him/her? Shelter is telling me to 'crate' train. It seems cruel but makes sense. I will be gone for 8 hours a day (at work) and I live in a condo. Please don't lecture me about this...I thought long and hard about this and think it's better to resuce the dog and give him/her a home rather than euthanasia. I'm looking for advice from previous owners that was effective.
Thanks!
emma
06-20-2007, 08:16 PM
Crate training is an excellent way to house train your new dog, and dogs actually like it! Dogs retain that ancestral instinct to "den up' -- make a cozy nest in a confined place. It makes them feel secure, and your dog will very shortly consider his or her crate his personal den. You can reinforce your dog's attachment to his den by respecting it as your dog's sanctuary. Don't ever drag your dog out of his crate to punish him. If he's been bad, and runs into his crate (which he certainly will because that's where he feels safe), just let him be. Don't yell at him in there, and don't remove him. Allow him to be safe in his den.
One word of caution on using a crate to house train. Be sure to buy a crate of an appropriate size for your dog -- not the biggest one you can find! A crate with a removable partition to section your dog into a smaller area at first (especially if he's young and growing) is excellent. The reason for this is that dogs will actively resist soiling their own bedding. If your dog can move far enough away from the bedding to relieve himself, and then not have to lie in his waste, he may very well pass urine or move his bowels in his crate. So match the size of the crate to the dog for best success.
I commend you on your choice of a shelter dog! Best of luck to you!