# Crate/House-Training Chart To Print Out?



## camperbc (Sep 19, 2017)

Some time ago, while browsing the internet, I came across an awesome crate-training chart/schedule for GSD puppies coming home at 8-10 weeks or so. It was a nicely laid out, simple but detailed daily timetable for naps, meals, potty breaks, play time, etc, that could be printed out and stuck on the fridge for quick reference. Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate it again, so I'm curious if perhaps someone here may have a copy of said chart, or possibly can steer me in the right direction, as I think something like this would be a good tool to many, like myself, who might be a bit rusty when it comes to house-training a puppy. 

Sure, I found a few similar (but more basic/generic) ones while Googling, but I hope someone on this fine forum may have just the ticket, and if so, I'd be grateful if I could snag a copy of it to print out. In fact, it would be ideal to have it as a sticky for everyone on here to see. Please forgive me if it turns out that there is already something similar here... I have been looking throughout the site, and of course have been using the forum's search tool, but have so far come up empty-handed. Thanking you in advance... any assistance would be very much appreciated! 

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland

_*our dear Sheba at 6 weeks, taken 10 days ago*_



_*our dear Chrissy at 10 years* _


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## camperbc (Sep 19, 2017)

Anyone at all?

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland


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## SitkatheGSD (Aug 24, 2017)

Oh he is sooo cute!!

Is something like this what you were looking for? 

Puppy Crate Training Schedule

scroll to the bottom to find the chart


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## camperbc (Sep 19, 2017)

SitkatheGSD said:


> Oh he is sooo cute!! Is something like this what you were looking for?
> Puppy Crate Training Schedule scroll to the bottom to find the chart


Thanks, SitkatheGSD. Yes, along this line, but more detailed, and not so much a generalized chart for all types of puppies. 

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland


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## camperbc (Sep 19, 2017)

After yet another exhaustive online search, and also having gone back through all of my books and saved material/articles, etc, I have been unable to locate the daily GSD house/crate-training chart that I had mentioned above. With so many members on here with a wealth of knowledge on this subject, I am really hoping that someone may step up to the plate to draft such a schedule, for the great many of us who are either doing this for the first time, or have not house-trained a puppy in years. We could have it posted permanently on this forum as a sticky. Also, one could simply print it out to stick on their fridge for quick reference. 

Thank-you,
Glen
Focus On Newfoundland


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## camperbc (Sep 19, 2017)

Anyone?

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

honestly, I doubt that you could actually make a 1 size fits all schedule. none of us get up at the same time. We don't have to run errands, do feedings, cook for our families etc etc.

I don't even potty train on the same schedule day to day.


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## camperbc (Sep 19, 2017)

Dainerra said:


> honestly, I doubt that you could actually make a 1 size fits all schedule. none of us get up at the same time. We don't have to run errands, do feedings, cook for our families etc etc.
> 
> I don't even potty train on the same schedule day to day.



OK Dainerra, thanks anyway. 

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland


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## Tennessee (Apr 13, 2017)

Like this OP?


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## camperbc (Sep 19, 2017)

Tennessee said:


> Like this OP?


Thanks! I just made one up based on this. 

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

You did not get much of a reply because members here don’t follow rigid schedules with a puppy. I understand wanting to do everything right, but a dog that is over scheduled and kept to a tightly controlled schedule can develop behavior problems. I was so structured with one puppy, I created a pee fear scenario where the dog would only go in one spot in our yard and never anywhere away from home. This was after about 20 accidents indoors, in spite of a schedule. I finally started taking the dog out with another dog every fifteen-30 minutes when active and once during the night. That worked out much better.


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## camperbc (Sep 19, 2017)

LuvShepherds said:


> You did not get much of a reply because members here don’t follow rigid schedules with a puppy. I understand wanting to do everything right, but a dog that is over scheduled and kept to a tightly controlled schedule can develop behavior problems. I was so structured with one puppy, I created a pee fear scenario where the dog would only go in one spot in our yard and never anywhere away from home. This was after about 20 accidents indoors, in spite of a schedule. I finally started taking the dog out with another dog every fifteen-30 minutes when active and once during the night. That worked out much better.


It had never entered my mind that we could be _too_ scheduled. Good point... it makes sense. Thanks! 

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Puppies are babies at that age. I like to control things too, but have learned to be flexible. Mine are more scheduled now that they are older.


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## Armistice (Oct 12, 2017)

I'm trying to find something similar. I'm having a hard time with potty training. I just got a treat bag, so when we go out to go potty she gets a treat and then we do some walking. Then come in a play a little

She seemed better, so let her have more room to play (blocked off living/ dining room area), and seemed to help tire her out more. She was doing ok at it. But yesterday had 2 accidents and today 1 in the morning. In her playpen, she'd usually start whining and that was my cue, but when she's out of the pen playing, she will just stop and squat and go without telling me anything. I usually can pick up on her sniffing around, but sometimes she's just sniffing for a toy or will just lay down, so it can be very confusing as to what she's doing

She only has crate time at night and if we leave, otherwise she was in the play pen

I'm prob going to try something like we go out to go potty and do a little walking. We then come inside for about 15mins of play. I try to get her to drink some water and finally, into the crate for at least an hr or until she wakes up from a nap. Repeat. I really don't want to use the crate THAT much, but if it'll help stop the accidents...


