Pet ramp

[USMC_1Wire6337]

He is two. Really not sure what changed. He went in the crate fine initially and fought ever time after that. He is crate trained fine at home (not that he uses it anymore). After I wrestled his back legs in he would go in the rest of the way and lay down. I could even open the crate door and pet him. Treats had no interest to him.

Too bad he's not food motivated. Makes training easier. What about play? Could you spend a couple weekends taking him to dog park as a part of the training?

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[XJFanatic]

Too bad he's not food motivated. Makes training easier. What about play? Could you spend a couple weekends taking him to dog park as a part of the training?

Oh he is food motivated just not for his crate. Play is definitely his biggest motivator though. It’s the only way to get him to be ok around a majority of men. Have them chuck his ball and he is best friends ??

But you outlined my plans just start taking trips to the park a few times a week to walk him somewhere out of the norm. He has a huge field behind the house for leashless play so new places to walk is probably my best bet.

 

[XJFanatic]

We have kids in the back, so no seat removals in my future. And mine is lifted too far for her to jump into the bed. She could when it was stock. But I completely agree jumping down from that height isn’t good for their joints. Hips and shoulders. The vet warned us about watching that with her when she was a puppy. Too much weight to jump down repeatedly over time. I like that the steps take up less bed space when folded than many of the ramps. We’ve got her trained at this point to wait for us to reply the steps before coming down.

We are in the same boat, three car seats in the back. If it’s just me and Milo I will normally just have him hop in the 40 seat on the JLU or the back of the TJ. But when it’s family time, we got to take the JT so he gets crated.

Steps may be the best bet, I am trying to keep him from jumping as much as possible. Labs already have pretty weak joints. Saving grace us I am pretty sure he has a mix somewhere in his lineage, at a minimum he is an American lab bread to work and not show.

 

[USMC_1Wire6337]

Oh he is food motivated just not for his crate. Play is definitely his biggest motivator though. It’s the only way to get him to be ok around a majority of men. Have them chuck his ball and he is best friends ??

But you outlined my plans just start taking trips to the park a few times a week to walk him somewhere out of the norm. He has a huge field behind the house for leashless play so new places to walk is probably my best bet.

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck!

I have loved all the pets I have ever had. They all have had distinct personalities. I even had super smart and super dumb ones over the years. I had a Golden Retriever as a kid that almost drowned at the lake because her front paws touched ground on a steep bank while her butt was still floating. Didn't stop her from jumping back in the water for the tennis ball 5 minutes later.

 

[XJFanatic]

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck!

I have loved all the pets I have ever had. They all have had distinct personalities. I even had super smart and super dumb ones over the years. I had a Golden Retriever as a kid that almost drowned at the lake because her front paws touched ground on a steep bank while her butt was still floating. Didn't stop her from jumping back in the water for the tennis ball 5 minutes later.

That’s Milo?? loves the water but really has a hard time figuring out swimming.

I am an animal nut, trying to impart it on my kids. We spent way to much getting this carnival goldfish to thrive.

 

[dcmdon]

Too bad he's not food motivated. Makes training easier. What about play? Could you spend a couple weekends taking him to dog park as a part of the training?

I have a friend who I hunt with who is in his 70s. He's forgotten more about dog behavior than I will ever know. I mentioned that the GSP that I had before this current dog wasn't food motivated.

His reply was priceless. "Let him skip a meal or two and you will see how food motivated he is.".

 

[dcmdon]

Oh he is food motivated just not for his crate. Play is definitely his biggest motivator though. It’s the only way to get him to be ok around a majority of men. Have them chuck his ball and he is best friends ??

But you outlined my plans just start taking trips to the park a few times a week to walk him somewhere out of the norm. He has a huge field behind the house for leashless play so new places to walk is probably my best bet.

A quick trip in the crate to do his favorite thing worked for me.

One other thing. Maybe reintroduce the crate into the home. My guy still sleeps in a crate in our bedroom and there is another in the kitchen that he stays in when we go out. He loves his crates. In fact he chooses to sleep in them whenever I'm nearby.

Part of the trick is getting him a really nice cushion inside. In my case its TWO egg crate foam cushions on top of each other. Its softer than the couch.

 

[XJFanatic]

A quick trip in the crate to do his favorite thing worked for me.

