I purchased DAP last night for Kiya and it didnt seem to help last night but, my question is, how long does it take for the DAP diffuser to take affect on a dog? Because if this doesnt work i dont know what to do.
Forum members might be able to assist you more if you provide some details about what you are attempting to treat with the DAP. What behaviors from Kiya do you find troublesome? DAP is typically advised as an adjuct therapy. Certain individuals are not impacted by it at all.
It took about 2 days for Roxy to respond to the DAP. Make sure to plug it in in a room that she is in for most of the day. Otherwise, she may not benefit from it. We plug ours in in the living room where her crate is and she spends most of her day either in that room or in my office just a few short feet away. I'd be curious to see how she responds in the next 2-3 days.
I wouldn't consider DAP as your miracle cure. From your intro post it seems like there are other things you should be doing to get Kiya to love her crate, including positive training. Have you tried putting super yummy treats in there for her to go in and snack on during the day? The crate door should always be open even when not in use.
Please elaborate on any other issues you may be having so we can help!
Dog Appeasing Pheromone. It mimics the properties of the natural pheromones of the lactating female which is supposed to calm puppies (and some adult dogs)
I do put treats in there. I guess i misread the post about dap the other day. She is fine, she doesnt chew on things she isnt really aggresive (she does play). The only real problem i am having is when she has to get into her crate. She is an swesome dog, she get plenty of exercise, plenty of food/treats, walked all of the time, we constantly are teaching her tricks (so she doesnt get to bored). And we have 3 other dogs all older than Kiya. All of my other dogs have never been this way when it came time to being in their crate, and i am only getting between 4 and 5 hours of sleep a night due to this crate situation.
And i guess i really dont know what you mean about positive reinforcing with the crate. Could you maybe please give some examples of what you are talking about?
Also she is in the living room most of the day when people are home, but her crate is in my room. So could maybe please explain why i should put the DAP diffuser in the living room and not in my room.
I tried DAP for 3 months. I didn't notice any behaviorial changes in my Shiba at all - so I stopped using it since I had to buy 3 plug ins and they get kind of pricey. It works for some dogs, but doesn't work for others, doesn't mean that you still can't help your dog in others ways though.
POSITIVE ASSOCIATIONS Crate training should all be done positively with no negative associations. When you first bring the puppy home from the breeder, have the crate ready and comfortable for the puppy. I put a towel or a washable pad in the crate, possibly a pillow so it is an inviting area for the puppy. (My dogs crates are as comfortable and inviting as my own bed!) I get a small yummy treat (small piece of raw hot dog works well) and allow the puppy to sniff it and then lure the puppy into the crate with the treat. When the puppy goes into the crate to get the treat and explore the new area I just leave the door open and let him come out as he wishes. I don't force the pup into the crate and I don't make him stay in there the first several times. I then repeat putting a treat in the crate, allowing the puppy to go in on his own for the treat. I do this several times and praise the puppy gently while it's in the crate and associate a word or phrase for going in the crate. My word association is "kennel up". I use the word association AS I'm putting the treat into the crate and the puppy is following it in. Do this about five times and then quit for awhile. Repeat this proceedure several times the first day.
Closing The Crate Door When the puppy is going in after the treat comfortably and when the puppy has just finished playing and piddling and is tired, lure the puppy into the crate with the treat as you have before only this time close the door. I also put a new toy in the crate at this time. Something the puppy hasn't seen before and something that is interesting and will keep his attention for a few minutes. After I close the door, I sit on the floor in front of the crate and talk to the puppy if necessary. If the puppy cries or whines, I put my fingers through the grate in the door to reassure the puppy that I am still there. Usually, they will only whine for a short while and may even fall asleep if they are tired. I stay there until the whining subsides and the puppy calms down and then open the crate door. 5-10 minutes usually. If the puppy happens to fall asleep, great! I let him sleep in the crate until he wakes up and then it's right outside to go potty. I don't use alot of praise and fanfare when I open the crate door and I ignore the puppy for a few minutes after he is out so that he doesn't get the impression that getting out is much more fun than being in the crate. I do not let the puppy out of the crate until he is quiet for at least 30 seconds and has calmed down if he has been whining. I might try and distract him with another toy to give him a chance to be quiet so I can let him out while he is quiet but I WILL NOT let him out, especially the first time, until he IS quiet. I don't yell or correct in any negative way. I just make up my mind that I will calmly wait the puppy out no matter what.