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Armistice said:


> I'm trying to find something similar. I'm having a hard time with potty training. I just got a treat bag, so when we go out to go potty she gets a treat and then we do some walking. Then come in a play a little
> 
> She seemed better, so let her have more room to play (blocked off living/ dining room area), and seemed to help tire her out more. She was doing ok at it. But yesterday had 2 accidents and today 1 in the morning. In her playpen, she'd usually start whining and that was my cue, but when she's out of the pen playing, she will just stop and squat and go without telling me anything. I usually can pick up on her sniffing around, but sometimes she's just sniffing for a toy or will just lay down, so it can be very confusing as to what she's doing
> 
> ...


See if this would help. Instead of giving her treats or coming back in to play, take her out and let her go potty without any big excitement. If you bring her back in, don't play. Just put her in the crate. If you want to stay out and play, explore a little bit first calmly. Just have a little separation there so going potty where and when you want is the first thing on her mind and she isn't distracted by thinking about play or treats. Be very direct about it and do it repeatedly. Don't look for signals from her. Pre-empt.


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## az_girl (May 21, 2017)

camperbc said:


> Thanks! I just made one up based on this.
> 
> Glen
> Focus On Newfoundland


CamperBC, can you share your schedule that you typed up? Needing something for our new girl as she whines ALLL the time and need something to give me an idea of how much time I Need to actually spend interacting with her because right now if I don't give her 100% of my time she whines and she can't have my attention 100% of the time :grin2:


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## camperbc (Sep 19, 2017)

az_girl said:


> CamperBC, can you share your schedule that you typed up? Needing something for our new girl as she whines ALLL the time and need something to give me an idea of how much time I Need to actually spend interacting with her because right now if I don't give her 100% of my time she whines and she can't have my attention 100% of the time :grin2:


az_girl, I rather stupidly threw out the printed copy of my puppy schedule and deleted the file... just wasn't thinking that perhaps someone may find it useful. Sorry about that. But we found that the precise schedule was actually making things more complicated than they needed to be. And my wife and I can totally relate to the whining you mention. We went through that too, and we eventually came to the conclusion that we were in fact spending _too much_ time interacting, and were not letting her get accustomed to being alone. When we backed off a bit, she became more accustomed to her crate, and was no longer needing us to hover over her all the time. Sheba has been home for almost 4 weeks now, and these past two weeks have been awesome. She is now fully house-trained, is very much settled into her new environment, does not whine or bark, and is able to play happily for hours with her collection of toys. Of course we spend tons of time with her each day, but now we know that we don't _have_ to. 

I was against the whole crate-training thing initially, but I must admit that it has been a godsend. Sheba _loves_ her crate and it's her favourite place to just chill/rest. It was definitely a huge help in house-training her in very short order. We never had a mess to clean up after the first week that she was home. And by week #2 she was sleeping right through the night with no need to get up to go outside... just once before we go to bed, then again when we get up in the morning. When she has to go out in the daytime, she will place her paw on the door and make one soft bark to let us know. Today I ordered one of those "potty bells", so she will learn to just ring the bell to let us know when she needs to go out. 

Anyway, the whining phase you are experiencing is just that... a phase. I think they all do that for awhile, but a believe we shortened that stage by _not_ being right at her beck and call, 24/7. Now she loves to have us hanging around playing with her, but she is also happy to keep herself entertained too. Thankfully, _mercifully_, no more whining! 

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland


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## az_girl (May 21, 2017)

camperbc said:


> az_girl, I rather stupidly threw out the printed copy of my puppy schedule and deleted the file... just wasn't thinking that perhaps someone may find it useful. Sorry about that. But we found that the precise schedule was actually making things more complicated than they needed to be. And my wife and I can totally relate to the whining you mention. We went through that too, and we eventually came to the conclusion that we were in fact spending _too much_ time interacting, and were not letting her get accustomed to being alone. When we backed off a bit, she became more accustomed to her crate, and was no longer needing us to hover over her all the time. Sheba has been home for almost 4 weeks now, and these past two weeks have been awesome. She is now fully house-trained, is very much settled into her new environment, does not whine or bark, and is able to play happily for hours with her collection of toys. Of course we spend tons of time with her each day, but now we know that we don't _have_ to.
> 
> I was against the whole crate-training thing initially, but I must admit that it has been a godsend. Sheba _loves_ her crate and it's her favourite place to just chill/rest. It was definitely a huge help in house-training her in very short order. We never had a mess to clean up after the first week that she was home. And by week #2 she was sleeping right through the night with no need to get up to go outside... just once before we go to bed, then again when we get up in the morning. When she has to go out in the daytime, she will place her paw on the door and make one soft bark to let us know. Today I ordered one of those "potty bells", so she will learn to just ring the bell to let us know when she needs to go out.
> 
> ...


 Great tips and hints. Thanks for sharing!! Everything you said rings true to me ie. over scheduling, making them self entertain, crate training etc. The first 24 hours were very hard and I was desperate for some input as I was running off of 2 hours of sleep from her nighttime crate hating shenanigans :grin2: but we are finally starting to understand each other and each day gets better and better ( although every day she becomes more and more of a land shark. I think I say OUT 80 times a day!!! Lol).


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