Friday, September 10, 2010

Slow with the crate, but she still hates it...

When I first got a crate for Barbie she was downright afraid of it. I had gotten her to the stage now where she goes in there on her own and just chills out in there for a bit. Anyway, last night was her first full night in the crate. She whined for the first hour, then she slept for 6 hours and woke up at 5.15am or so. I let her out for a wee in the morning at about 5.30 after she had been quiet for a whole 5 minutes. She was very happy to be out of there. She is being crated at night for two reasons - 1. She still occasionally pees on the floor inside at night and I'm trying to eliminate that, and 2. I want to be able to crate her when we take her out camping instead of just tethering her like we used to do with Bender.

I think she'll be OK in a few nights. She will probably still whinge a bit. I want to get her to sleep until 6.50am in the crate and I will be happy with that.

On our walk last night, we had to walk over a piece of orange mesh that someone had strung across the footpath. Bender walked over it fine, but Barbie hesitated. I said 'over' and waited. Barbie thought about it for a little while and I didn't think she would do it, but then she executed a beautiful (if over the top) leap over the offending plastic and we continued on our way. We also stopped in a local park and I got them both to down/stay. I did two very short distance down/stays because Bender looked as if he was about to take off. Barbie never took her eyes off me.

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24 Paws of Love's avatar

24 Paws of Love · 759 weeks ago

When my one dog was very young, I decided to crate him at night and he woke me up every hour on the hour. I would let him out to pee and put him right back in his crate. Eventually he lasted every 2 hours, then 3, then 4. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I got 5 hours of sleep all at once!! Now it is his favortie place, because it is his.

It takes some time, but hopefully she will come to enjoy it. Hang in there.
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
I know Barbie can hold on for 8 or 9 hours! she does it during the day if I leave her inside, but at night for some reason she thinks it's cool to pee on the carpet. We are ripping the carpet up in a couple of weeks to put more dog & cat resistant flooring in though. :) The cats are working on ripping it up for us in places.
In my experience with Greyhounds, some just don't ever take to the crate, and others are happy as clams in there. Have you tried giving her a Kong with peanut butter or something else that she'll have to work on a bit to get out when you put her in for the night? It might give her something to do instead of whine, and it might also wear her out enough that she sleeps longer in the morning. It's also a "happy' association to have in the crate for her, which might give it more appeal.

I know which one of mine would have jumped like that over the orange plastic, too! lol
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
I gave her a pigs ear last night but a kong will probably last longer... I will use a kong tonight methinks :)
I'm not crazy about the crate....I like the queen size bed!

Wyatt
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
hah I think Barbie is the same Wyatt! I caught her on my bed while I was making my breakfast this morning! ;)
Thank you for finding my blog, it means another greyhound blog for me to follow! YAY! your two dogs are beautiful :)
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
Heh thankyou :) your dogs look awesome too
Beryl was reluctant to sleep in her crate when I got her but I started giving her something really nice every night and now she races in there for her treat. She's not so keen during the day but it's very rare I need to put her in there except to sleep at night. I think just persevere, she's having you on:-) Beryl would prefer to sleep with me and Frankie but she takes up too much room, lol! And also that's his time with me:-)

Good work with the stays. Beryl is slowing getting the hang of it.
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
yeah that's what I think too, she thinks I'm a big softie and would give in, but I am more stubborn than a mere greyhound! ;)
Good luck with the crate training. It's so difficult to hear them whine and cry though! I'm lucky that Kelly will sleep just as late as I do. On weekends we sleep in later and so does she!
1 reply · active 759 weeks ago
I'm hoping as Barbie gets older she will be like this :) she isn't even 3 yet. I worry a little about the neighbours.... wonder if they can here her carrying on!
Hello we are new followers! My dogs will only use the crate if they are covered with a blanket, if I take the blanket off they will not use them. It is Very strange
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
Barbie doesn't like the blanket over the crate, I think it makes her claustrophobic. Funny things, dogs! and welcome :)
Hope crate training goes smoothly... sounds like she's making some good progress already.

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