Rachel, that is great! She sounds like a wonderful pup, and I'm glad you are seeing such fantastic progress with the SA...

Hi, I have a 6 year old female Shepherd. I tried to crate train her as a pup, and what an escape artist. She broke out of the plastic crate, so I purchased one of the wire crates. She had a very bad night in it, (I think she was about 12 or 14 weeks old) and managed to actually bend this crate and get out, in the process opening up a gash in her neck. I decided that for me, crate training was NOT a necessity. She didn't like it, (she does fine in them at the vet's office or the groomers) and I decided that there really was no need for me to push her into this. She has always been great in the house, doesn't chew, get into garbage, or have accidents. She's a great dog. Have you tried NOT leaving her in the crate? Just a thought.

Thanks
Theresa Greene

I think that letting a dog decide not to be somewhere that you have told them to be is asking for some issues later on.

If you decide that you want your dog in a crate, then they need to accept that. I understand that puppies are just learning and that is why we need to help them understand that a crate is a great place to be. I am not sure how you first started crate training (Theresa) but I would not have stopped because my dog was breaking out, I would have tried harder. Just because a dog isn't destroying anything, does not mean they are not controlling their environment. If my dog is asked to be in a crate, kennel, room, space - whatever - I expect them to stay there once trained to do so. They are not allowed to decide they don't like it anymore, therefor I am going to fight it.

If the OP wants her dog crated and is going about teaching her dog the correct way to be crated, then the dog needs to understand, this is a non-negotiable item.

THis is what I did for my Terra. She didn't like her crate either.I am not a professional trainer. During the day, I opened the crate door and sat outside it with her. I took her favorite treat, and threw it in the crate. I just sat there until she got it and then I praised her. I DID NOT slam the door behind her. I did this over and over again, until she was not hesitanting to enter her crate. Once she did this quickly and like she enjoyed herself. I then began to just sit with her outside her crate, not throwing a treat in. Just sat there. Of course she would sniff around, expecting a treat. When she would just put one foot in, I threw a treat to the back of the crate. she ran in and got it. I did this for awhile, then I named what I wanted her to do.(in) or (Crate) Soon Terra was running into her crate. I did not shut her in. (remember this is a game, not doing it at night) she still cried at night, but it became less as she developed a love for the crate and those yummy treats put value on her crate. I practiced this for about two weeks. THen I began to close the crate door after she went in. Just for a second. When she sat still I opened up the crate, and gave her a treat. I did this over and over. Yep, it takes lots of patience and setting some time aside to just sit there if need be. Whenever she was quite (door closed my hand off the latch) I would open the crate and treat. I started leaving the door closed longer and longer. If she cried I would move away, turn my back, or even just keep up and walk out. If she was quite, I would treat her and open her crate. Now, she will run to her crate for nap time, or bed time or when I have to go somewhere. I always throw a treat in for her. You could also put a kong with P. Butter in it so she has something to do. All good treats (my dogs think) come when I am alone in my treat. (Of course they think this too when I train them.) I hope this helps. It is hard when they scream and cry, but if you give in, it will only escalate. Ed has a great video on crate training too.
Sharon