Crate training

[koshergrl]

Mylo spent about an hour in the crate this am while we went for breakfast. She did pee in it, but her degree of agitation was about 1/2 or less than in the past. She was not scrabbling and barking like she did before. Was fairly calm when I got her out. So progress.

 

[Carla_Danger]

And she can jump about five feet straight up from a standing or sitting stance.

My dogs can't jump over a 2 ft fence. lol I know this because after one tornado destroyed my fence, I put up a make-shift until I could get mine fixed.

The only thing I have to worry about with my dogs is someone kidnapping them from my yard. When they go out the doggie door, I swear my head is out the door every 2 minutes checking on them. I watch them as close as I would any 5 yr old out playing in the yard.

 

[Carla_Danger]

Mylo spent about an hour in the crate this am while we went for breakfast. She did pee in it, but her degree of agitation was about 1/2 or less than in the past. She was not scrabbling and barking like she did before. Was fairly calm when I got her out. So progress.

I'm glad to hear she's getting used to her crate. Sounds like you made the right decision. I gotta admit that when I first saw this thread and her photo, it reminded me of that commercial...the commercial I won't watch. lol

 

[Coyote]

I had a long drive today transporting two dogs and it gave me lots of time to think. I don't know alot about Rat Terriers - but from what folks are saying they are really hardwired to hunt and exterminate so I was thinking on ways to reduce her anxiety by giving her legall outlets for her instincts plus a mental workout. There a number of games you can introduce her to that might help with that. Many dogs like to "search and destroy" - it plays to their instincts.

Taking her meal (if it's kibble) and hiding it in stashes around the room for her to find and consume. Start out easy, with her watching from her crate so she see's where you put it, and then letting her out to find it. You can up the difficulty - adding some height, place it in a small paper bag or twist or toilet paper tube so she has to work at getting it out and the scent is less obvious. You would need to babygate her in so she's the only dog doing it.

If her first action upon getting outside is to hunt - maybe set up a game for that to - so yes, she can hunt, but it's with your rules. Hide food in an easy to find area, put her on a long line, and let her find it. Make it obvious at first, then gradually harder. When she finds it - she gets to consume it, but even better - you drop one at a time several more treats on the spot to encourage to her stay there and get rewarded instead of hustling off. You can increase difficulty of hides as she gets better - even using toilet paper tubes, burying it in a shallow hole, hanging it from something. I'm thinking it gives her an outlet to work off some of her anxiety, give her a job that's in line with her instincts plus - improve your partnership. It might indirectly help with the potty issues as well.

I do some of this with my guys with nosework, but haven't tried it with meals and I think I might.

Another thing she might enjoy is putting kibble in a Buster Cube - she has to work at getting it out and that will tire her out.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I have discovered that I can stop Malcolm's tendency to try to relieve himself while one is still putting the leash on him by holding onto the base of his tail. As long as he can feel my hand tugging on his tail, he apparently will not pee or poop. So that at least makes it easier to get him out for his walks.

 

[koshergrl]

Iceweasel has the rat terrier...mylo is a parson Russell. She's a jack Russell on steroids. Those are excellent suggestions.

 

[koshergrl]

I have discovered that I can stop Malcolm's tendency to try to relieve himself while one is still putting the leash on him by holding onto the base of his tail. As long as he can feel my hand tugging on his tail, he apparently will not pee or poop. So that at least makes it easier to get him out for his walks.

The things we do...

 

[koshergrl]

American Kennel Club - The Dog’s Champion

 

[Cecilie1200]

I have discovered that I can stop Malcolm's tendency to try to relieve himself while one is still putting the leash on him by holding onto the base of his tail. As long as he can feel my hand tugging on his tail, he apparently will not pee or poop. So that at least makes it easier to get him out for his walks.

The things we do...

It's just his tail, silly.

Basically, we open the door of the crate and he shoots out of it, all excited, and as he runs past, I grab him by the tail and hold onto him while my son snaps the leash on his collar.

Beats cleaning up the mess.

