good thinking I should look on CL first. I was just about to drop $80 on a crate and crate cover/bed set

CL often has some good deals.

I just wanted to mention on the topic of her sleeping in the crate at night, the main thing here is it's just another opportunity for her to be in the crate w/out you being gone. Perhaps put her bed that she normally sleeps on in the crate and slowly start training her to sleep in there with the door still open.

I did basically just that and started hiding treats around her crate and inside it every night. Does you have a specific command you use or way that you conditioned her to sleep on her own bed or did she do it on her own?

Keep us posted, I'll be happy to help in any way I can.

Yes, that was how I was settling the screaming dog into bed at night. I wasn't using a crate in the bedroom, but same thing: I wanted him to go in his dog bed (in my bedroom) and stop standing on his back feet by my bed, forepaws on the bed, and moaning. I really really wanted that to stop. lol

I put his favorite mat in the bed, and put a H.V. treat in every night. (Of course, I also totally ignored the moaning.) If this hadn't worked after a few nights I was going to move a crate into the bedroom (where they all sleep on the floor).

Nowadays I call him for bed and he comes racing into the bedroom, skidding to a stop at his bed and flying into it.

no my dog has no problem going to her bed. she knows when it's bed time, and i taught her early on, she could only get into mine when i invited her. so when i stopped inviting her, she would just stand there and wait for me to pat my hand on the bed for her to come up, and when i didn't she just figured it out on her own (lucky me!). she jumped up a couple times without being invited in the time that i had her but she knows "off" very well.

i think insted of making her sleep in there, i'll use "cleaning time" as a time to put her in there. it's nice not having paw prints in freshly mopped floors. maybe i could do the vacuuming that way too. maybe she will feel safer knowing the vacuum can't get to her in there? or would that make a bad association for it?

just some thoughts

 Quote: jenn verrier

.. no my dog has no problem going to her bed. she knows when it's bed time, and i taught her early on, she could only get into mine when i invited her. ....... i think insted of making her sleep in there, i'll use "cleaning time" as a time to put her in there. it's nice not having paw prints in freshly mopped floors. maybe i could do the vacuuming that way too. maybe she will feel safer knowing the vacuum can't get to her in there? or would that make a bad association for it?

just some thoughts

I didn't mean she did. My bed thing was an analogy for getting your dog used to the crate (treats, casual, etc.).

That might be fine later, but at first when you are not even closing the door and she is in there for just a minute, you might not want to have any special reason at all; you won't have time. At first you won't even leave the room. Then later you just leave the room for a second and come back.

Susan's post details it well.

How is it going with popping out randomly (and casually) and coming right back in?

sometimes better than others. sometimes she ruuuuuns to the front door almost to like beat me there, then i run out and have it shut for a second and come back in just as she starts to whine and cry. sometimes when she lays in the other room or is napping or something, i can stand out there for longer. maybe 30 seconds. i listen for her little paws click clacking on the floor and then i know i have to go back in soon. haven't really tried it for much longer than that yet.

i mean i have been able to before. for instance, when i am taking the trash out. but i feel like maybe she knows i am just taking the trash out and will be right back. normally at those times, i don't even shut the front door all the way or have my shoes or keys with me.

Good start. Don't rush it. As pointed out earlier, the goal for now is to come back before she gets anxious. And to be casual casual casual.

The more she associates your leaving with a calm everyday thing that means nothing, and the more she is shown that you always come back, the better.

As Connie said the key is to come back before she gets anxious, so try and make the times you leave times when you feel there will be success. I think you can work up to the putting her away while vacuuming but I don't think it will work to start. The idea of her sleeping in it at night is simply a chance for her to be in the crate and get used to it knowing you aren't going anywhere. While you don't have to of course, I think it would benefit you greatly to try it out. The more positive time she can spend in the crate the better.

As far as popping in and out goes, sometimes I would walk out, close the door and walk right back in. Then start slowly increasing the increments by literally 1 - 2 seconds at a time. It's a tedious process but it works. When you get to 30 seconds and you still don't even hear her moving then to come look for you, then start increasing by 5 seconds. If you have a relapse, go back to short increments (10-15 seconds) for around another 8-10 times.

I also used to pick up my keys, purse, everything I normally take with me, and would carry them around with me inside the house or just move them around casually.

I pick up my keys often, jingle them around and then put them down in another spot as well.

update:

so i got the crate. i got a crate cover/bumper/bed set as well to make it all comfy like. let me tell you the cat LOVES it! dog doesn't have much interest in going anywhere near it. but i've been throwing treats in there randomly, putting her in, and feeding her through the crate door. i just gave her a denta stick, and closed the door, and now she is laying down in there quietly, hasn't made a sound! its' been maybe 20 mins.

the popping in and out and random times, is still hit or miss. as i have mentioned in other threads, my dog has a bit of a habit of standing near the front door and staring at it somewhat anxiously, so it's hard to do that when she is doing that.

however, i've been trying some more of the relaxation excersizes that our behaviorist gave us long ago. and in the midst of that i will have her lie on the bed and tell her to stay, and move closer and closer to the door (and coming back and giving her a treat when she doesn't get up), eventually to going out the door, and she does really well with this, even if i grab keys/purse etc. she does well with stay. i'm pretty sure she would get up eventually though if i did it for a much longer departure, so we have to just slowly work our way up.

In the mean time she is still doing the same thing as normal when i leave, pacing, clawing at the gate in front of the door whining. i still leave the spray collar on her though, and she doesn't attempt to bark which is good.

anyway, that's all for now.