Crate Training my doberman

[dobman]

just want to know everyones views on crate training with dobermans. do they handle it well?

[Rich S]

Depends on the dog and more importantly, the owner. Consistency is the key. If a dog is trained properly, their crate will become a place they are comfortable with.

[BlastFromthePast]

Are you wanting him to stay in the crate at night? Or while you're at work during the day?

Personally I think night time would be the easiest time to train a doberman to the crate. Put his bed in there, put him in at bedtime, and then don't let him out until morning even if he does bark. Like Rich said, consistency is key. If you let him out when he's barking, he'll learn to just keep barking.

Also, make sure you get a crate that's plenty big enough for his size.

[FancyFace]

I think it's very important to train every dog, no matter what breed, to stay calmly in a crate. Even if you don't normally take your dog in the car, you never know when an emergency will occur and you will need the dog to ride in the car. It's never safe to have them ride unrestrained, so they need to be accustomed to the crate before an emergency happens. To train them, make the crate a pleasant place, adding bedding and a couple toys. You might keep small dishes of food and water as well. Never use the crate as a way to punish your dog as this will cause a negative association for them.

[sally]

You will be really amazed when you watch the tricks performed by this doberman in this video which is below,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epdKjIMeCwQ
To teach some new tricks to your dog, watch this website's below
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3231305/Dog-Training-Teach-your-dog-new-tricks
http://dogtricks101.com/easy-dog-tricks/

[roses]

It is a common misconception that crate training puppies is a cruel practice. This is not true as long as the dog has adequate exercise and a chance to go outside before placing him/her in the crate. So go on train your dog. Accompany your dog for the walk, it will make you healthier too. Health is wealth.

[Kenny R]

It is a common misconception that crate training puppies is a cruel practice. This is not true as long as the dog has adequate exercise and a chance to go outside before placing him/her in the crate. So go on train your dog. Accompany your dog for the walk, it will make you healthier too. Health is wealth.

Very true. Some people use the crate was too much.

[Rich S]

Some people treat their dog like a toy, when their done with it, they put it in the crate. What's the point of having a dog if you can't treat him like a family member?

[jelly8bean]

My two dobies are both rescues and were "crate trained". I supplemented it by giving them treats when they are in the crate. These are mostly house dogs and are only in at night typically. But recently I have had a dog training issue and everyone has to have some alone time with me and relief from each other and the crate has been the best. All three of mine have taken naps in their crates and generally feel comfortable. I also feel if I ever have to evacuate for some reason (we do get hurricanes/ice storms etc) I can always take the crates and the dogs with me.

[sally]

"Hi, I bought the online book Sit Stay Fetch, because I have a big Guardian dog, and she was very aggressive to strangers in our house. I knew she could be trained because her mother was not aggressive. I got several good tips from the book as well as a personal email on how to correct her behaviour.



It worked and she is now much much better. I am very pleased and satisfied I bought the book. Thanks a bunch Daniel for doing what you do."

[tomc]

Hi Daniel, It is with great pleasure that I am writing this for SitStayFetch.net. SitStayFetch Training was great! We have a crossed breed Poodle/Terrier and training him is extremely important to us since we live in high rise apartment. SitStayFetch's training methods are positive and very proactive.



Sumo, our pup, is doing great! At only 5 months old he sits, lies down, heals, stays, and even comes most of the time. We can not expect too much at his age but he is getting better everyday. SitStayFetch continues to provide support through email which we feel is a priceless resource."

[tomc]

You must take him to obedience training classes *yourself.* Don't look for an expensive trainer, but rather talk to your vet, or even better, the local office of the RSPCA; they often offer free or low-priced classes, or know where you can go for some. It's always best to train any dog yourself but esp. Dobeys because then they learn to respect and obey *you*, not someone else. And doing it in a group is better because your dog gets socialized at the same time. (Not to mention it's more fun for you.)
Meanwhile, look for Barbara Woodhouse's "Training Your Dog" or "Dog Training My Way", probably at the library or a bookshop. Her method works, I've used it myself for years with great success. I've trained lots of dogs, and even great big old Dobeys. They're sweet and softhearted but very strong and willfull. Remember a Dobe is just a big old terrier! So they have the energy and stubbornness of the terrier breeds.
Best of luck, and don't forget to have your dog neutered if you aren't going to be breeding purebreds. This not only calms them down it stops them weeing all over the place, and cuts down on the numbers of unhomed puppies.

