Question...Crate training

[Marley&me]

My Chihuahua who is 7 months goes every where with me. I haven't started to crate train him. He has been left alone only one time for maybe a hour, when I came back; he was freaking out like he had never seen a human before. I also bring him to my moms house almost everyday because she babysits for me when I can't bring him along. Does he get confused going back and forth between the house? and, also is it too late to start crate training him? I think I feel bad leaving him in a crate for hours( just seems wrong) but, I have no life because I'm always with Marley.

[Marley&me]

My mom also have 7 dogs; so he learns bad behaviors from them.. I feel lost

[rottysrule]

don't think its to late to start. your pup is probably not used to being alone so its having anxiety about being alone. I know when i was crate training my pup she hated the plastic kennel that she couldn't see out of. luckily a friend was done kenneling her pup at night so she gave me its old metal crate that they used for like a month or two, and she did great.

[Dee-O-Gee]

I agree with rottysrule and if you do decide to crate train, go with a wired one. You wouldn't need a large one for a Chihuahua but make sure you cover the top and sides with a blanket or a dark sheet and leave the door uncovered. Also make sure it's placed in a common room where you spend most of your time. We set ours up in a corner in the living room.

You may want to also throw a blanket or a crate bed inside and slowly introduce the crate to your dog.

I covered our dogs crate with a dark sheet and to this day, both of them just walk right into the crate and cuddle each other.

Good luck Marley&me.