I had the idea of clicking and rewarding for silence in the crate. Unfortunately, Miss Lucy would never shut up.

I had already charged the mark with her, so she understands clicker means food.

Finally! Quiet. She laid down and was silent. I waited 2 seconds, and click. Walked over and fed her a tiny piece of chicken through the bar. (She was up by then). Sat back down. Motormouth Lucy. She laid back down. Click! Walked to the crate and rewarded. Repeat and repeat. Lightbulb over Miss Lucy's head. I began to gradually extend the times I would click. She stayed down and I would whisper "good girl" and drop the chicken from the top of crate onto the bedding in front of her so she wouldn't get up. She is quiet and relaxed now. I am sure after her night time walk, we will have to begin again, but she is very quick, so I don't anticipate much problem until I go to bed. I am boiling chicken right now so I have rewards. Tomorrow, I am fixing lightly cooked beef and using that also as there is so much chicken in her diet.

AHHHHHH!!!! Blessed silence!

Congratulations! Again, I have to say she is very lucky to have someone like you.

Update and questions:

Using the clicker while she was eating worked. She is finishing her food and not hoarding it. Then, when the bowl is empty, she gets a very tiny treat and I take the bowl. It only took two times and she is finishing her food without the clicker. (Still gets a very small treat.)

Lucy's natural bedtime is 8:30PM. She is definitely NOT a party animal! I have been walking her around 530 pm and feeding at 630 pm. By 8 PM, she is ready to go out to pee and poop. She comes in, goes into her crate, makes a nest and is snoring within 5 minutes. LOUD snores!

She enters her crate with a hand gesture from me (and does expect a reward after).

I got the DVD yesterday about Establishing Pack Structure. My question is, "Does the dog have to be absolutely quiet in the crate from the moment it is confined in the crate before it can be in the house on leash?" It makes sense that this would be the senario when Ed says, "...calm and submissive", but I am just checking. She is a beagle and do they ever NOT make some noise when they are first confined? (I know, it doesn't matter the breed, but some are more vocal than others.)

She is learning to not pull on the collar and lead. She holds her pee and poop all night from 8:30 PM until I get up at 4AM, start the coffee, take her outside to pee and then she leads me to the door. She goes back into her crate and I feed her then get my coffee. I will be extending the time to stay in the crate until I have had my coffee (hopefully), but she is new girl to confinement and I don't want an accident.

I am going to have to extend her time in the crate during the day on Saturday to 10 successive hours. I hate to, but I have to know if she can hold it before I go back to work on Monday.

Any suggestions and comments and ideas will be appreciated. She is doing well! Lucy goes to the vet on Friday for a blood draw for thyroid, liver, and kidney. Wish us luck!



Edited by Jo Harker (02/25/2009 04:37 AM)
Edit reason: added information

Well, for me "quiet in the crate" just means not acting out, trying to get my attention, etc.