Crate training and..

[nnguyentang]

I'm gonna try it, any advice? I just have to keep trying different methods until something works for my sweet syrup before her bad habits become permanent. And also! Since she is 3 months old, would it be too late to change her name? It seems like she doesn't even know it. Usually when I call her or scold her, I just call her baby or angel. I feel like she ignores me when I actually call her name.

[Sirchow]

Others might disagree here but I dont think changing her name would effect her. It is just a word that she assocciates with certain things....choose another and call it and every time she comes give her a treat and soon she will know that word as "come her I want to love you and treat you". A name is nothing more than a word to get their attention. You could use the word "attention" and if you always gave nice rewards she would answere to that!

Crate training....I would start by feeding in the crate and leaving the door open for a day or two. Then go on to close the door and leave it shut for a few mins after food is finished. Then put her in with a new tasty chew and a few toys and close the door and so on till you work up to you leaing the room and her in the crate for a while. Make it a nice place never a time out place. Somewhere treats and toys happen with a nice bed and a bowl of water. A word about beds for crates IMO they should be flat so your chow doesn't over heat as they cant get away to a cooler spot. We use a soft very thin flat bed in the crate. Previously we actually just had a piece of carpet in there as Bramble used to get too hot and wouldn't settle.

[nnguyentang]

I have a crate on the smaller size, accommodating her size right now, is she scared to go in there because it seems too small? I gotta try it today. Hopefully she goes for it. She seems too smart to fall for any of my tricks, when I try to lure her in with toys, she quickly grabs her toy and runs out of the crate ): then I give up. How about a dog gate? Are those effective?

Thanks !

[Sirchow]

What are the habbits you are trying to cure with a crate. I am thinking that you may be better to ask for help with the problems you are experiencing. I first of all thought you were just looking to crate train her but it sounds like more than that. I use a crate that is big enough for the chow to get in and turn round and lie in different positions in. If the crate is not big enough to make the chow get in to reach its food then it is not big enough. There shouldn't need to to be trickery if you use patience as I described. She should want to go in. My baby jumps in her crate and waits for her food every night.

[Rory's Dad]

I would agree with Sir on both aspects of the response. Not to late to change names at this point. Before you consider that though, think that it may not be the name itself that is responsible. Chows will ignore just because that is their nature. Rory is 10 months old. He knows his name and their is no confusion. He is very well trained. He will do almost any normal dog behavior command (sit, down, stay, paw, speak) when we are in the house. We also enter Rory in AKC Shows (4 pts to date) and he walks quite nicely with his handler. BUT...if he is outside, just hanging out, i will call him and he wont blink an eye or even turn his head toward me. Its just a chow being a chow. I think he figures if he pretends he doesnt hear me, he is in charge.

And so, onto crate training...i wonder what the purpose is. Most puppy owners utilize the crate to reduce accidents. Pups wont usually mess in their space, so they need to understand that it is their space. You dont want to use a crate as a time out or punishment spot. Certainly, tricking your dog to go into the crate and then locking it up to separate them is not a good idea. Think of the crate as a kids room. Dog needs to view that space as safe and secure, no punishment space. Agree with Sir that is needs to be an appropriate size as well. We never use the crate at home anymore. It is there and always open should Rory need it, but it doesnt get used. At home we have a wire crate, and at shows, they use a plastice, travel type crate. He knows the difference and understands that that crate is his waiting area.

[nnguyentang]

Well, I just want her to know wherever bed is, her home. I don't want her sleeping on my face like she does now.