One other thing. Maybe reintroduce the crate into the home. My guy still sleeps in a crate in our bedroom and there is another in the kitchen that he stays in when we go out. He loves his crates. In fact he chooses to sleep in them whenever I'm nearby.

Part of the trick is getting him a really nice cushion inside. In my case its TWO egg crate foam cushions on top of each other. Its softer than the couch.

Yea he has never been big fan of the crate at night. In fact I am pretty sure his previous owners got him used sleeping under a blanket. That has morphed into sleeping under the covers with his head on my pillow only when I am home. If I am away for work he sleeps at the foot of the bed ??‍

Not a habit I am willing to break, I would rather sleep than have him whimper and lick my face all night. The three kids keep me up enough already.

 

[USMC_1Wire6337]

A quick trip in the crate to do his favorite thing worked for me.

One other thing. Maybe reintroduce the crate into the home. My guy still sleeps in a crate in our bedroom and there is another in the kitchen that he stays in when we go out. He loves his crates. In fact he chooses to sleep in them whenever I'm nearby.

Part of the trick is getting him a really nice cushion inside. In my case its TWO egg crate foam cushions on top of each other. Its softer than the couch.

Mine is trained for the house when she was younger. 10 years later and we still have the crate open downstairs. Only time the door is closed now is when someone bumps it when walking by. She is in there a few times a day, and we often find her there when we get up in the morning. We have one couch, one recliner, one crate and 3 dogs beds. Dog has more places to sit than I do.

 

[Deadeye]

Oh he is food motivated just not for his crate. Play is definitely his biggest motivator though. It’s the only way to get him to be ok around a majority of men. Have them chuck his ball and he is best friends ??

But you outlined my plans just start taking trips to the park a few times a week to walk him somewhere out of the norm. He has a huge field behind the house for leashless play so new places to walk is probably my best bet.

went through some ed advanced training classes with the dog that was very smart and disciplined, but food motivated. She got to the point that she would resist training to try and get treats as well. It was starting to become a real wall for her. A very experienced trainer told me to start having her hold in place, while I moved,an extremely desirable treat for her to different spots, making her wait. Then start putting that treat in the crate. after some good reputations, she quit resisting the other commands too.

also a great scenario for an e-collar, assuming he knows the command well enough.

 

[dcmdon]

went through some ed advanced training classes with the dog that was very smart and disciplined, but food motivated. She got to the point that she would resist training to try and get treats as well. It was starting to become a real wall for her. A very experienced trainer told me to start having her hold in place, while I moved,an extremely desirable treat for her to different spots, making her wait. Then start putting that treat in the crate. after some good reputations, she quit resisting the other commands too.

also a great scenario for an e-collar, assuming he knows the command well enough.

You bring up another important tool the "high value" treat. Not just a treat. But something he REALLY WANTS. .

I was trying to train my guy to run on the tread mill and he was too frightened to get on.

But when I broke out the hot dogs it was game over, how fast can I get on that treadmill. Ha. It was a lot of fun training him to run on it and now if we get a few days of rain, I can run him while I ride my bike inside.

 

[PlayfulBird]

hot dogs

ikr they are the craze here too, can get him to do anything, but he gets diarrhea

 

[Deadeye]

You bring up another important tool the "high value" treat. Not just a treat. But something he REALLY WANTS. .

I was trying to train my guy to run on the tread mill and he was too frightened to get on.

But when I broke out the hot dogs it was game over, how fast can I get on that treadmill. Ha. It was a lot of fun training him to run on it and now if we get a few days of rain, I can run him while I ride my bike inside.

Yep, my dog was terrified of the collapsable baording steps i got from the truck, so we started with a ramp. That was scary too, so i left the ramp flat on the ground and lined it with treats. After that mountain was conquered, it was angled into the truck. After a week of that we did steps.

When she started bucking the crate, we really didn't even use commands at first either. Just left food in it and left the room. Came back to an empty bowl.

As to hotdogs... My dog hates pills. Will feret them out of a treat and spit the pill out across the floor. If it wasn't so infuriating, it'd be hilarious. But a chunk of hotdog with a pill inserted doesn't even get chewed.lol

Also highly recommend the trader joe's treats. The pumpkin ones right now make her lose her mind.

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