Crate training

[Valerie]

Can you give me the best advice on crate training? How often do you put your dog in the crate per day and for how long each time? Our pup sleeps in his crate at night but we do not crate during the day. We have a little area that is a tad bigger than a crate that we allow him to roam in that we have baby gated. 

[John and Finn]

Exactly what I did/do.  BTW, aussies are known for their great leaping abilities.  Mine was jumping the normal baby gate at 12 weeks and the extra tall one at 14.  I had to start shutting him in our master bathroom after awhile with everything picked up and other dangers locked up.

[Linda K Gregory]

Moneypenny likes to sleep in her crate.  She usually takes 2 naps a day and then sleeps in there at night.  She is happier in her crate than she is in her penned off area.  She learned to jump over her baby gate so I had to get 2 taller ones. (She is 3 months old).  Her crate is in our bedroom and that is where my computer is so she is with me.  Lucy, our other doodle is very calm and she likes to nap a lot (She is 3 yrs old) and she is in there with us also.  All this helps with our potty training.  She does not always tell us when she wants to go out. 

[Donna K & Quincy]

I don't think there are any set times for crating. I would crate him when I could not watch him and if he gets too wound up as pups are apt to do a little time in the crate gives them  time to settle. Many times pups can get nippy and over excited when they are tired and need to be forced into nap time. Quincy slept in his crate at night and I crated him during the day if I had to go out but other than that I kept him with me. I kept his leash on and it served two purposes, it got him used to the leash and if I was working around the house  I would just loop it over the door knob of what ever room I was in. I didn't keep him leashed when I could watch him and notice if he had wandered off. Quincy is 3yrs now and still likes to keep me in sight most of the time.

[Diane, Hurley and Sidney]

We put Hurley in his kennel for a few hours during the day when we are home so he doesn't get freaked out when left in the kennel when we are gone.   The other thing we do when wanting to restrict the distance he can explore we have his leash on him and put the handle under a leg of a chair near where we are.  We also, have a dog's bed and we are teaching him to stay on it freely.   He is up to 30 minutes without coming off the doggy bed.  

[Bella]

Exactly what we did and continue to do. Bella sleeps in her crate and is otherwise in the little area just beside when we can't watch her.

[Sandy Jensen]

Stella is 4 mos old and sleeps in her crate at night - I put her in her crate during the day when I need to leave the house - no more then acouple of hours at a time.  I put some peanut butter in a kong and she goes right in - only probem I've had is an occasional pee accident in the crate when I return.  I also use it when she needs to settle down - it seems to help.  I like the other responses about using the leash indoors.  Good luck!