 

[koshergrl]

I have discovered that I can stop Malcolm's tendency to try to relieve himself while one is still putting the leash on him by holding onto the base of his tail. As long as he can feel my hand tugging on his tail, he apparently will not pee or poop. So that at least makes it easier to get him out for his walks.

The things we do...

It's just his tail, silly.

Basically, we open the door of the crate and he shoots out of it, all excited, and as he runs past, I grab him by the tail and hold onto him while my son snaps the leash on his collar.

Beats cleaning up the mess.

Oh I agree.

Mylo is now going into the crate totally willingly and under her own power. I have her go in and out regularly and praise her a lot. She only comes out when she's calm and not barking. She went in again when we went to lunch (new house, not cooking much yet, not unpacked) and the house was quiet when we came home. She did pee in there but that beats peeing on the floor. I'm hopeful that will improve but it is one of the primary reasons I want to crate her anyway. I think it's going very well.

 

[Carla_Danger]

Until I got Jackson fixed, I had him wear a belly band. That belly band was worth its weight in gold.

 

[Coyote]

View attachment 54124


Until I got Jackson fixed, I had him wear a belly band. That belly band was worth its weight in gold.

Wish it was that easy with a female! Nice portrait

 

[Coyote]

There's a special place in heaven for terrier owners!

 

[Carla_Danger]

There's a special place in heaven for terrier owners!

Obama's dog pals around with terriers.

 

[Iceweasel]

I had a long drive today transporting two dogs and it gave me lots of time to think. I don't know alot about Rat Terriers - but from what folks are saying they are really hardwired to hunt and exterminate so I was thinking on ways to reduce her anxiety by giving her legall outlets for her instincts plus a mental workout. There a number of games you can introduce her to that might help with that. Many dogs like to "search and destroy" - it plays to their instincts.

Having had my Rat Terrier for 11 years I can say they do have those instincts but with mine it isn't about the hunt itself but the catching a fast moving object. My guy is a very dominant type and bullied his brother into submission. I often thought I should have picked him instead.

He would go after snakes and rattle their world but them lose interest, didn't care if they were alive or not. My Amstaff is far more of a hunter, she goes for the kill and does so time to time.
The best exercises for my RT is chasing a laser dot, for a quick workout, and the racketball off the ball. That's his favorite gig. He will bring you the ball he has chosen for the moment, depends on his mood I guess, but he loves chasing and catching it. He can determine the trajectory coming off of two walls and snag it right out of the air. The faster the better.

 

[koshergrl]

Mylo catches birds out of the air. She once killed a robin while wearing a muzzle. She also loses interest - the second they expire. She goes after snakes but has never figured out how to kill one.

 

[Coyote]

Mylo catches birds out of the air. She once killed a robin while wearing a muzzle. She also loses interest - the second they expire. She goes after snakes but has never figured out how to kill one.

I have a current foster right now that may become permenent if he wins over hubby - I think he is BC/terrier. He's the only dog I've had that chases birds plus he's very attracted to sqeakies that he can "shake and kill" and balls, that roll - definately movement. He likes to play tug, so I introduced him to a "moo-tug" by wiggling it along the ground and he was hooked. Now all he has to do is see me hold it and he is fixated - totally - it's all he wants. We're working on "impulse control" - sit, and wait, for the release to go grab it, then we play, then we end the play he gets a treat for releasing it. But his temperment is soft - a bit more biddable than a terrier I'm thinking. His structure is odd too - not BC in angulation, very long legs but only 20 lbs of dog.

 

[Iceweasel]

Cute dog Coyote. The mixes are often the best dogs.

 

[koshergrl]

That vicious shake is pure terrier, though. That's how they kill stuff. I know that shake well lol.

 

[Coyote]

That vicious shake is pure terrier, though. That's how they kill stuff. I know that shake well lol.

The first day he was here, he discovered this "AngryBird" latex toy - he shook it so hard, it flew out of his mouth and lodged in the couch pillows - he spent a good five minutes circling the couch, sniffing and airscenting trying to find it - he wouldn't give up until he found it.