Crate Training A 7yo Lab.

[Daxilly]

I have searched the forum but can only find info on crate training puppies and younger dogs.

My 7yo lab sleeps outside in a kennel. Due to a major house renovation she will need to sleep inside at night for at least the next 4 months. She is fully house trained and is well behaved when left alone.

Is it realistic to expect her to use the crate without any previous experience. She loves her kennel and is very food motivated.

I have looked at various crates and have found the one I like. It will cost about $250 so before I purchase it, is it likely I will be able to train her to sleep in it at night. As she gets older I was planning on having her sleep inside, especially during winter, so the crate can be used at other times.

At 7 years old is it too late to train her?

Thanks

[wuffles]

No, it's not too late, but is there a reason you need to use a crate at all? Ours (5 years and 7 months old) both have free range of the lounge/bedroom at night and generally spend the whole night on their beds in the lounge. I've found that most dogs seem to "know" to sleep on their bed at night, and it sounds like your girl is well behaved.

Some dogs seem to take to crates better than others but if you make it a fun place to be they generally learn pretty quickly. Neither of ours "love" their crates but will go in there willingly to sleep if asked, for example if we are at someone else's house. We had a foster greyhound that just adored the crate, she would have slept in there all day if we let her.

[aussielover]

If she is already sleeping in a kennel, there should be no problem with the crate. But if she is house trained and doesn't destroy things when not supervised, perhaps a crate isn't neccesary?

It is handy for when you visit other people though.

[Daxilly]

I was always under the impression that dogs required their own space. Somewhere to feel secure.

If just being in the house will achieve this, I am happy to let her stay un-crated. She came in last night and I didn't hear a peep from her till I got up. Considering this is the first time she has slept inside at night, I was pleased.

This whole renovation experience has been interesting. Both dogs, especially the ACD, are having a great time. Of course, both must be involved with everything that is going on, which requires 100% supervision anytime they are outside. The builders are turning up at 7am so feeding, playing etc is in the dark, with minus temperatures. I am getting nothing done apart from supervising them.

I looked out the window today to see the ACD putting her ball on top of the reo of the foundations.

We have the concrete truck arriving tomorrow. My OH jokingly said that this may be an ideal way of getting rid of the dogs. When people ask where they are, we can honestly say that they are in the house.

Looking forward to the next 4 months being over.

[flyingduster]

my 12 year old foxy was crate trained at about 7-8 years old too, without a problem at all. She has never had a kennel, but she always had a bed she could be sent to if she was being a pain etc, so she knew the concept of going to her bed and staying there for a nap for a while, so her bed just now has a door. LOL! Seeing your girl is used to a kennel I doubt it will be a problem in the slightest, especially if you make it a rewarding place to be (ie a kong in the crate when you leave etc)

But yup, just had to chime in that an older dog can learn to crate train fine!

[Mas1981]

I crate trained my lab at a year old, had no hassles, i just watched a crate games training dvd and used loads of treats and he will go and sit in it if I ask him too, he hated being left alone in it if i walk away and we are away from home.

[~*Shell*~]

Zero took to it without a problem at 3 years old - he sleeps in his crate every night now. If she's used to sleeping in a kennel, she may go looking for a nice place to curl up in and a crate would be perfect for that!

Plenty of nice blankets and maybe some toys in there and you shouldn't have a problem.

[Skitch]

I've recently crate trained my 11 year old cattle dog mutt with no problems at all! She is only crated while we're out due to the fact that she has become a bit incontinent but she took to it very well. Up until this point she had always had free range of the house so I was worried about how she'd take to it but she got the concept fine and we've not had any troubles!

I tend to agree with Aussielover though.. if she's a generally good dog who doesn't destroy the house perhaps you dont need a crate! It's not as though crate training is only for naughty dogs but are you planning to actually lock her up? It's definitely a useful thing to have them trained for though.. makes things like long car trips and entertaining much easier .