What do you think, can a dog crate train herself? I asked this on my Facebook page a while back and some people did believe if a dog could do it, I would be that dog. Sit back and enjoy learning how I achieved this goal all on my own.
As a puppy, there was a huge crate in the house for me to be in once and a while if Mom was gone, but was rarely in it. My first real crate experience came along with my first nose work class when I was seven years old. Dogs are always crated during class, so there I was, suddenly in this crate. Bailie was crate trained as a pup, so she was used to it, and even brought her own crate and blanket along to class.
Last fall when we attended the sniffover up north, the rules were that dogs had to be in crates if left alone in the cabins. I didn’t have a crate, so Mom ordered me one. It arrived, she assembled it, and I proceeded to go in and sit down. Mom doesn’t like crates, so the doors are typically closed, but at first it was open.
Bailie used my crate sometimes when Mom was gone because it has more space than hers does. There was a blanket in the bottom of it to make Bailie more comfortable. One day, Mom forgot to close the door and after a period of time she realized I was MIA. She found me, in the kennel.
Mom is not really stupid, so she realized I might actually like my crate. She got a real cushy bed, put it into the kennel, and left the door open. Guess what she found a while later? Yep, there I was having my afternoon nap in my crate.
If a dog is going to crate train herself, she has to repeat the behavior until it becomes a habit, so I started napping more and more in my crate. I find it quite cozy and it is in the back office where it is real quiet too.
One evening I was so sound asleep in my crate I didn’t even wake up when she turned on the lights and took this photo. She won’t let me spend the night in my crate, though. She says I need to be in bed by her.
Sometimes Bailie and I are both in our crates hanging out. Mom can close the doors and we don’t mind at all. To answer the question, can a dog crate train herself, the answer is, yes. The problem is to train the mom to not mind the dog being in the crate. Mom still dislikes crates and doesn’t like me sleeping in mine when I don’t need to, but she lets me do it. Do you have a dog who has crate trained herself, or do you think your dog could do it?
Today Iβm joining the Barks and Bytes Blog Hop hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like a Dog! Join up and share in the fun, or just visit a few new blogs!
you are a clever girl…..and we are happy you like your little down time in them ……we must admit Mom doesn’t like crates …when she worked as a vet tech she saw a lot of pups coming in who had trapped their feet in them, lacerated their mouths chewing on the bars or cut themselves on a sharp edge. They are good for travelling but the thought of leaving a dog in one for 8 hours a day while the peeps go off to work makes Mom shudder.
Mom is not a crate fan at all, but since we like ours, she is leaving them up in the back room for us if we want to be in them. Babygates are more her choice.
Ruby has never liked her crate, but her feline sister, Rosie, loves it! Go figure!
Bailie has always loved hers, and I never had one. Now I guess I really love mine too.
I totally disliked my crate and after a while the staff gave it up. They then planned to use the crate for the car…. butt if lion cage meets elephant skate it ends in a disaster…. my momma said it is probably not allowed to drive a car with an open tailgate LOL
We just have our seat belts in the car. Crates are so cumbersome to haul around.
Loved the pictures, and I loved your cushy bed. I have a crate in the house but I do not like it…and do not use it. I do have a soft-sided crate the mom can put in her car and take with us should I need a kennel. XOXO Sparkle
Bailie had a soft sided crate as a young puppy for a very short time. Mom thought it would be great when we visited other people and had to leave. For a test, she put Bailie in it and went shopping with Gramma. When they came back a couple hours later, Bailie met them at the door! Yep, she chewed her way out in no time flat and was on the loose. She peed in the living room, but that was the only thing that happened. Crate went in the trash.
Great job Emma and Bailie! My Yorkies crate trained themselves the same way. I leave the crates open with comfy beds. My primary interest in them being comfortable with crating is for vet visits that require staying for the day, and maybe an emergency.
I had to be in mine on the airplane, but that was it until nose work class started. I never fought it at nose work. Now I really enjoy my crate and since we each have one it works fine to leave them up.
I’ve often wondered if Torrey would do the same thing if i got a crate. She is always in the dark corner of the RV. We call it her cave.
She probably would if you put it in a spot where she likes to be. Mom still can’t believe how much time I like to spend in mine.
I am the dog that un-crate trained herself! Before Taffy came to live with us she had to spend the night in her crate and would always go to it during the day. Don’t think she misses it at all! Love Dolly
Bailie has always loved hers, but Mom didn’t have it around. Now we both enjoy our crates and hang out there a lot for quiet napping all on our own. Mom is not thrilled but figures why not if it is what we want to do.
I think some pups really love the cozy/safe feeling of the crate. We threw blankets over Eko’s crate and it was his little dark, comfy haven.
We like our crates open or covered, no real preference.
Tilda wuvs her crate and when Ginger was still wif us she was crate trained but rarely went in hers as she got older. Now fur me Mom don’t nose cause she has never put me in a crate…I think I won’t give her any ideas π BOL
xoxo,
Matt
We dogs love our crates, but Mom doesn’t like them so much.
