Hi! Welcome.
I have a dog who is well crate trained. And let me tell you - it has been a life saver. Ludo is in his crate at night (it is where he sleeps) and anytime I am not home with him. Why? Because he is a pillow and book stealer. No amount of training has stopped this and so he is now crated when he cannot be supervised.
The key to a good crate is this: your dog must be able to stand up, turn around and lay down fully without hitting the crate. Mine of course had to be an XL because my dog is 90lbs (I can fit in the freaking thing!) yours will be much smaller. You don't want a crate that is too big because then your dog may just eliminate in the corner. Get one that is just the right size. Just big enough with a touch extra room for a few toys.
She may really hate the crate at first. I warded this off by feed Ludo in his crate. Whenever he went in on his own, he got a treat. Both meals were fed while in the crate. I started with the door open and eventually would feed him with the door shut and latched. He now goes into his crate whenever he is stressed and he can remain in it calmly and securely for hours.
It is not mean to crate a dog. It is mean to do nothing to help a dog become better behaved. It sounds like you really want to help your dog meet the house standards. That is a great start. With the right attitude, you can do wonders and you and your dog will have a long, wonderful relationship.
I have a dog who is well crate trained. And let me tell you - it has been a life saver. Ludo is in his crate at night (it is where he sleeps) and anytime I am not home with him. Why? Because he is a pillow and book stealer. No amount of training has stopped this and so he is now crated when he cannot be supervised.
The key to a good crate is this: your dog must be able to stand up, turn around and lay down fully without hitting the crate. Mine of course had to be an XL because my dog is 90lbs (I can fit in the freaking thing!) yours will be much smaller. You don't want a crate that is too big because then your dog may just eliminate in the corner. Get one that is just the right size. Just big enough with a touch extra room for a few toys.
She may really hate the crate at first. I warded this off by feed Ludo in his crate. Whenever he went in on his own, he got a treat. Both meals were fed while in the crate. I started with the door open and eventually would feed him with the door shut and latched. He now goes into his crate whenever he is stressed and he can remain in it calmly and securely for hours.
It is not mean to crate a dog. It is mean to do nothing to help a dog become better behaved. It sounds like you really want to help your dog meet the house standards. That is a great start. With the right attitude, you can do wonders and you and your dog will have a long, wonderful relationship.
