From: riacmt@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Carol Miller-Tutzauer)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Calling all puppy experts! Trouble in Golden City! (long)
Date: 7 Apr 92 20:24:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Apr7.160808.3043@den.mmc.com>, kevin@traffic.den.mmc.com (Kevin Rodgers) writes...
  > 
  >  >I would introduce the crate slowly.  Introduce the create by putting
  >  >treats inside for the puppy to go get.  Feed him in the crate.  Pet
  >                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  > 
  >This seems counterproductive to me, since one of the rationales for
  >crating is to house train your dog by keeping it in a "den" which it
  >won't soil.  Puppies usually need to eliminate soon after eating, and
  >most owners make a point of immediately taking their dog outside after
  >eating.  By feeding your dog in the crate, you may be causing a conflict
  >between the positive feelings for it's den you want to encourage and the
  >stress of bowel and bladder control.  Remember, the most effective way
  >to help your dog develop good behavior is to prevent the opportunity for
  >bad behavior.

While I agree that "the most effective way to help your dog develop
good behavior is to prevent the opportunity for bad behavior", I
think that feeding the dog in the crate is consistent with
promoting good behavior in your puppy.  First of all, so long
as you take your puppy out as soon as s/he is finished eating
(whether in the crate or not), it should make no difference
that the dog was fed in the crate.  Obviously, a similar argument
would apply to ever feeding your dog IN THE HOUSE.  What we
did with our puppy is to feed him in the crate (while we were
still home), and used the opportunity to get dressed, shower,
etc.  Then as soon as he was done, we would take him outside
before re-crating him and leaving for work.  Then home to play
at lunchtime, etc.  As the dog's bladder and bowels became
more under his control, we could start leaving a few extra
kibbles in his bowl when we left him in the crate.  This was
enough to distract him and make him feel that our "leaving"
was actually a positive experience.

Second, the reinforcement/conditioning benefits of feeding
in the crate cannot be underemphasized.  By feeding the
puppy in the crate, s/he comes to associate the crate with
an instinctual, very positive feeling (namely satisfaction
of the hunger urge/drive).  This is also the associated
feeling the puppy had while its mother was nursing it.  If
you want your puppy to be very happy and content in a crate
(and quickly), there isn't a much more effective way to
acheive this than feeding in the crate.  Of course, giving
treats in the crate would accomplish a similar goal, but
the immediacy of hunger is even better (and kibbles are
always preferable to treats, from a nutritional standpoint,
all else being equal).

Third, it is my understanding that dogs do not normally
urinate or defecate in their bed-down or eating areas.  And
the extra confinement of a crate reinforces and takes 
advantage of this "disinclination."

Seriously.... (and now I'm speaking as a developmental psychologist)
the use of food and taking advantage as a drive so basic as
hunger is VERY EFFECTIVE behaviorally.  (And now speaking as
a pet owner), our puppy (pretty large now, though) serves as
one very good example of a puppy adjusting to the crate 
through the strategy of feeding in it.  Most of the books
we had at home at the time had similar positive things to say
about feeding in the crate.

Just make sure that you take that puppy out soon after s/he
finishes, at least until s/he gets control over the bodily
functions.

Carol
riacmt@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu