note of what he does. Never go out to him whilst he is making a noise. Never bring him inside whilst he is making a noise. Do not yell out to him to be quiet or otherwise. Just totally ignore. Most dogs find that their leader completely ignoring them is the worst punishment they can endure. So only reward good behaviour - a quiet puppy. I am sure you have already done this, but make sure he has toys, chews warmth/bedding, shelter and water. I know it is hard. But I gather you have already brought him inside at least twice when he barks, so you have in fact taught him to bark and this gets him what he wants. So, your job is now going to be even harder. Every time you go to him or let him in when he is noisy instils this behaviour in him. Sure it takes longer to set everything up to ensure the "win" situation, but if you had done this in the first place, there is every chance the training would already be done. So, go back to the start, and set it up, and stick to your plan. You will be surprised how quick he will learn to settle and learn to be confident and comfortable in his own company in the pen once he knows he does not have you wrapped around his little finger. When he is quiet for several minutes, quickly and quietly go out to him and make a bit fuss. Do this several times during a 3 hr period during the first "starting again" training session... and during the day when neighbours are not sleeping. This is what I would do anyway. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER23 Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 Well, i tried another stint in the run this morning after talking to one of my neighbours. he cried off and on for ages, and has now finally fallen asleep on the grass rather than his nice cosy kennel. he doesn't know that i'm home, i've been spying on him from the back window. With regards to going out and praising him when he is quiet, won't he just then realise that i am in fact home and start crying again the minute i go back inside? I might just let him sleep for now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Well done Tyler. You don't need to wake him up and praise him. You are right to let him sleep. As he gets more comfortable with this, you will be able to do it whilst he knows you are at home. When you feel a bit more confident that he will settle OK each time he is left there, then you will be able to praise him for good behaviour. Right now he has probably just worn himself out, and that may be the only reason he is not crying, but you will get there. Most importantly is not to go out when he is noisy. So, whilst it is still early days, if it is close to the time that you may want him in anyway, you may have to bring him in whilst he is sleeping, because if you wait til he wakes up and starts crying again, you cannot bring him then. sounds like you are getting the hang of it, and really that is the biggest challenge. Once you know what to do, pup will learn far more quickly. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Tyler Lucky pup, to have a safe run in which to enjoy the sun and the scents of outdoors If you don't mind the clearing up... put in a cardboard carton or two for him to jump on/wreck..and a large ball, like a soccer ball (NOT plastic) that he can roll around , throw himself on, and attack! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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