We just adopted a 9 week old lab puppy, and have been trying to get her used to a crate. We read up and have picked a good size and have been praising her for entering the crate and giving her small sessions in there, placing treats to encourage her entering.
Everyone seems mixed about how to go about doing this method, though. What's your opinion on this process? Do I keep encouraging her to enter with treats, or just keep placing her in there over the course of the day until she's used to it? Or should I do another process altogether? She's been taking naps in there sometimes when I move her in and she's too tired to move, but I'm not sure how helpful that is
>>2093787
>lab puppy
why do white people always get labs
>>2093789
my fiance saw it at the shelter, and we wanted a big dog. We already have a small German spitz, but he was easy as fuck to train and never needed a crate
>>2093789
Labs are basically the perfect dog, senpai.
>>2093789
Because they have damn near perfect personalties, very little aggression and look nice?
>>2093787
This is what worked for our dogs:
Let em run around and play for a little bit and if they haven't peed in a while put them outside and see if they pee. If they don't, give em some water and stick em in the crate for 15 min. Take em out and see if they pee, if they do, praise/treats/playtime, repeat.
Don't make the crate a punishnent, but make pottying outside a rewarding experience. The crate was just a way to control their likelihood of peeing on the floor in between trips outside.
Once the crate is established as their personal space they will avoid pissing and shitting in at all costs. So we put our puppies in the crate at night until they were good enough to hold it throughout the night.
>>2093829
they don't. men who are insecure of their masculinity usually get pits desu
>>2093787
Is that the actual crate in the pic?
In my experience, dogs appreciate more enclosed crates than full wire ones. The enclosed ones have more of a den-like feel to them. You can drape a blanket or tarp over the top and three of the four sides to darken it a bit.
Try coaxing him in using treats, close the door gently, and give him one more treat through the bars if he remains calm with the door closed.
>>2093789
I'm white and I don't like labs, but I get your point
That crate is much too large to produce effective dog-veal. They basically have to be unable to do much more than sway. If you let them move around then the meat doesn't come out white and tender.
>>2093886
every lab ive met is either overweight or hyperactive :\\\\
>>2093789
I'm blacker than the Congo at night time and I've owned two labs. They're prime doggos desu.
>>2093787
You need to put a divider in there to make the space just large enough for her to turn around/stretch her body.
Also, place some blankets on top of the crate and get a better cushion for her to rest on to make the crate more cozy.
Leave the crate open when she's out (of the crate) so that she can easily go in and rest. Don't close the crate door unless you need to confine her.
>>2093789
this desu
the vast majority of the ones I've come in contact with at work are either horribly obese, extremely hyperactive to the point of being fucking crazy, and take treats like a shark. I'll never understand how they got the reputation as the "hurr perfect family dog". not to mention their health is fucked