# Crated dog



## Mark Ryden (Mar 25, 2009)

My dog lacks the energy coming out the crate to do obedience. He is crated 90% of the time at home. I train him almost everyday. I am thinking he might be bored. He loves the ball, but he seems to lack the intensity I am looking for. I am thinking to do more drive building like Benard or Ivan does. Any coments would be great.


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## Adam Rawlings (Feb 27, 2009)

Lot's more info is needed.

How old is the pup?

How are you training ob?

How long are the sessions?

Are you doing the same things over and over everyday?

Are you doing bite work?

Did your dog have energy and drive before?


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## Alice Bezemer (Aug 4, 2010)

Mark Ryden said:


> My dog lacks the energy coming out the crate to do obedience. He is crated 90% of the time at home. I train him almost everyday. I am thinking he might be bored. He loves the ball, but he seems to lack the intensity I am looking for. I am thinking to do more drive building like Benard or Ivan does. Any coments would be great.



appart from what adam mentioned, when hes crated 90% of the time he probably has no condition what so ever which in part will explain the lack in drive.....


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Alice Bezemer said:


> appart from what adam mentioned, when hes crated 90% of the time he probably has no condition what so ever which in part will explain the lack in drive.....


I'm hoping and thinking this was not meant that way. 




Mark Ryden said:


> My dog lacks the energy coming out the crate to do obedience. He is crated 90% of the time at home. I train him almost everyday. I am thinking he might be bored. He loves the ball, but he seems to lack the intensity I am looking for. I am thinking to do more drive building like Benard or Ivan does. Any coments would be great.


Do you mean he is outdoors training and stuff for hours every day but crated 90% of the time when in the house? You don't mean crated 90% of the time, period, right?


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## Denise Gatlin (Dec 28, 2009)

Mark Ryden said:


> My dog lacks the energy coming out the crate to do obedience. He is crated 90% of the time at home. I train him almost everyday. I am thinking he might be bored. He loves the ball, but he seems to lack the intensity I am looking for. I am thinking to do more drive building like Benard or Ivan does. Any coments would be great.


 
If he is crated 90% of the time, bored doesnt describe it. IMO, he is depressed. Think about it.


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## Mark Ryden (Mar 25, 2009)

My dog is 21 months old . He had a lot a drive in the summer/fall. I train with a ball with focus work. I have been doing the same thing for awhile. We have been training ob in the house since it has been cold out. We do bite work every Sat.


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## Niomi Smith (Jan 15, 2010)

Can you please clarify the previous statement that he spends 90% of his time in his crate?

I think Connie asked if that was 90% of his "in house" time or "90% of his time period".

That should put everyone in a better position to lend a hand and an opinion or experience.


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## Mark Ryden (Mar 25, 2009)

He spends 90% of his time in the crate in the house. I train him ob or 2 ball at night when I get home from work. Not a lot of time has been done on ob since I am training the retrieve.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Mark Ryden said:


> He spends 90% of his time in the crate in the house. I train him ob or 2 ball at night when I get home from work. Not a lot of time has been done on ob since I am training the retrieve.


In a 24-hour period, he spends over 21 hours in the crate?

Please tell me I am still reading this wrong.

My Pugs wouldn't be subjected to that, never mind my pointy-eared dog. I have to be misunderstanding.


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## Lloyd Kasakoff (Jun 15, 2008)

Mark, 

Your post sets up an emotional trigger with many whose opinion is that your dog spends far too much time on the crate, which may color some of the responses you may get. I have no opinion to share one way or the other. 

That said, perhaps your dog lacks a little drive, may not feel well, or you may want to look in the mirror...and I say that from an empathetic point of view. The personality of us as dog handlers has a *ton* to do with our dogs, and sometimes a crappy dog for me may be your dream dog (Rhonda Southern, Wallace Payne's "Schutzhund Wife"'s words of wisdom) - I used to be told that I wasn't exciting enough for my dog, and while I used little to no compulsion with him while working, it simply wasn't fun ....would you want to hang out with some former Marine who simply wants to get a job done, all work and little play? yuck!

So, we changed the game up a bit. 

It became 100 percent play. 

Then, 90 percent play, with 10 percent obedience. 

And slowly, work and obedience are getting blended. 

*Ball!* - explosive, fun, and more. Give him what he wants - play with him! And eventually, slowly, fade in the work again. Want it? Okay - front. He gives it to you? Immediately explode into play again. Front...heel...between your legs...whatever you're training for. Very physical with lots of touch, and fading out slowly. 

I took a page off of a Florida German trainer who uses 2 hoses in his videos, and instead, I use 2 balls on a string. He never knows if he will be stopping to a front, stopping to a heel, or if I'll throw the ball behind me. 

