Did you crate train your second dog?

[petitdonkey]

We have a 5 year old lab x and are now going to get a chihuahua (not a breed I actively sought out but a friend's dog has a litter and she only wants them to go to people she knows- it feels right)

So, when I got DDog I crate trained him then moved on to leaving him in the utility room if we went out or for bed then on to free range in the kitchen when we are out and overnight. If I crate the new pup in the kitchen will it be upsetting for both of them if she cries? Would you crate her in a different area?

Trying to read up online about introducing a second dog but I know, from my first time experience, that this is the best place for advice!

I fully intended to, the idea they would both sleep together downstairs. Puppy goes into crate, cries, yorkie gets upset and starts crying too! I ended up with both of them in the bedroom, pup in crate, yorkie on the bed, simply to get some sleep. After a few months it all settled down, the puppy matured a bit, and they were happy to sleep together anywhere without crying. It's just a matter of finding what works for you. The jrt hated the crate, and as he housetrained quickly it was only in use for a few months. There was 2 years age difference between the dogs.

Crate training shouldn't really involve the puppy crying at all as the goal is to get them used to the crate without any distress they may end up associating with being in there. This guide to crate training is well worth a read, it sounds like it will take ages but with a young puppy you do get through the early stages very quickly indeed.

As with any pup I'd start with the Chi in their crate in your room whilst they're small and still needing toilet trips during the night and then once they're a bit older, more settled and holding their bladder through the night gradually move them to where you want them to sleep long term.

Make sure you don't get the Chihuahua pup before twelve weeks of age. Although eight weeks is the norm for most breeds, twelve is preferable for the really tiny toy breeds as their extremely small size means they actually develop slower than 'normal' sized breeds.

I crated second pup. Partly to give original dog a break from a puppy! Didn't use it for as long though, until she was about 6 months I think.

Thank you for the advice - cornflake - she will be 11 weeks, do you think that is too early?

With our first dog we put the crate in the kitchen from day one... maybe I need to rethink that?? He was fine in it and, as our children were much younger, used it as a retreat...

trying to read as much as I can but, as you all know, there is so much conflicting information...

I crate trained our puppy and she soon learned that meant she was to rest. It was essential to give our older dog a break from the annoying puppy too! She is now 19 months and still goes into the crate if she needs to settle down because she is too much for our older dog, needs a break from DD(4) or we have visitors. The crate is in the living room.

Yes, to give the older dog a break and because the puppy would eat the bigger dogs food if we didn't.

I crate trained lurcher pup as otherwise he got too worked up and wouldn't leave my older mutt alone. The second the crate door closed he would be asleep!

More great advice - thank you. It's good to have the perspective that the crate will be as much for the benefit of DDog as the pup. Maybe I need to put the crate in a different room from our existing dog?

Am going to have to buy a new crate for pup as our original crate is out on loan (and would be WAY too big) - do I really get a teeny tiny one for a chihuahua (just learn to spell it!!)?? Or would you advise a playpen type set up??

I'm not with our second JRT-she is 12 weeks now and a year between her and the older one.
The crate is still in the kitchen, door open but she sleeps in her basket and the older dog has chosen to sleep on one of the kitchen chairs...( he also has a basket but doesn't go In it much)but they seem happy enough so I've left them to it...
(Maybe not actually as there was a big protest wee done by the big dog I assume this Morning which he hasn't done in a while.But we are moving house on Thursday so they are both acting like crazy's due to all the packing so may also be due to that).

I am researching crates - it's going to have to be tiny!! Feel like I have forgotten everything I learnt first time around!

We have a tiny chihuahua pup. He's in an extra small PAH crate with 2 doors. He also needs a cats harness because all the XXS puppy ones are miles too big.

He's our first though so can't help with the second pup questions.

titsalina - that is really useful info about the crate, thank you. How old was your pup when you got him? How has it been?

We have a chihuahua who's now eleven months and we brought him home at four months. We only have the one so can't comment about having two dogs but regarding size, I thought at around five months he wouldn't have much more growing but was wrong. He's now a hefty 4.5kg! We got the smallest crate from Argos and it's a brilliant size. He can still stretch out to sleep and has loads of head room. They're such a brilliant breed too, really cheeky and friendly. He has a cat carrier to travel in the car which he loves too, but is definitely a bit small now. Are you getting a smooth or long haired one? No one believes ours is a pure breed as he seems so much larger than most chis you see. Really hoping to get another one soon.

Re: age if you look on the breed clubs ethics you'll see that it states a Chihuahua puppy should never leave mom and siblings before 12weeks old. I think the fact the breed club so a club focused solely on the breed, it's breeding and ongoing welfare, say that in their ethics, which all club members are supposed to abide by, shows its importance.

We got ours at 12 weeks, he's lovely! He's very playful and you have to get used to every person you see wanting to pick him up and cuddle him so walks take forever! Plus he's scared of everything.