What Is Your Defintion Of Crate Trained?

[aussielover]

What do people think "crate trained" means?

Is merely accepting the crate ok?

Or do they need to actually like/love it?

I think my dog doesn't really enjoy her crate but she will accept being in there and just go to sleep.

I don't really think I could call her crate trained though.

Her crate looks very comfy though!

Edited May 18, 2011 by aussielover

[minxy]

Whoops, misread the second question. I answered where I want the dog to sleep. I have no idea where Kyojin would want to sleep. He's been crated since the day we brought him home. I've never had any other reason to crate him other than at night, so I'm not really sure what he thinks of it. He won't go in there by himself, but he has no reason to. He prefers to nap wherever we are.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

For me, it means they like being in there, go in when you ask them or of their own accord, if you ask them to go in, they don't come out until you release them, and they sit in there calmly until you let them out, they don't scream and yell.

If they go in of their own accord - they can let themselves out.

[Guest Ams]

My dogs are crate trained and they don't sleep in them but use them as time out/ down time places. They will sleep in them if I insist but I don't unless they have been terribly annoying. If I give out high value foods such as chicken frames one of my girls will go and open a crate door, pop herself in and close the door behind her so the other dogs will leave her alone whilst she noms.

One of the old rescues I have at the moment feels safest inside a tiny crate and he gets quite distressed if the door is blocked and he can't get in.

So I guess for my dogs they represent a safe zone.

I would consider a dog crate trained if they accept being placed in the crate and do not get stressed whilst in there or try to escape.

[kallistar]

My dogs are crate trained The Cav seeks out any crate to sleep in.. The two older aussies do seek out the crates to snooze in on their own accord. I even caught Tux going into the Cav's PP40 crate due to Trinket being in his. The Goldie is the only one who does not seek out her crate, but is happy to be in there once requested to do so. The youngest aussie is learning the ropes and is learning that Crates are ok

[Guest Panzer Attack!]

Scooter is probably halfway thru crate training as far as I'm concerned. He's chill once he's in there, but is much happier to be out! I feed him in there when I'm not hand feeding, and he's happy to let me take food out/touch him/give him treats, and he's gone into his wire crate twice of his own accord. He's pretty good with sitting and waiting to come out and letting me put a lead on while he sits in there. I'll consider him fully there when I can tell him to go in and he'll chill there without a fuss.

E x

[Tilly]

I consider my youngest to be crate trained ... even through he he doesn't willing go into the crate - unless he is asked. Once in the crate he is relaxed and happy.

In comparison our older dog isn't crate trained and becomes frustrated and cranky when confined - he will cry and bark and becomes distressed - even forcing his way out of the crate/cage.

[Beth.]

I never really crate trained Lottie as a puppy, although she had been tied up etc from a young age (always when I was there - such as camping trips - I didn't really know about crate training) so she took to a crate really really easily when I introduced it!!!

She'll go in there when I ask, and if there's one set up, she'll sometimes pop herself in there. She'll also stay in there for however long, and i'll never hear a peep out of her, she just hops in and goes to sleep.

I don't usually have one set up at home, as it's a share house and she's in my room most the time - the crate wouldn't really fit in here , and she can sleep where ever in my room - but since it's getting cold she's been sleeping on my bed - and this from a person who 'would NEVER have a dog inside, let alone on a bed '

I've been very luckily with Lot, she's a very chilled out dog!

[Lillynix]

My definition of crate trained is a dog finds the crate a safe place and happily goes into it when requested, but does not seek it out, happy once in the crate. Seems to fit for me.

Though we have Lotta's bed sitting in her crate at all times (her crate is in the family lounge room) so every time she wants to sit/sleep in her bed, she must go into the crate and she does so happily. The door of her crate is always pinned open unless it's bed time or we'll be gone for 2+ hours during the day (rare).

Lotta would MUCH rather be sleeping on the couch though, despite not being allowed on it i've caught her out a few times when we've come home from a short outing and we've seen her jump off the couch once she hears our car pull up!

Yes, I do consider her to be crate trained because she will accept the crate without a fuss. She'll enter on her own accord, or will hop in when we tell her bed time.

