Category: Common Problems ¤
  Author: M. Shirley Chong ¤
   Title: Open Door Crate Training ¤

Holly Wood wrote:

> Anyway, one common issue is crate training dogs who 
> cry/scream/tear up crates. Could we get something on 
> the Keeper Page about how to re-train a dog who has 
> learned to crate scream?

Sure! How about in this reply? <G>

> Or something else these folks can use besides and e-collar 
> in a crate? Yes, that was suggested here

GACK! Why invest in a shock collar when you can get the job done for  
less than $10 invested in treats?

So, here's how to do it:

Prerequisites (helpful but not absolutely necessary): a dog that  
knows Leave it and the crate door bungee'd open so that it can't  
accidentally swing shut.

Step One: shape the dog into going into the crate voluntarily. Many  
dogs will run right in, even crate screamers. For dogs that have had  
seriously aversive experiences with the crate, they will have to be  
shaped with a clicker to approach, then to slowly put more and more  
of their body into the crate. When doing this, deliver the treats so  
that the dog turns *away* from the crate in order to get the treat.  
Do not throw treats into the crate so that the dog has to enter to  
get them.

Step Two: sit down right in front of or next to the crate. Get  
comfortable! When the dog is in the crate, you're going to shower the  
dog with treats (no clicker necessary) often enough to keep the dog  
in the crate. That means that, if possible, it's better to deliver  
the treats so they fall towards the back of the crate.

If the dog leaves the crate, just get up, walk the dog down without  
saying a word, gently lead them back to the crate and gently urge  
them into it. No scolding, yelling, nothing like that. The choice for  
the dog should be clear: stay in crate with a constant stream of  
cookies from heaven or leave the crate for... nothing.

When you are done with that training session, leave the dog outside  
the crate, close the crate door and then *ignore* that dog for 15  
minutes or so.

Step Three: with the dog in the crate, start out with cookie showers.  
Mentally count off the time to yourself so you get an idea of how  
long the dog stays in the crate without appearing to have any  
intention of leaving. Then bounce randomly around that number in your  
cookie delivery. For instance, if your dog shows signs of wanting to  
leave the crate if there are 6 or more seconds between treats, then  
your number is 5. Count off the numbers to yourself and treat  
randomly from 1 to 5 numbers. It might look like 2, 2, 3, 1, 2, 4, 2,  
1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 5, etc.

Over many sessions, the number you can bounce around will slowly  
increase. When you can bounce around 15 or so, go on to the next  
step. Remember! When the training session is over, ignore the dog for  
about 15 minutes afterwards. You want your dog to think that being  
crated is really a special, wonderful thing.

Step Four: you're going to start physically moving your chair away  
from the crate, so back down on the number you bounce around. Since  
you're bouncing around 15, back down to bouncing around a count of  
10. Move your chair just a foot at a time.

Alternate Step Three and Step Four--either work on increasing the  
amount of time between treats or work on increasing your distance  
from the crate but not both in the same training session.

Sooner than you might expect, you will barely be able to budge your  
dog from the crate!

If screaming in public is a problem, get your dog to the point where  
you can be out of the room for a few minutes. Then do a training set  
up where you have a big container of treats on top of the crate and  
you have people walk by, ignore your dog and toss a treat into the  
crate. If your dog leaves the crate, the person signals you and *you*  
walk your dog down then return him to the crate. All your dog gets  
from other people is treats.

If your dog reacts to other dogs when in the crate, then once your  
dog is great with other people tossing treats into the crate, do  
another training set up with other people and dogs. This time you sit  
right next to your crate and toss in treats. Other people walk their  
dogs by the crate at enough of a distance so your dog sees the other  
dog but doesn't react. Over time, the other person and dog work up to  
the point where the other person can take a treat out of the  
container on top of the crate and toss the treat in.

M. Shirley Chong
http://www.shirleychong.com
Grinnell Iowa USA