A search on google on crate training will come up with many useful tips. I disagree that active dogs wont take to crate training. ANY dog, with the right amount of exercise, can be crate trained. You have the advantage of a clean slate with a puppy.

The idea of crate training is to create a "safe haven" for them. Dogs are descended from wolves, and they love the idea of a "den".

Take for example my last dog - an Australian terrier. My dad rescued her when she was 8 months old. Her owners wanted to give her away because she was "unbearable". She wasnt crate trained and had the run of the house. A 8 month old dog - yeaaaa right. They come back after an outing to find the house in a mess - things chewed on and pee everywhere.

We tried crate training her. It was hard as she was never subjected to being locked up. Its sounds cruel but we ensured that we followed the rules: no more than 4 hours inside, only good stuff happens in the crate etc. She was crying to be let out all the time for the first week or so, but we persevered and in the end, she learned that its a good place to go in when we went out/slept at night. It became her "room" and we soon could leave the door open for her to go in whenever she wished. It took a few months but the results spoke for themselves.

I applied the same training to a foster German Shepherd and border collie - as well as my current dog, with the same results: house trained dogs who loved their crates and never chewed or destroyed any furniture.

When executed correctly, crate training can save you alot of stress and unnecessary destruction around the house

It seems to be that we just have to keep referring back to where dogs have come from (wolf packs) to gain a huge insight into why they do what.

I shall read up more about crate training and am reassured that it works even for active dogs. I really don't want to give a pup free reignof our house, mainly for its own safety - there way too many plastic toys,lego, kids stuff that it could get into and chew if it were left to roam around without supervision.

If the crate becomesthedogs 'room', when it'sa teenager does it flounce off there to have a sulk when you don't let it do what it wants? :-)

Ours were not crate trained (2 40 kilo dogs, I need a lion cage, not a crate), we simply put babygates in front of the stairs when they were young, also an option. They did not destroy anything - well, laptop cable was eaten once, but I suspect one of the cats.

Ohhh, just back from the tierheim where we met the pup again with my two older children. The dog was a lot quieter this time, apparently very tired as he'd been outside in the cold and just eaten.

We're going to pick him up next friday afternoon and bring him back for a 'trial weekend', then if everything goes well it's a final check from the vet and away we go!

Good luck terramundi I hope it all works out.

My daughter desperately misses our dog back home and, well, with any luck, we'll be adding a pup or two to our lives sometime soon as well.

Well, the pups home for the trial weekend and he's actually a very nice natured lad - so far. It's thefirst time for him away from mum and siblings but although he's a bit subdued he's wagging his tail enough and suffering all the petting and fussing in his stride. We've been out for a little walk and he is a poppet.

Now I would put up a photo as can take one on my phone but how to upload it?

JUst wanted to update this thread. The puppy's been with us for 5 days now, long enough to have settled in a bit and we are all thrilled with him! Of course he's sweet and cute, all pups are I guess, but he's also pretty smart I think, gentle and tolerant with us. Smart, because he already goes to the loo outside - whines if he needs to get out or, once out, does it pretty much on command - I've been pretty diligent too but really I think he's worked it out pretty quickly. He also walks really nicely - doesn't pull on his lead, or when off the lead trots near to my heel - I think he's quite cautious so is sticking close to me for the time being - I'm sure he'll push the boundaries later! I've read the 'perfect puppy' book and it all seems very logical, and so far we've been working on sitting and not jumping up. certainly with me he sits to be fussed unless he's seeing me for the first time in a while, in which case it is just tooooo exciting and he has to whine and wiggle and chuckle.
I'm feeling fairly optimistic about this one I have to say and think he will be a good companion, quite straightforward to train and a lovely addition to our family.

Great to hear! You know whats next dont you?

PICTURES!!!!

I concur. Pictures!

And socialising. We started taking ours to crowded and new places when they were young - they were not too amused at first, but it's necessary, now we can take them anywhere.

Actually... yes.

I've crate trained all of my dogs from puppy hood. My boys love their crates. They can't wait to go into them, and they always get a biscuit when they go in. My old timer often goes there on his own for safe haven, and it's also a safe place when I need to put them away for having a serviceman came to the house.

You cruel heartless bastard !!!

You went ahead and got a puppy just to upset Hania20 didn't you ???

I know how to make spammers suffer!

I'm finding the crate great now. The first couple of nights he whined a lot in it and then I moved it into the doorway of our bedroom (where he can presumably hear and/or smell us) and he settles really well now. I've also put him in there when I go out, though not for long at the moment. The other evening, after a particularly trying afternoon playing with my 6 year old (she's quite in love with the puppy, and he's very patient with her), I found him crashed out in the crate, only able to open one weary eyelid when I said hello, as if to say, 'please, please, enough playing already!'

Now, pictures - I really don't know how to go about it but I can take a photo on my phone and send it to someone who might then very kindly put it up on the forum. I know, it's completely pathetic and I should learn how to do it, but.....

Woops !!!

You sent me the wrong picture



Do you want to try again?

those poor cats ... the indignity of it