Just a thought...look in the mirror.


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## Shane Woodlief (Sep 9, 2009)

Connie Sutherland said:


> In a 24-hour period, he spends over 21 hours in the crate?
> 
> Please tell me I am still reading this wrong.
> 
> My Pugs wouldn't be subjected to that, never mind my pointy-eared dog. I have to be misunderstanding.





Mark Ryden said:


> My dog is 21 months old . He had a lot a drive in the summer/fall. I train with a ball with focus work. I have been doing the same thing for awhile. We have been training ob in the house since it has been cold out. We do bite work every Sat.



Mark if I am reading this the way that Connie is here is my advise - 

FIND YOUR DOG A NEW HOME AND DON'T GET ANOTHER ONE! 

That is not lack of energy it is depression - Why in the world would you think that is ok! ](*,) ](*,)](*,)


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## Adam Rawlings (Feb 27, 2009)

Good post Lloyd.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Shane Woodlief said:


> Mark if I am reading this the way that Connie is here is my advise -
> 
> FIND YOUR DOG A NEW HOME AND DON'T GET ANOTHER ONE!
> 
> That is not lack of energy it is depression - Why in the world would you think that is ok! ](*,) ](*,)](*,)


Mark has posted for guidance about acquiring a second working male.

I am completely lost here. Don't even want to read the thread because I'm depressed now.


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## Shane Woodlief (Sep 9, 2009)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Mark has posted for guidance about acquiring a second working male.
> 
> I am completely lost here. Don't even want to read the thread because I'm depressed now.



Are you serious! :-o


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Shane Woodlief said:


> Are you serious! :-o



http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f28/2-males-17463/


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

So this guy actually said that his dog was in the crate 21 hours of the day ??

My dogs have to be in the crate sometimes most of the day. I am gone and am not going to leave them out in the yard. I doubt that depression has much to do with it. He is probably really boring, or really sucks at getting his dog to work, like Lloyd said.


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## Shane Woodlief (Sep 9, 2009)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> So this guy actually said that his dog was in the crate 21 hours of the day ??
> 
> My dogs have to be in the crate sometimes most of the day. I am gone and am not going to leave them out in the yard. I doubt that depression has much to do with it. He is probably really boring, or really sucks at getting his dog to work, like Lloyd said.


Yea man I don't know he said that he crates the thing 90% of the day in doors all day kinda stuff. Yea there are times when we all have to do what we have to do but it is not the norm. Connie posted his other link where the guy is wanting help getting his second dog.


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## Mark Ryden (Mar 25, 2009)

My dog is out when I wake up @4 till my wife goes to work at 7. Then at 5:30 till 10. In warmer weather he is in the kennel during the day. I was looking for some guidance for some ob. I am new to dog sports.


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## Shane Woodlief (Sep 9, 2009)

Dude that is a whole lot better than 90%!

Ok now when you say that he is out is it free or is it pretty structured time? If it is structured what are you doing with him?


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Mark, I would suggest you find a good trainer to evaluate the dog. Find out what you may (or may not) be doing wrong. 
It sounds like the dog's enthusiasm to come out and play has been drilled out of it with incorrect obedience OR it just doesn't have what it takes. One of the first signs a dog is no longer enjoying training is a lack of enthusiasm from the dog. 
Being "new to dog sport" it may be really hard for you to properly assess what's going on without understanding what your seeing.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Play with the dog and video it. People will tell you if you suck or not.


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## brad robert (Nov 26, 2008)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Play with the dog and video it. People will tell you if you suck or not.


 Great idea!!!

If you have never trained a dog before or been to a club you need a trainer to help you.simple.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Lock yourself in the crate and let the dog out to enjoy life. That should take care of the problem!


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## Shane Woodlief (Sep 9, 2009)

Lee H Sternberg said:


> Lock yourself in the crate and let the dog out to enjoy life. That should take care of the problem!


LMAO now that is funny I don't care who you are!

I like what Jeff O said about videoing yourself - I do mean video of your dog training by the way! :razz:


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Shane Woodlief said:


> LMAO now that is funny I don't care who you are!
> 
> I like what Jeff O said about videoing yourself - I do mean video of your dog training by the way! :razz:


Video of just playing with the dog can be very informative too.


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Video of just playing with the dog can be very informative too.


Maybe a vid of the poster may just do it too :razz:.


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

If I read it right the dog is still in a crate for 16 ½ hours a day. That’s a long time


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## Benjamin Allanson (May 2, 2008)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Play with the dog and video it. People will tell you if you suck or not.


Ha. That reminds of when I did that back in the day. And yes people did say I sucked. It's really a good eye opener.


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