[Rich S]

Great post tomc, lots of great info and advice.

[apollo]

We started crate training Apollo from day one and for the first couple of nights he whinnied and cried but he accepted it and did great so we started leaving the crate door open and then after a while took his bed from the crate and put it at the bottom of the bed on the floor that's were he sleeps now then I started leaving the bedroom door open at night and he doesn't move from his bed.

[Tombo]

Very good postage. Keep up this great info :)

[Kimbertalkls]

I also believe in crate training. A crate will protect the house from the puppy and the puppy from the house. The pup will not chew through an electical cord or eat a poisonous plant while in his crate. I recommend an airline type crate so nothing gets dragged in through the bars or spilled out through them either.
The crate should also be his space. My dogs eat in their crates, have their toys in their crate and that is their space. I have never had a food fight or a dog snap at one of my six kids because when the kids get to be too much my dogs will go to their crates and my kids know they will deal with me if they bother the dogs there. I told them it is like you going to your room to get away from your brother and they understand that. When we have company the dogs will go lay in the crate if it gets too loud.
I also travel with their crates as a lot of hotels will accept a pet if it is crated when you are out of the room. And I remember a terrible accident on Rt 209 in the Poconos where a professional handler's RV went off an embankment and the only dog killed was her own that was not crated. Crates, if strapped down act like a carseat. Anne

[DynamicDuo]

Both my dogs are in their crates right now resting. They have free roam of the house most of the time and they know that their crate is theirs! My puppy will sleep during the day in her crate although Samantha will take up the whole sofa if you leave the living room unattended. I ALWAYS crate the pup (7mos) when I leave. I don't trust her yet. Samantha is 2 and I can leave her out and she'll never touch a thing. I like that if I'm gone and someone goes by my house or stops, a 95 lb Doberman is looking out the living room window at them. I call her my silent deterrent/alarm and it gives me peace of mind.

[MLR]

I like the crates also. When each of my two dobes were puppys I used a large cat carrier instead of the crate for their first few weeks; until midway through the ear cropping process. When I got my first dobe he came with a crate big enough for his eventual adult size. My son bought this for him as he was originally his dog until allergies forced him to 'give' him to me several weeks after he bought him. Hercules would whine all night in the big crate at my son's house. Well I took one look at this little 8 week old fellow and thought this crate's too big for him right now.

I sometimes foster kittens who have lost their mother's and I try to mimic what the mother cat does by crating them in a covered cat carrier until feeding time every 4 hours around the clock until they are about 6 weeks old. This makes them feel very safe and secure. I thought about Hercules being so little and being away from his litter mates and I just got out the big cat carrier and a soft blanket and a stuffed animal. I put him in there the first night, gave him treat and covered the carrier with a blanket and he went right to sleep and stayed there until early the next morning. I left the carrier in the living room where I was and left the TV on all night. (My son couldn't get over this.)

After his ears were done and he started to outgrow the cat carrier I put him back into his big crate but I continued to cover the crate with a comforter to make it cave like for him. I did it this way with my second dobe too. They both have their own crates in my bedroom now on opposite sides of the room. I have a TV in there, too, and usually fall asleep with it on every night.

I, also, give them Marrow Bone dog treats each time they go into their crates. That is the only time they get this treat. But they will go into their crates without the treat if I'm temporairily out of them.

Because I started with the 'cat' method, they both take naps for about 3 hours in the afternoon in their crates and at 10:00pm they both start to look at me like 'aren't you forgetting to put us to bed mom'. They want to go to sleep and they want to be in their crates to do that.

I never use their crates any other times but naps and night time.

[lab1dobie]

All our dogs have been crate trained and they actually like the refuge it provides when they want to get away from pesky brothers/sisters, kids, or even mom and dad. Our new dobe sleeps in her crate at night and all you have to do is call her and say "it's time for nite-nite and in she goes on her own. She gets a treat and expects a treat for it but she settles down and goes right to sleep.