[Sayreovi]

My crates aren't set up at home as I only use them out and about, though if we are staying elsewhere I don't take their beds as they happily sleep in their crates. They go willingly in if told to, but never really seek it out and that suits me, as long as they will go in there willingly and will sit/lay quietly I consider them crate trained

[Staranais]

Mine gets fed in there, goes in there when I tell her to, and spends the day in there when she's on heat, but doesn't tend to go in of her own accord. Sleeps at the end of my bed, though.

Crate trained to me just means the dog goes into the crate on command, and is at the very least not distressed by being left in there for a few hours at a time.

[Teebs]

My definition of crate trained is a dog finds the crate a safe place and happily goes into it when requested, but does not seek it out, happy once in the crate. Seems to fit for me.

ditto

My guys used to sleep in their crates every night when i had them up, if we are out and about they are both happy to wait in their crates, they used to put themselves to bed when they wanted to sleep

They are also fine at the vets, i just tell them to go to bed and they hope into the cages with no problems at all.

[Ons]

whilst I do have to put Latte into her crate each night as she would rather sleep elsewhere, as soon as she is in the crate she settles and goes to sleep without a peep so I consider her crate trained.

Latte is the only one of mine that does sleep in a crate now but flash, at my friend's has no dramas about being put in a crate and will stay there quietly as will Onslow. so i consider they are crate trained as well. I put tilly in a crate once with flash and she was okay but I wouldn't say she would stay there for long without a fuss.

eta that on the few nights that I haven't put Latte in her crate to sleep half way through the night she has put herself in there anyway

Edited May 18, 2011 by onsntillnflash

[Red Fox]

If a dog will go to it's crate on command, accepts it and can relax in there I'd consider that dog to be crate trained. Each of the first 3 choices fit that definition, hence I ticked "other" for the first question.

Of course it's preferable if the dog actually likes the crate rather than just tollerates it, but provided it's not kicking up a stink I don't see that as a problem.

My own dog is happy to sleep in the crate at night if that's where I put him, but is just as happy to sleep on my bed. Most nights I Iet him choose.

Daytime he actively seeks out a crate as a comfortable sleeping place.

He will go to the crate on command, considers it a safe place and can relax when confined. So yes I consider him to be crate trained

[Merrirose]

My adult dogs LOVE the crate and will seek it out however I consider any dog that will go in a crate when asked and will then settle quickly and quietly to be crate trained.

Edited May 18, 2011 by Merrirose

[haven]

My dog is crate trained and will seek it out of her own accord, but I chose other in answer to the first question because I'd probably consider any of the first three answers to be acceptably crate trained.

She possibly would prefer to sleep on my bed or on the couch, but since she never has and doesn't know any better she chooses to sleep in her crate :D

[Henrietta]

My girl would prefer the bed over the crate anytime. But we've had a very long reinforcement history with that.

If the crate is out at home in my bedroom (usually only in winter) then she will seek it out if she isn't invited elsewhere. She will choose the crate over her dog bed.

But the crate is usally set up outside where we play crate games. She drives into her crate and loves hanging around in there when we are training. If I ask her to go into her crate at any time she is happy to run in there and stay there.

Yes, I consider her crate trained as she is happy to be in there. On the occasions I have decided to sleep her in the crate, she is content.

[shellbyville]

I consider all 6 of my dogs crate trained. They will happily sleep in the crate and stay in there when needed - at shows, when visiting, when in season or for whatever reason. They do not sleep in a crate permanently though as I have kennels and they happily, but have no choice, sleep in their kennels on their bed.

I crate train my pups from the beginnning, by using the crate at night in the house, until they are totally toilet trained then they go into the kennels, where they sleep all night without accidents. I find crates the best thing ever and don't really understand why people don't crate train as they make life so much easier

when you have to go places, or if for some reason such as an injury or illness they have to be confined.

[B-Q]

I chose the second answer.

Quinn either sleeps in her crate or on my bed, ususally about half and half. I have one crate set up in the loungeroom and one in my room with beds in them.

Tossing up if I should buy another one for the car... hmmm.

[dandybrush]

can i ask if your dog is in the crate behaving, would you allow your other dog/pup to approach and start licking their face? or do you teach the other dogs to leave them alone when in the crate?