POTTY TRAINING WITH A CRATE AT NIGHT.

by Joann
(Bangor, Me)

I JUST GOT A BOSTON YESTERDAY. SHE IS BEAUTIFUL AND JUST WONDERFUL. THE MAN WE GOT HER FROM HAD HER CRATE TRAINED. WE ALSO WANT HER CRATE TRAINED SO AT NIGHT AND WHEN WE GO TO WORK SHE CAN STAY IN THE CRATE AND NOT RUN AROUND THE HOUSE. I WAS WONDERING IF I SHOULD BE PUTTING THE PUPPY PADS IN THE CRATE AT NIGHT? I DID LAST NIGHT. IT WAS HER FIRST NIGHT HERE AND I DIDNT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. I FOLDED THE PAD SO I WAS IN THE BACK HALF OF THE CRATE IN CASE SHE NEEDED TO USE IT SHE STILL HAD A PLACE TO LAY. SHE IS 9 WEEKS OLD. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Comments for
POTTY TRAINING WITH A CRATE AT NIGHT.

Click here to add your own comments

Jun 29, 2009
 THANKS
by: JOANN

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR ADVICE. I DID TAKE THE PUPPY PAD OUT OF HER CRATE 2 NIGHTS AGO AND I DONT LET HER EAT LATE. I LET HER OUT AROUND 8:30 AND SHE DOES BOTH AND THEN I LET HER OUT AGAIN AROUND 11. THE PAST 2 NIGHTS HER CRATE HAS BEEN DRY. I GOT HER UP TODAY AT 6:45 AND THE DAY BEFORE AROUND 7:30. I WILL BE GETTING HER UP BETWEEN 6 AND 6:30 DURING THE WEEK AND LATER ON THE WEEKEND BUT SHE WILL GO OUT AND TO BED LATER TOO ON THE WEEKENDS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LUCK THAT SHE HAS BEEN DRY OR IF SHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO HOLD IT THAT LONG. I HAVE TO SAY I DON'T DO THE DOG IN THE BED
THING...THAT'S NOT HAPPENING. SHE IS DOING GREAT THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SHE IS A LOT OF FUN AND IS SO SMART. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOU ADVICE.
Jun 29, 2009
 Potty Pads
by: Mary

We crate train our BT's also.
They are now 2 1/2 years old.
When they were puppies, one would pee in her crate at night and the other one never did. We just put in dog towels, and took them out when they got soiled. A pee pad would be just as good, I think. There are several really good Boston Terrier care books out there and I really think they are worth buying (about $12.00). It answers a lot of questions
Now that our pups are older, they do not eliminate in their crate hardly at all. But we still take them outside immediately after we get them out of the crate.

Congratulations on your new puppy!
Jun 27, 2009
 crate training
by: John

Never put pee pads in your crate, you never want your Boston to think it is OK to pee in there....you also want to make sure the crate is small enough only for your puppy to basically turn around in...if it is a big crate they will have room to move back and forth and will pee....if you are going to leave your Boston in a crate at night, you still need to get up at least once in the middle of the night and take them out when they are little...the best thing to do when your Boston is a puppy is have them sleep in bed with YOU! Then when they start moving around in the night, you get up and take them out, saying go potty and praising them when they go...you will get less sleep early on, but the older they get the better it will get....and by about 5-6 months old they should be okay to leave out in your home!
Jun 27, 2009
 Potty Training
by: Linda Galway

I believe you are defeating the purpose if you put the piddle pads into the crate; the idea is for her not to have enough room to go to the bathroom and lie down in the same crate. You may have to borrow a smaller crate (I used a small cat crate at first) and it was cozy enough for my Bostons so they feel safe. Our solution was to put the kitty crate ON the bed with us down by our feet. No fussing at all while in the crate. That way, you will hear or feel them when they are moving about and have to go. Given that it's summer in Maine right now, I would resign myself to getting up at some time during the night if you hear whimpering or fussing. DO NOT let her walk to the door; carry your baby until you get to the spot in your yard where she will go, then put her down and tell her what you want her to do. She may do double-duty at that time, so give it a few minutes after she piddles before coming back inside, using whatever word you want for pooping. Again, lots of praise ("Good pee, Honey" etc.), put her back in the crate. By the time the leaves change color, you'll be all set.

Overnight in the crate will extend longer and longer as your baby gets older. We put a baby blanket over the crate (maybe letting just a little of it off to the side so our Boston could see we were there). That makes the den even cozier, and if you have air conditioning going at night, it's a must. At this point, I believe they are too small to sleep in bed directly with you, but trust me, this is a Boston's favorite place to sleep ? under the covers. We've had 3, and they have all been the same. Good luck! If you want to talk Bostons, find me through anywho.com, I live in Turner and occasionally write for the BDN.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Forum - Training a Boston Terrier