Puppy advice...

**Chipper** · 06-02-2009, 12:02 PM

The gf got her dog, now I'm getting mine, a Siberian Husky. With the girlfriend's dog she couldn't let it sleep in the crate, so it slept on the bed. This I did not like. Just wondering if you had some tips on how to crate train it? Housebreak? Any other advice?

**Cycloin** · 06-02-2009, 12:04 PM

Would a peanut butter joke be inappropriate here?

**dosry5** · 06-02-2009, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by Chipper

The gf got her dog, now I'm getting mine, a Siberian Husky. With the girlfriend's dog she couldn't let it sleep in the crate, so it slept on the bed. This I did not like. Just wondering if you had some tips on how to crate train it? Housebreak? Any other advice?

The key is simple diligence. I usually try to take few days off around getting a new puppy. Take it outside to go to the bathroom A LOT. Every time it comes out of the crate--outside right away. Wakes up--outside. Eats--outside. Starts sniffing around--outside. It makes for a loooong few days, but none of my dogs ever have had issues after the first week.

**dosry5** · 06-02-2009, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by Cycloin

Would a peanut butter joke be inappropriate here?

not considering the source...

**Cyclonick182** · 06-02-2009, 12:06 PM

I just went through this when I got my Shiba Inu in December. I crated him whether he liked it or not. I did keep the crate close to my bed so I could take him out every few hours but he still slept in the crate. After about a month he actually grew to really like it since even now he still puts himself to sleep in it. One useful thing we've done with our dogs is place bells on the door we take them out for their walks/potty trips and rang them everytime we went out with them. Now I can relax and they let me know when they need to go out by ringing the bells on their own.

**Chipper** · 06-02-2009, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by dosry5

The key is simple diligence. I usually try to take few days off around getting a new puppy. Take it outside to go to the bathroom A LOT. Every time it comes out of the crate--outside right away. Wakes up--outside. Eats--outside. Starts sniffing around--outside. It makes for a loooong few days, but none of my dogs ever have had issues after the first week.

Yeah. I'm going to set a timer for every hour on the hour. I have the bell on the door so he can get used to hearing it. I'm a big fan of clickers, so I will probably work that in as well.

**Chipper** · 06-02-2009, 12:07 PM

How long did for the Shiba Inu whine for?

**dosry5** · 06-02-2009, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Chipper

Yeah. I'm going to set a timer for every hour on the hour. I have the bell on the door so he can get used to hearing it. I'm a big fan of clickers, so I will probably work that in as well.

another great thing, if you can afford it, is puppy daycare. Sounds lame, but for like $20 a day take it to a daycare place. Get the right place and the workers are usually trainers and work with your dog during the day some. We used to take our pup or two days a week for the first month.

**Cyclonick182** · 06-02-2009, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Chipper

How long did for the Shiba Inu whine for?

Well, he used to whine for up to an hour, but it depends on if you talk back to them. I found it to be worse if I would say things like "It's ok" and what not because then he knew I was there and whined even more. Shiba's are naturally "whiney" dogs though in that, they dont bark really, but they certainly do like to make their presence known with odd shrieks and yelps.

**DaddyMac** · 06-02-2009, 12:19 PM

The key is to make the crate a place the dog WANTS to go. Make it fun, reward the pooch often. Entice it with treats to go in. Reward it when he is in there. And don't give in when the whining starts.

Dogs are den animals by nature anyway. They'd rather be with you, but they really won't have a problem with the crate if it's probably introduced. And as stated earlier - the bigger issue is the housebreaking.

When we got our pup - I laid an extra matress down on the floor an slept nearby for a few nights. That way I could easily hear her wimper and get her outside quickly. One thing I learned from a trainer was to not let the dog out until you "release" it - even if the door is open. Open the door slowly, as he starts to bolt, quickly (not violently) shut the door. Open slowly again (throw in some "stays" as well). Pretty soon he won't even try and you'll have the door wide open with a dog just sitting there. This is a good one for the doors to the house as well - so you don't have a dog that bolts through an open door.

As for housebreaking - as stated, outside all the time and after EVERYTHING. Don't whack it when it makes a mistake. Another tip we got was to tell your pup to "go potty" or something when you take it out. Keep reinforcing it. That's been awesome for when we travel or don't want to wait around for business...

We have a little bell on our back door and played a bit of a game for when our dog wants to go out, she noses the bell. You get about as trained at hearing that bell as the dog gets hitting it. It's nice when your in another room or at night (makes a decent little security system too)

Clickers?

**Chipper** · 06-02-2009, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

Clickers?

Just a training system that I've had good success with in the past. It's a handheld button that you push for a desired activity or do not push for undesired. You condition the dog to associate the clicker with treats. Then you can encourage a host of behaviors (sitting, gentle leash walking, coming when called) and discourage others (jumping on guests, begging).

**egami** · 06-02-2009, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Chipper

Just a training system that I've had good success with in the past. It's a handheld button that you push for a desired activity or do not push for undesired. You condition the dog to associate the clicker with treats. Then you can encourage a host of behaviors (sitting, gentle leash walking, coming when called) and discourage others (jumping on guests, begging).

Works on kids too.

**Chipper** · 06-02-2009, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by egami

Works on kids too.

I'm not one to discourage begging.

**mj4cy** · 06-02-2009, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by dosry5

The key is simple diligence. I usually try to take few days off around getting a new puppy. Take it outside to go to the bathroom A LOT. Every time it comes out of the crate--outside right away. Wakes up--outside. Eats--outside. Starts sniffing around--outside. It makes for a loooong few days, but none of my dogs ever have had issues after the first week.

Originally Posted by Chipper

Yeah. I'm going to set a timer for every hour on the hour. I have the bell on the door so he can get used to hearing it. I'm a big fan of clickers, so I will probably work that in as well.

We crate trained our pup and I will never go back. The dog can't sleep in our bed because my wife has allergies. At first we got up twice in the middle of the night to let him out, then once. If I was to do it over again, I would just push his limits right away. Most dogs won't soil the area where they sleep.