Crate training 10 week old golden retriever

[Jennysbean]

Hi, just looking for some advice for dummies style answers in terms of crate training. Our lovely pup is good in crate so far in that she whines for about 5 mins and then settles so she doesn't hate it but I just want to get an idea of how long to keep her in there during the day and then when to come out and how long for. I keep reading conflicting advice. Is about 1.5 to 2 hrs then out for pee/play for 45-60 mins about right for this age.?
This is our first dog, she's amazing......but she has been peeing on the floor in first few days of having her so I am hoping to nip in bud now
Thanks in advance

Why is she being locked in the crate while you are there? Please don't use the crate as a toilet training prop. If you are around, leave the crate door open, so she can come and go at will and sees it as her comfy place, rather than somewhere she is being locked away in.
Toilet training her will be simpler too, just take her out after every meal, playtime, snooze, praise lavishly and she will soon learn.

I am not a crate hater, I have one that we use occasionally, but pups need company and play and lessons in life, so please keep her around you and let her choose to go to her crate for a kip

Take your pup outside every 30 minutes for him to go to the toilet. When he does it outside give him loads of praise or a small treat. It seems like loads of work, but it's worth it , honestly! If he has an accident inside , don't make a fuss & just clean it up. I've done this with my 19 week old pup & he's house trained. Like the OP says , don't lock him in the cage when you're at home it's not fair on him. I used a puppy pad on one side of the cage & had his bed on the other & he did use the pad on the odd time he couldn't wait any longer.

Oops just noticed your pup is female!

She is peeing on the floor because she is a puppy - it's not something you can 'nip in the bud'. You need to teach her where to pee, while recognising that she has a small bladder and not masses of muscle control.

She shouldn't be shut in the crate during the day if you're there. That's caging her. Why are you asking how long to keep her in there and how long to let her out to play?

My pup is 13 weeks now and, when I'm home, is only crated briefly when I'm doing something which means I can't keep an eye on him, like showering, vacuuming or eating dinner. He's in there at the minute with his breakfast while I make packed lunches and bits, but will be taken straight outside as soon as he's finished as he always needs to poo after eating.

You have to make sure they are taken outside after eating or drinking, after playing, upon waking up and every half hour or so in between until you start to learn their cues and their bladders are more developed.

I suspect the OP is following the advice given by Ian Dunbar to use the crate as a toilet training tool - it didn't seem right to me as although dpup's crate is very useful, keeping him locked up when we were all at home seemed to be wasting all kinds of opportunities to learn about the world

The best toilet training advice I've come across is on the Facebook group Dog Training Advice and Support - lots of other fantastic resources on there too

Please please please dont shut her in the crate while you are there, she needs to learn and interact with you.
Dont want to come across as harsh, but did you do any research before you chose a golden retriever?
They are highly social dogs, and live for company.
She needs to be with you.
Why anyone thinks that a puppy needs to be in a cage for hours at a time is beyond my comprehension.

Hi there,

I hope you are getting on ok. I have also just got a new puppy 4 weeks old and have spent hours looking at info on the web re crate training and potty training. Below are some links to articles from a site I found useful so thought I would forward them on!

Good luck with it all and I hope it goes well

Puppy Training Pads For Your Golden Retriever Puppy

www.trainmyhound.com/?p=467

www.trainmyhound.com/how-to-crate-train-a-german-shepherd/

www.trainmyhound.com/experts-guide-to-puppy-training-kindle/

At this age you can bell train too, get a 'hotel' bell and stick by the door. Whenever you go out for a wee get her paw and ring the bell with it. Soon enough she'll make the connection and ring it when she wants to go out. Genius

You don't potty train dogs ,you house train them ! I'm a great believer in having a word to associate with the action but can't imagine anyone standing outside saying 'go potty' to a dog . I know crates are very popular but here again is the potential for misuse that arises with them becoming a 'necessity 'when buying a puppy . There have been some good house training threads on here OP if you do a search they will come up.

4 weeks old = why on earth have you got a puppy that young??

Puppies still need to be with their mothers at 4 weeks!

So you have a Goldie? Welcome to the fur-covered club!

If you are struggling with toilet training, here is part of an article from "dog training advice and support" face book page - look up the rest of it, there is lots of helpful advice.

Toilet training is all about creating good habits. Young pups have very small bladders and very little bladder control so they need to be in the right place when nature calls.

To toilet train successfully in as short a time as possible you must take your puppy to the garden:

?When they wake
?After eating
?After taking a drink
?Before, during and after a period of activity
?When you come in
?Before you go out
?Before bedtime
?During the adverts

?And every twenty to thirty minutes in between unless they are asleep. During periods of activity change that to every ten to twenty minutes.

Stay outside with your pup. Do not nag or distract him just mooch about and he will do the same and eventually eliminate. Quiet praise is sufficient. Once pup has eliminated you can either stay out and play or go back indoors. If you stay out for a game then he will often need to go again before you go back indoors so stop the game and stay out for a while longer to give him a chance to go again.

If you have to take him back in and he hasn’t eliminated outside then either confine him to his crate, sit him on your lap or tuck him under your arm (small breeds only) as you go about your chores and try again in five minutes.

It is imperative that you do this, especially if you have started off with newspaper down or puppy pads because your puppy may prefer to pee indoors and he could simply be waiting to be taken back in. Give him zero opportunity to go wrong.

If your puppy toilets in the house it is because you haven’t toilet trained him yet and didn’t take him outside when he needed to go. When this happens take a rolled up newspaper and hit yourself over the head whilst repeating the words “I forgot to watch my puppy. I forgot to watch my puppy” If your puppy laughs at you when you do this – praise him.

As for crate training - well I have had Goldens for 30 years and never used a crate. I know a lot of people like them, but I don't. It is far to easy to see them as a sort of "toy box" where you shut your pup when you don't want to play with it...The only time I would use one is as a dog bed with a roof, lots of dogs like a "cave" to snooze in.
Worried your pup will chew, race about and be a pest? Well yes it will, you have to train them not to...

Goldies are very sociable dogs: they are happiest when with their people and learn quickly which behaviour gets them attention and fuss.
I have used a baby gate to keep a pup in the same room or to prevent "escapes" but most of the time my dogs are with me...at the moment Millie [age 11] is asleep next to me while I am "working" and Jessie [age 1] is snoozing in the garden in the shade though she will potter in and out. They have had their morning walk, and will be going for another woodland walk later.

I take both mine to dog class every week - they both love it [not sure that Millie is actually learning anything new!] and I am learning as much as they are. Is there a class/dog club near you? Have a look and join.

Oh, and keep posting, with photos of pup!