Cracker's favorite place is her kennel. I leave it open most of the time. She spends time in there with the gate wide open. I fed her this afternoon and watched point squirrels while I was grilling my steak. I looked around after dinner and found her back in her dog box. She's exceptional in this area but I've never owned a dog that was kennel shy in any way.

What is your experience in this area?

If they’re slow learners grab ahold of their ears and toss them in there when you say kennel. It doesn’t take them long to learn that command. I have a year old dog right now that had never been in a kennel. He grew up with a man older than you Bill that still keeps dogs staked on a chain next to their doghouse. He’s a little shy of the kennel and scared to death of the water hose. We’ve made freinds and he’s coming along nicely but doesn’t want to get in his kennel. I’m working with him and have to toss him in by his collar. I haven’t pulled an ear yet but he’s getting close. He’s a nice pup and I’m going slow with him. I can’t blame him for being nervous with something new.

Is there any way you can feed him on top of his dog box?

Hold the prongs of an e-collar on his butt and hit the button. Make sure his head is pointed toward the open door of the kennel.

when its feeding time put the bowl in there but don't close it. Make it a good experience.

My oldest son feeds my dogs and I have had him go ahead and feed while I have this pup out working with him. He’s happier to go in if there’s already a bowl of food out.

I wouldn't go with plywood again, but thsese dog boxes have served me well for 42 years. This is where I feed Cracker.

IMHO...this is a horrible idea. Dogs associate the shock of the collar with the current environment they're in (e.g. snake training). You shock a dog just to get him in a kennel and he associates the shock with the kennel. It may work for you but we will have to agree to disagree.

Raise your pup in the kennel, feed and water in open kennel, throw treats in kennel and they will grow to it.

I also found the kennel can be a great way to bold up a pup that is soft to the gun. My kennel has two runs. I put my two older dogs in one run and the soft one in the second run. I walked a wing clipped quail by. The older dogs went crazy. I blanked them every time. Soon all dogs were barking and jumping as I shot the blank.

He was joking.

Good deal...

Actually have used that method on a couple older, hard headed, male pointers that refused to load in the truck box after a hunt. I wouldn’t use this method on a pup.

I start feeding my dogs in their Kennels from day one that I have them. It doesn't take long for them to start going in happily.

A couple of my pups from my last litter.

Nice job BB.

I concur.

Thanks guys! Everyone seems to be loving those pups.

Anyone watching keep that in mind when you're looking for your next hunt buddy...LOL! (Shameless plug)

These are the kinds of things I try to do with my litter before they ever leave.

The problems I see that most people have are things that should never be an issue to begin with. People cause 90% of the issues.

I've had four labs and and they were all kennel trained at a young age. I could tell them kennel up and they would and just like Bill I would often find them laying in their kennels.

I had two that would get bored in the back yard and jump the fence to go sit on the front porch. I received a call from animal control one day saying they were out and since I had the dog box In the back of my truck she just lowered the tail fat and they jumped up and loaded right in. She was just amazed that they would do that. I told her they were trained to do that and I would be right there to get them.

OK, so I have been keeping up with this thread. Read the part about feeding dogs in their kennels. So I started it just to see how they would respond. Now just FYI, my dogs (3 English Pointers) have always kenneled up when I told them to. But man now they run to their kennels when I tell them to. So feeding them in their kennels does work and makes it a great place to be!!! Thanks guys

my little girl will set the floor on fire getting to her kennel or place lol. Great to hear the success.

My jagd will put her self to bed often