I just got a little pitbull.im having a problem with training him.it has been getting too much work for me to come home from work and clean up after him going to the bathroom all over the place.I live in an apartment building so its not like i can let him run around in the backyard all day.ive been getting suggestions to crate train him and ive done it a few times already, but the thing is i feel bad keeping him in his cage for 8 hours while im at work, even though i know he can hold in going to the bathroom for 8 hours since ive been doing it for a few days already. i do take him for a walk before i go to work, right when i come home and before i go to sleep.can someone tell me, is this cruel to do or is it a normal way of training?

My husband and I have our dog crated. He is from the SPCA and has seperation anxiety as well as not being house broken. He has taken to it very well and rushes back to it at night as well as through the day for his treat when we close him in. For the type of dog we have as well as you have it is in the pets best interest to be crated. I once said I would not use one, but I have found that, used correctly, it can be very good and I always feel bad for closing him in and leaving him there!

I felt the same way. I thought were absolutely cruel and too restraining until we adopted a 5 mo. old 50 lb hound mix. He would destroy everything out of boredom, go through trash and just make hughe messes making coming home to him unbarable. We chose to get a crate and now we've adopted 2 more and they are crated trained as well. It is amazing and makes training easier in every way. Our dogs eat in sleep there and love it, its their own personal space. As long as you make it positive when its introduced (like its where our dogs get food, when they get treats they automatically go to their crates to eat it, and its their sleeping area)your dog will most likely enjoy it and it helps with housebreaking since dogs dont like to go where they eat or sleep. Just make sure its a good size big enough to stand up, but not so big were he'll have room to go in the corner and be fine, and I would leave him a kong or some toy like a rope toy (something safe that he cant choke on too easy) so I stays distracted and isnt so focused on the new crate. Good Luck!

You're not alone, skeedog. I'm doing the same thing with my newest member of the family-Abby. I'm also crate training her. Sometimes I think I'm being cruel by leaving her in her crate for a while, but I get her out from time to time and let her play until she gets exhausted. Then, she's happy to go in her crate and sleep for a few hours or so.

8 hours is WAY too long to leave a puppy in a crate. My vet, along with several others, have said that a puppy can be left alone, in it's crate, for as many hours as it is months old plus 2. EX) Dog 3 months old, can be in a crate for a max of 5 hours. If your dog is older than 6 months, I suppose it is okay, but that is still a very long time to keep a puppy in a crate. My 3 month old puppy stays in the kitchen while I am away (7 hours). ACD's, in my opinion, house train fast. He does not go to the bathroom in the house anymore, not while he is alone, and not while we're home (unless he ABSOLUTELY cannot hold it.) I find this to be a pleasent alternative. He stays in my room at night with the door closed, and he does fine there as well. I suppose it all depends on the people and the dog. But I do not like crate training personally, and prefer to let my dog have free roam of the house (and my pup would have free run of the house if it wasn't for my other dog, cat, and litter box). We plan on getting a gate to keep the cat and older dog in the living room (that is where they stay at all times when home alone) and the puppy in the rest of the house.

Good luck with your crate trianing, just be careful not to leave your pup in there too long.

How old is the pup anyways?

I used to feel this way with my now 3.5 months old English Springer Spaniel (Bruno). My husband and I bought a book that specialize only on this breed, but it saids:

* Dogs need structure and rules! A dog that undergoes crate training (despite different beliefs) will be grateful after all. It is beneficial to them to know the rules that will contribute to a happy and healthy life.

* Crate training will also benefit the owner! It will just create a relax atmosphere where you can TOO continue with your activities - think about it if you are happy you will project that to your little angel

* Dogs need to have a place the call home. It wouldn't be long where you will see your little sweetness going on their own. (***particularly I like the wire crate because Bruno can see us and be part of the family but on his own space).

I know it sounded cruel at the beginning but it has work for both (him and us) so far (specially with potty training). I do notice he gets separation anxiety but I think dogs get this no matter if they get crate trained or not.

Hope this helps!
Ana

My dog is now 3 1/2 months old. Im starting to get a little more used to the crate trainig since ive been doing for probably almost a month now and its been working great. He still is not perfect when im home and hes out of the cage, but i definitely see a lot of improvement. I appreciate all the input from everyone and im starting to see what your all saying that after a while he'll start liking his cage. i started feeding him in there so he can associate it with posotive things
acdxx099-btw what ACD's??

Sorry, lol, ACD stands for Australian Cattle Dog.

It's good to hear that your puppy is doing well, but I still think 8 hours is a VERY long time for a 3 month old puppy to be in a crate. But it is your puppy after-all, and I am not an expert, I'm only repeating what vets have told me.

My Australian Cattle Dog puppy, who was 4 months yesterday =D, is totally house trained. It is great, and he stays in my bedroom and the hall with the doorway gated. He does very well. Although that can't be said for all dogs, so sometimes a crate is the best route to go!

Again, good luck with your pup, you should maybe post pictures!