Did you crate train to housebreak your Bouvier?

[Sarah Alling]

>>How did it go?
Was there a "whining phase?"
How long was it before the dog "got it?"
Did you housebreak a different way? <<

Good.
Yes.
Pretty quickly.
Wouldn't do it any other way.

Hi Carson. I have had Bouviers for 35 years now. I am one of the ones, as Mike described in another post, that has a Bouvier and another breed (2 Curly Coated Retrievers).
My current Bouvier, Scarlet, is a 13 month old pup. She was crate trained from the very beginning, and, I will say, we had a streak where it was VERY noisy when she was left alone in it--as in I left the room. That took a month or two to subside--whining or barking NEVER gets the crate door opened in our house--but eventually she decided that her crate was a safe, fun place, and now, as Mike said of some of his Bouvs (who are Scarlet's relatives), Scarlet goes into her crate by herself sometimes just to relax. Crate door is left open for that.
Lots of treats for going into your crate at the beginning, and lots of interactice toys in there with you (like a Premier Pet Busy Bone, or stuffed Kong, etc.)
A crate is so necessary for keeping a pup out of trouble when you don't have the time to watch her. Making it a fun place to be makes it so much easier on you both.