Crate training "theory" question

[ferky1]

I have read a ton about crate training and I am using it to train my new puppy Shih Tzu. I have a question about how it works from the dog's point of view:

It is quite clear that a puppy will learn self control by spending time in his crate, where he naturally does not want to relieve himself. He will also learn that outside is the place to go. What I don't fully understand is how a dog will know that inside the house isn't a good place to go either? Am I not simply teaching my puppy that relieving himself outside the crate is the right idea? How do I teach him that the kitchen, den, bedroom are also not the places to go?
How do they make the connection without shouting, scolding, etc?

[Carolk9s]

I would suggest that at first you carry your pup from the crate to the outdoors so there's no time or chance for him to stop along the way and potty in the house. Of course when puppy potties outdoors, praise like puppy just found a cure for cancer. Big payoff! It will help if initially the crate is fairly near the door that puppy will go out of to get to the yard. Progress to putting puppy on leash and letting him walk or run to the door and go outside. As puppy grows, his understanding of where NOT to potty should expand from just his crate to the room to the whole house.

[Sanvean]

Crate training doesn't necessarily teach the dog not to go in the house. That's your job :) Crate training helps by giving your puppy somewhere he feels safe, and by giving YOU a chance to relax for five seconds without worrying whether your puppy is pottying somewhere he shouldn't!

When you take your puppy outside and he potties, give him TONS of praise. Act like he just won the Nobel Prize! :) If he goes inside, scold him (don't scream or hit him) ONLY if you catch him in the act. If you found the "mistake" after he did it, don't say anything to him; just clean it up without comment.

[Bentleythewonderdog]

Supposedly some of the toy breeds are notorious for being difficult to house break. My maltese is my first toy breed and I had concerns about the whole topic. Turned out to be a breeze, the only other dog that was any easier was my sheltie that I had a few years ago and shelties are fool proof, they know everything(IMHO). I look at the crate as a safe place to keep the dog when you are unable to keep an eye on them. I only used the crate when we were away from the home but in the beginning you may want to put him in it when you are home for brief periods of time, also put him in it and go outside for few minutes, increase time gradually so he gets accustomed to the crate. When leaving, I would turn on the radio softly so the house isn't so quite. Take him outside to potty before putting him in the crate, carry him to the area you want him to go, put him down and say something like "go potty" don't really interact with him so that he gets distracted and if he wonders off bring him back to the spot and repeat the phrase you want to use (the command comes in handy at a later date like during rain or snowstorms), you can then say"hurry up, go potty" and hopefully they will potty on command, alway praise them when the job is done. Place them in the crate before leaving home and first thing upon your return remove them from the crate and carry them to the spot outdoors. The whole key in the beginning is to anticipate their need to go before it happens. Key times are before and after bedtime, after eating, a round of playing or when you see them take off on their own sniffing around or running in circles. I took mine out constantly in the early days. Be diligent, if they have an accident pick them up and say "outside" and carry them to the spot in the yard you want them to use. A cute thing some people do is tie a bell to a string and hang it on the door knob and teach them to ring the bell when they need to potty.

[Angelboddy]

When I use to breed and raise Shih Tzus. I would always have a problem with trainning my Shih Tzus.
Shih Tzu seem very had to potty train, you have to work extra hard then normal.
Smaller breeds have a smaller blader, so they can't hold it in as long as a larger breed.
I've talked with other peolpe that has owned Shih Tzus, and they seemed to have as just as a hard time potty training as i did.
But if you are very consistant and do a lot of what was said above, i'm sure you will be rewarded in the long run.
Good luck! :D

[Guest Anonymous]

8) Ok well here is what you do, you take your baby out of the crate and then you take him straight outside where he will go to the bathroom straight away. He will get the idea after a while. Depending on how he is whith his learning then maybe it might not take as long as most little breeds..... Good luck w ith it!