The First Night At Home If you have gotten your puppy during the day and had time to do the above steps, great! The puppy will already be familiar with going in the crate after a treat. If not, and you want to begin the puppy's life at his new home sleeping in a crate here's what to do. I play with the puppy till he's tired, make sure he has pottied outside and place the comfortable crate (with pad and towels etc.) on a chair or table right next to my bed where I can reach it while I'm still lying down. My night stand is set up for this purpose. I remove any collar that might be unsafe, place or lure the tired puppy into the crate (possibly with a safe toy) go to bed and turn out the lights as usual. If the puppy whines, I place my fingers in the grate of the crate and talk softly to the puppy until he falls asleep. I may lose a little sleep that night and possibly the next but I will NOT open the door for the puppy for at least four hours. (I repeat: the puppy has successfully pottied just before this!). I do not get angry with the puppy or yell at him but I do not give in and let him out either. If the crate is comfortable and warm enough, the lights are out and you are right there to talk softly to him and let him lick your fingers, then usually he will fall asleep within an hour, less if he is tired. At eight weeks of age you cannot expect the puppy to go more than four hours without pottying. So, as soon as the puppy whines after waking up, have your sweats, shoes and shirt ready to take the puppy outside. Dress yourself quickly before you open the crate, carry the puppy to the potty area immediately, praise softly and gently for a job well done, bring him back in and without getting into a play session with him, return the puppy to his crate, turn the lights out and go back to sleep. If the puppy fusses for awhile, talk softly and put your fingers in the grate of the crate. Two or three nights of this at the most and your puppy will be used to the routine. If you happen to sleep through the puppy whining and he is forced to potty in his crate because he can't hold it, don't blame or scold the puppy. It is your responsibility to get the puppy out BEFORE he has had a chance soil his den. Clean it up using a urine neutralizer (I use a light vinegar and water mix) put clean towels or pads in the crate and return to your routine. Set an alarm clock if you have to. The crate should not be too big for the pup, otherwise there will be enough room for the puppy to soil in it's crate and not think about it as soiling his sleeping area. Later on, after the puppy is used to it's routine and after he no longer needs to go out every four hours, you can put the crate on the floor of your bedroom or somewhere else in the house.
Crating When You Leave The House At some point you have to go to work or go out somewhere and can't take the puppy. He's made it through his first day and night at his new home. He is familiar with his crate and it does not have any unpleasant associations linked to it. Make sure the pup has been exercised and has pottied. It is helpful if he has played a bit and is tired. Take off his collar and remove any unsafe toys that may be in the crate, lure him into the crate with a treat and your association word or physically place the puppy into the crate gently. Close the door and leave the house without further ado. No talking to him etc. He may whine a little. You might have to explain to your neighbors that you are crate training your new puppy to keep him safe from chewing things like electrical cords and your new shoes while you are away and so he will develop good potty habits. Explain that he may whine for a little while after you leave. Hopefully they will understand. Don't stay away too long. An hour or two, is optimal. If you have to go to work and have no other choice, then arrange to come home at lunch to feed, exercise and potty the puppy during your break or have someone else come in and do this for you. A puppy cannot be expected to go longer than four hours without a potty break and it is very hard to retrain a puppy that is used to soiling his crate.
A Place To Get Away From It All After the puppy has grown a bit and is used to being put into his crate when you leave and at night when you sleep, you will see something interesting happen. When the puppy is tired and wants some time alone, possibly away from the children (who should not be allowed access to the puppys crate for play purposes) he will go to his crate and curl up and go to sleep. I leave the doors of my crates open and my dogs frequently go there to take a nap on their own volition.
Here is a visual quick run down via video from expert village which shows positive training with use of crate.
