Anutta Blog

Life With Poodles

VIDEO: Crate manners

by | Jan 9, 2016 | Training Tips | 1 comment

I haven’t produced many training videos lately and I thought I capture a few training moments on video while I still have a few of these Billie pups here in my home.  This video will show how to teach or maintain calm crate behavior.  If you are getting one of these pups, you have a head start.  I’ve taught your baby to be calm in their pen and if they sit nicely, I will come pet them.  This is great, except it is very easy for bad behavior to creep in.  If my kids walk up and pet the pups while they are putting their paws on the wall, or if anyone talks to them while they are barking you can inadvertently train the puppy those behaviors attract your attention and thus work.  A puppy wants you to come closer… even if you are fussing at them, they don’t care as long as you come closer.  What this means is you must be super attentive and note when your puppy is being quiet, not making a fuss, and give them attention during THOSE moments.  It is a constant training battle for the first few months, because their nature is to demand attention in a loud manner be that pawing or chewing the crate, barking, groaning, etc.  On the flip side, it is in your nature to notice the bad behavior, but ignore the quiet moments.  Each time a bad behavior is rewarded it will take longer for the good behavior to come back.

So, here is a short video showing how to train good crate behavior.  This works for a pen, crate, kennel, or if the pup is tethered.  Ignore the obnoxious and reward the calm.

These pups have had this drilled into them form the time they could walk.  You can see they still want to put their paws up even with my dedicated training.  I have kids who walk by and pet them.  I have other dogs who nose them when they paw the gate.  Those things are always working against me, just as you will have similar issues within your own home.  Don’t give up, keep rewarding good, and eventually the pup will give you more good than bad.  Don’t be in a hurry, be calm, and if you need to give them a hint, you can give them a soft “AHH”.  Purest on this training simply ignore, but Poodles are smart and sometimes a dog needs a little clue to remind them who they are dealing with.  “Oh yeah, this is Mom, not the kids.  I remember, I have to sit!  Ok… I’m sitting… oh here she comes!!!  AHHHH I got up… darn I need to sit, she is backing up.  Ok…. SIT I am sitting… please please come… yes!!  Here she comes!!  OH OH I have to SIT!”.  You can see the conversation in their little puppy brain.  Let them work it out.  Let them think and only interrupt them if they need a hint.

For the dog who is pitching a full out fit, you might need to step back another step and turn your back.  You can sit in a chair or on the floor.  Depending on the dog, I sometimes give them soothing voice words like ‘calmmmmmmm, easyyyyyyy, shhhhhhhhhhh’.  This will sometimes break their cycle enough for them to listen for a second.  When they do, I turn around and look at them and give them a ‘YES’ so they know what they did right.  If they start acting crazy, I turn my back yet again.  If they are good, I start moving towards them.  You have to be willing to dedicate some time to breaking the cycle, it could take an hour so be ready.  This is for tough cases who have been rewarded for acting like a nut.  Don’t turn my well behaved puppy into a nut.  🙂

Post any questions you have below.

~Becky