Around here we just assume the dogs can, and will, train themselves to do anything they want to do. Usually that means useful things like getting into a medicine cabinet, breaking into the trash cabinet, and opening the refrigerator. So I’m pretty sure a dog can crate train itself, but it won’t be happening in my house anytime soon.
Self crate training may come with age and maturity for some of us dogs.
If anyone can do it I was certain you could
My mom is still amazed I am so into being in my crate.
Jack’s crate, with a blanket over it is like a cave. It’s one of Maggie’s favorite spots – she goes in it all the time for a good nap.
I go in every night after dinner for a nice nap.
Ha ha! Yep, I don’t like crates either. And not having them for my first two dogs so they could get some peace from each other was probably one of my biggest mistakes.
It seems like your mom is good at keeping everything comfortable and easy. There’s no reason for you to be scared of the crate so you just wen where you were comfy. Good for you!
Thankfully we have the back room that isn’t used much and it a perfect spot to leave crates set up. I really enjoy being in mine.
I’ve used a crate when I first was adopted from the shelter only because it was there, open & had a nice soft bed inside but I do prefer & have taken over my huMom’s bed. We have several sizes here at my house. My huMom used to work at a shelter & animal hospital & knows the value of keeping us safe when it is necessary. Great post Emma! <3 nose nudges <3
I have various nice beds around the house for napping and hanging out when I want, but I am really enjoying the crate a lot these days.
Your own pupapartment π nose nudges
Yep!
I knew y’all could do it and sometimes we sleep in our carriers but we’re a bit more cautious!
Mom traps our cats in their crates on vet trip days. They are not happy with that game at all!
I love the pictures. In that first one, it looks like a solid stink-eye to me. And I loved this, “Mom is not really stupid”, I’m sorry, but that made me laugh.
My dogs did not train themselves, but our daughter’s cat lived with us for a bit and he trained himself to go into the crate to snooze. I’m a lot like mom, I prefer NOT to have my pets in a crate, but I do see the value in having one that will go into it willingly.
Thanks for joining the blog hop!
Luckily we have that back room out of the way where the crates can be set up and not seen much. Mom figures if we like them so much, leave them up and let us hang out there if we want. My mom really isn’t stupid…well most of the time…she has her moments.
You are a smart one, Emma! If only Luke would crate train himself, or at least let me train him! Cricket could definitely do it. She’s been in and out of the crate I set up for Luke many times, though I have not found her sleeping in it yet. That’s probably just because she prefers to be in front of the wood stove or with us though, and we don’t really spend a lot of time in the room where the crate is. We’ll see what happens in the new house, where it will probably be set up in an area where we hang out more.
They make all those decorative furniture crates these days. Maybe that would be an option. I think I like my crate because it is out of the way in a quiet spot.
Both of the boys are crate trained. Bentley only gets in the one in our car for road trips. He used to stay in his kennel when I was at work and would even open the dog with his nose to go inside. Neither of them mind being inside them. Since Pierre has gained our trust, he rarely uses his indoors either.
Mom says we don’t need them, but now we both like them, so they are made available.
We agree but just don’t lock the door BOL
Lily & Edward
Bailie and I don’t mind much if the door gets shut either. No idea why, but we know Mom will come back and open it again.
You are brave! I see a crate and I go running the other way!!! BOL!!! π
I guess because I never had to be crated I didn’t have my own opinion, and then my first experience was associated with nose work, so I do really like my crate these days.
So do the kitties ever check out the crates?
Our “crates” our probably what my girls think are “THEIR” king and queen sized beds! We also love baby gates…however my Bay-Li looks at baby gates as merely a fun game, and no matter how secure they were, she always met us at our back door when we returned home! If only we had a Vimtag in those days, we still don’t know how she escaped every single time!
We’ve had a baby gate for years and it works wonderfully which is why we never had crates, but now we have both. None of us ever tried to escape from behind a baby gate.
Way to go, what a comfy safe place.
I’m really enjoying my new found life with my own kennel.
All the Boys loved their crates. I kept it in our bedroom, they too had comfy, fluffy pillows and it was a happy place for them. Often they would go in on their own for a nap or just private time.
I guess better late than never. Now that I have my own and have discovered how nice it is, I am using it a lot.
You really did crate train yourself and I bet that big bed did not hurt either…lol. Thanks so much for joining the hop!
I did crate train myself and the big fluffy bed was my big reward. So nice and snuggly for me.
BOL! I think the problem always lies with the human, like you said! It is more trying to train the humans to be ok with the dogs being in the crates lol. Interesting read, this was cool!
α¦ husky hugz α¦ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Thanks. I’m still working with Mom so she will let me hang out there a bit more, but she doesn’t like it.
Ducky willingly goes in her crate at bedtime, and when we humans have to be away from the house. The rest of the time, she has the same privileges as Shadow. (Unless she gets snarky with Shadow – then she loses the most appropriate privileges.)
I like mine a lot of different times. I don’t have to go in it, I just like it there these days, now that I have a crate.