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/3329_housebreaking-dogs-crate-training-video.htm
However, in this clip it stops at the presenter closing the door. To extend what the video offers...I would close the door count to three and then let the pup out. You should make a game out of it and see how fast you can get them in and count up and then let them out. Over time you want to increase the duration.
Randomize throughout the day when you have her go in and the door is open, and also when shut, slowly increasing the duration of the door being shut when you play the game. Always reward for going in and never use the crate to punish.
I would also put another crate in the living and practice the crate game there. Make sure you have a towel to put over the crate so that it is not open on all ends, if it is wire crate. Sometimes flipping the towel over the front when you want the dog to take a nap helps to quiet them down.
Crate games by Susan Garett is worth a view. It can be purchased from
http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1363&ParentCat=226
Some shibas do take time in adjusting. Invest in some ear plugs for yourself so you can get some rest.
Snf
Comments
Please elaborate on any other issues you may be having so we can help!
And i guess i really dont know what you mean about positive reinforcing with the crate. Could you maybe please give some examples of what you are talking about?
Also she is in the living room most of the day when people are home, but her crate is in my room. So could maybe please explain why i should put the DAP diffuser in the living room and not in my room.
POSITIVE ASSOCIATIONS
Crate training should all be done positively with no negative associations. When you first bring the puppy home from the breeder, have the crate ready and comfortable for the puppy. I put a towel or a washable pad in the crate, possibly a pillow so it is an inviting area for the puppy. (My dogs crates are as comfortable and inviting as my own bed!) I get a small yummy treat (small piece of raw hot dog works well) and allow the puppy to sniff it and then lure the puppy into the crate with the treat. When the puppy goes into the crate to get the treat and explore the new area I just leave the door open and let him come out as he wishes. I don't force the pup into the crate and I don't make him stay in there the first several times. I then repeat putting a treat in the crate, allowing the puppy to go in on his own for the treat. I do this several times and praise the puppy gently while it's in the crate and associate a word or phrase for going in the crate. My word association is "kennel up". I use the word association AS I'm putting the treat into the crate and the puppy is following it in. Do this about five times and then quit for awhile. Repeat this proceedure several times the first day.
Closing The Crate Door
When the puppy is going in after the treat comfortably and when the puppy has just finished playing and piddling and is tired, lure the puppy into the crate with the treat as you have before only this time close the door. I also put a new toy in the crate at this time. Something the puppy hasn't seen before and something that is interesting and will keep his attention for a few minutes. After I close the door, I sit on the floor in front of the crate and talk to the puppy if necessary. If the puppy cries or whines, I put my fingers through the grate in the door to reassure the puppy that I am still there. Usually, they will only whine for a short while and may even fall asleep if they are tired. I stay there until the whining subsides and the puppy calms down and then open the crate door. 5-10 minutes usually. If the puppy happens to fall asleep, great! I let him sleep in the crate until he wakes up and then it's right outside to go potty. I don't use alot of praise and fanfare when I open the crate door and I ignore the puppy for a few minutes after he is out so that he doesn't get the impression that getting out is much more fun than being in the crate. I do not let the puppy out of the crate until he is quiet for at least 30 seconds and has calmed down if he has been whining. I might try and distract him with another toy to give him a chance to be quiet so I can let him out while he is quiet but I WILL NOT let him out, especially the first time, until he IS quiet. I don't yell or correct in any negative way. I just make up my mind that I will calmly wait the puppy out no matter what.
