[Wolfiesmom]

I found when Wolfie misbehaves, that time out in his crate works wonders. I leave him in there for a few minutes and he comes out calm and ready to be a good boy. I don't say bad boy or anything like that when I put him in ther. They say you aren't supposed to use the crate as punishment. When I started doing this, I would just take him by the collar and say time out, and put him in the crate. It progressed quickly to me just saying time out and he would go in his crate. Now, just like a little kid, he will do something bad, and go right into time out without me saying anything. So, maybe this isn't an effective tool anymore. He does something wrong and punishes himself. Is he learning not to do that behavior or is he learning the behavior is acceptable as long as he goes in time out?

 

[Jax's Mom]

I've always been of the opinion that if they're being "punished" for anything, it shouldn't have anything to do with their crate because when you go out and put them in the crate, they may think they've done something wrong.
If mine misbehave in the house, I just pin them to the floor for a moment by the neck like their mother would (not to the point where they scream like some people suggest) and then let them up.
I paid way too close attention in Intro to Psych in college so I have reservations about using objects in discipline. Just my $.02

 

[patti]

Sometimes Bo misbehaves when he is tired, so if I just put him in, in a non-angry way, he sleeps a bit, and comes out like a new puppy! Not really punishing him. He loves his crate.

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

I use timeouts in the crate too, and I don't really think of it as punishment. If they hated their crates then maybe, but they don't. :shrug: I've been doing it for a long time (we didn't use a crate back when we had Sneaker, so since 2000, when we got Cassidy) and it has never made my dogs not want to go in their crates at any other time. It interrupts the behavior and it's just a little break for both of us to regroup.

As long as he likes his crate it shouldn't be a problem, and if he'll go in on cue or even on his own without you having to tell him to, all the better. I don't see how that would mean that it's not an effective tool anymore simply because he's choosing to seek out his crate as refuge.

 

[Veronica1]

I use the crate for timeouts too - not a lot, but when he's pushed me to beyond irritated, I need a timeout from him! Panzer usually plops down in the crate and looks up at me - just so I can see the whites around his eyes - with his head between his outstretched legs.

And yes, we're both in better moods when he comes out in a few minutes.