How long to leave dog crying in crate

[ConsternationStation]

I'm trying to teach our 6mo Cocker spaniel to be alone. I spend a lot of time walking, training and playing with her then leave her to her own devices for a little bit then pop her in the crate, act like I'm leaving, lock the front door and sit on the front step. After two minutes I can hear her crying and as soon as she hears me open the front door she stops.

How long should I leave her to cry in the crate? I currently leave her an extra minute or two before returning but I don't know if this is making it better or worse. Obviously I'm not going to leave her for 30 minutes crying solidly.

I agree. Crates are cruel. It’s a cage.

I wouldn’t use a crate at all if the dog was crying and doesn’t like it. We use one for sleeping at night as our house is open plan and we let the cat downstairs in the night but they’re never forced to go in there when we go out or anything like that.

Ours love their crate and we’ve had zero problems with them using it.

Haven’t RTF but I do think it’s worth persisting with crate training. It is very helpful if staying in a holiday home or with relatives to be able to ensure someone else’s house remains undamaged.

They are fine when used correctly. Ours is open all day and they go in if they want to. Currently, one has gone in to snooze after his walk, the other is asleep on the sofa.

They sleep in it overnight because when we say ‘bedtime’, they both just get up and go into it. They’d be absolutely fine on the sofa but they want to go in there. Plus, it means the cat can have the run of the place overnight. They’re never locked in during the day.

It is useful to have them crate trained for injuries/operations. We’ve used it for both. But anything more than this I don’t agree with.

Our neighbour has had a behaviourist for her dog for whatever reason. Turns out, they’ve been locking their Spaniel in the crate all day every day while they work. And they never walk him either. Disgusting behaviour.

Useful for injuries or ops too! Our Whippet tore a ligament so was on crate rest. Thankfully he wasn’t a bit bothered since sleeping is favourite hobby. We obviously let him out regularly and in the evenings he would sleep on the sofa but we have a young dog too and she’s nuts so they run around the house playing. If we hadn’t had the crate, it would never have healed.

Emotionally safe not physically.
HTH

Google the flitting game. It’s a good way to get dogs used to being left for short times and you can then build it up.

Have you tried a petcam?

Most petcams come with 2 way voice so you can speak to your pet through the camera. It may reassure them that you are still there or close by.

I have found it works wonders for some dogs.

Totally agree.

We had a golden retriever and he only had an op because he was crate trained

Same with a friend of ours. Vet said "I'm glad your dog is crate trained else we wouldn't operate or would have to consider putting her down"

I have been working with a trainer who told me to tap the top of the crate if he's fussing. Worked after the second time. He loves his crate now and happily snoozes in it of his own accord

I wouldn’t do flitting with a spaniel - it’ll probably make them more anxious. Bar maybe a Great Dane or something, dogs are more stubborn than you. You won’t out-flit them!

You’ve got to start off really slow, like literally 30’seconds, come back treat, repeat! Then gradually increase it to minutes and further. My gosh, my little spaniel wouldn’t have me the opposite side of the couch as a puppy!! It was hard work but at almost 9 now she doesn’t bat an eyelash when I leave! X

You don't!

I’m afraid to say I never managed to crate train our cocker, followed all the instructions but she just hated it! She is happy to be left alone, achieved very gently once she seemed developmentally ready (judged by once she started going and laying in another room of her own accord). I would give big kong full of peanut butter/treats when I left to distract her and she would have access to a safe room.

Fully agree. Call it what it is; a cage.

im not having a go but same age and mine can be left for 4 hours. Could leave for more but i do not, and this isnt regular as well!

I think we baby dogs too much, we need to leave them quicker and use kongs/safe bones/music on etc
Mine were left on day 1 (with a camera on). Absolutely fine, very clingy too when working (they are working dogs). But confident and happy to be left. I adore my dogs, but I need a life that do not entirely evolve around dogs not able to be left!

Another vote for Julie Naismith. Gave me a step by step to follow. Could you trust her without the crate? Some dogs do better not confined. My 2 were just about ready for no crate at 6 months. One was a gsd the other a lab.

im not having a go but same age and mine can be left for 4 hours. Could leave for more but i do not, and this isnt regular as well!

Dogs are individuals, many will be fine for 4 hours at that age, some won't until they're older, some will never be fine for 4 hours.

So many people say, well I left mine when they were little and they were fine have obviously got dogs with no separation anxiety. Some dogs wee, poo, chew, through doors, injure themselves when let and it's far more likely to be because they've not been ready to be left rather than the insinuation that it's because they haven't been left when they're young enough.

Sorry this might have been covered already, but you’re supposed to start them in the crate with you still visible in the room is my understanding.

So first of all, chuck a treat in, leave door open, she goes in then comes out. Keep doing that until she’s happy to go in on command for a treat.

Then maybe give her something more long lasting in there - a chew, or feed her breakfast in there (door open).

Then you can start closing the door for short periods. Then you can leave the room for a minute, but come back before she starts crying. Then you keep building up from there.

It does sound like she might have separation anxiety which would need dealing with separately to crate training.

Mine is almost two and still gets a reward every time he goes in, you need to basically condition them into thinking good things happen in the crate if that makes sense. Although now mine goes and sits in there when he’s feeling a bit hungry and sits there looking hopeful 😂

Nice for you. Dogs are different, and there’s just him and me at home so he’s very attached. He’ll be ready when he’s ready.

Aren’t babies and toddlers put into travel cots/playpens to keep them safe from harm or wrecking the house when you’re doing things? Crates are to keep the dog safe and your home free from chaos when you aren’t sat watching them! They’re to prevent bad things happening, just the same as travel cots/playpens are for babies/toddlers!

Never crated our dogs - as puppies - just kept them in a closed safe space - kitchen - all fine - don't agree with crating i am afraid

He’ll never be ready because you haven’t prepared him for it. He’s not just going to one day think oh my owners gone for longer than a few minutes but I’m not bothered, 5/10+ years down the line he’ll be the exact same, he’s a dog, he needs training and preparation just like kids do, how can you just expect him to be “ready when he’s ready” if you haven’t shown him 😂

We first tried to leave our pup for a short time when she was 3 months ish and she wasn't happy. We didn't try again until she was 10 months and then we left her for 2 hours with no issues. We'd done no specific training in that time, just let her grow up, observed that she was now happy to spend time away from us in other rooms and was just generally very relaxed in our house.

We've had a number of dogs. Have never needed to put any of them in a cage.

They have all found their preferred places in the house, and not been destructive.

Current DDog likes to collect my slipper if I go out. She doesn't chew it, just curls up with it in my bed. It seems to provide enough comfort.