The First Night At Home
If you have gotten your puppy during the day and had time to do the above steps, great! The puppy will already be familiar with going in the crate after a treat. If not, and you want to begin the puppy's life at his new home sleeping in a crate here's what to do. I play with the puppy till he's tired, make sure he has pottied outside and place the comfortable crate (with pad and towels etc.) on a chair or table right next to my bed where I can reach it while I'm still lying down. My night stand is set up for this purpose. I remove any collar that might be unsafe, place or lure the tired puppy into the crate (possibly with a safe toy) go to bed and turn out the lights as usual. If the puppy whines, I place my fingers in the grate of the crate and talk softly to the puppy until he falls asleep. I may lose a little sleep that night and possibly the next but I will NOT open the door for the puppy for at least four hours. (I repeat: the puppy has successfully pottied just before this!). I do not get angry with the puppy or yell at him but I do not give in and let him out either. If the crate is comfortable and warm enough, the lights are out and you are right there to talk softly to him and let him lick your fingers, then usually he will fall asleep within an hour, less if he is tired. At eight weeks of age you cannot expect the puppy to go more than four hours without pottying. So, as soon as the puppy whines after waking up, have your sweats, shoes and shirt ready to take the puppy outside. Dress yourself quickly before you open the crate, carry the puppy to the potty area immediately, praise softly and gently for a job well done, bring him back in and without getting into a play session with him, return the puppy to his crate, turn the lights out and go back to sleep. If the puppy fusses for awhile, talk softly and put your fingers in the grate of the crate. Two or three nights of this at the most and your puppy will be used to the routine. If you happen to sleep through the puppy whining and he is forced to potty in his crate because he can't hold it, don't blame or scold the puppy. It is your responsibility to get the puppy out BEFORE he has had a chance soil his den. Clean it up using a urine neutralizer (I use a light vinegar and water mix) put clean towels or pads in the crate and return to your routine. Set an alarm clock if you have to. The crate should not be too big for the pup, otherwise there will be enough room for the puppy to soil in it's crate and not think about it as soiling his sleeping area. Later on, after the puppy is used to it's routine and after he no longer needs to go out every four hours, you can put the crate on the floor of your bedroom or somewhere else in the house.
Crating When You Leave The House
At some point you have to go to work or go out somewhere and can't take the puppy. He's made it through his first day and night at his new home. He is familiar with his crate and it does not have any unpleasant associations linked to it. Make sure the pup has been exercised and has pottied. It is helpful if he has played a bit and is tired. Take off his collar and remove any unsafe toys that may be in the crate, lure him into the crate with a treat and your association word or physically place the puppy into the crate gently. Close the door and leave the house without further ado. No talking to him etc. He may whine a little. You might have to explain to your neighbors that you are crate training your new puppy to keep him safe from chewing things like electrical cords and your new shoes while you are away and so he will develop good potty habits. Explain that he may whine for a little while after you leave. Hopefully they will understand. Don't stay away too long. An hour or two, is optimal. If you have to go to work and have no other choice, then arrange to come home at lunch to feed, exercise and potty the puppy during your break or have someone else come in and do this for you. A puppy cannot be expected to go longer than four hours without a potty break and it is very hard to retrain a puppy that is used to soiling his crate.
A Place To Get Away From It All
After the puppy has grown a bit and is used to being put into his crate when you leave and at night when you sleep, you will see something interesting happen. When the puppy is tired and wants some time alone, possibly away from the children (who should not be allowed access to the puppys crate for play purposes) he will go to his crate and curl up and go to sleep. I leave the doors of my crates open and my dogs frequently go there to take a nap on their own volition.
http://cynography.blogspot.com/2008/12/crate-sweet-crate.html
Here is a visual quick run down via video from expert village which shows positive training with use of crate.
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/3329_housebreaking-dogs-crate-training-video.htm
However, in this clip it stops at the presenter closing the door. To extend what the video offers...I would close the door count to three and then let the pup out. You should make a game out of it and see how fast you can get them in and count up and then let them out. Over time you want to increase the duration.
Randomize throughout the day when you have her go in and the door is open, and also when shut, slowly increasing the duration of the door being shut when you play the game. Always reward for going in and never use the crate to punish.
I would also put another crate in the living and practice the crate game there. Make sure you have a towel to put over the crate so that it is not open on all ends, if it is wire crate. Sometimes flipping the towel over the front when you want the dog to take a nap helps to quiet them down.
Crate games by Susan Garett is worth a view. It can be purchased from
http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1363&ParentCat=226
Some shibas do take time in adjusting. Invest in some ear plugs for yourself so you can get some rest.
Snf