Crate Training

When your puppy comes home he will be the most adorable and endearing little creature. Spending time with them is so much fun, and the thought of putting them in a crate seems so cruel. But as puppy grows larger, gets bigger teeth, pees larger puddles on your carpet, and develops his adult energy - you will find him a real challenge and stress to live with if you have not taught crate training. Imagine a teenager without their own bedroom? When your dog grows into his teen years, he will also really benefit from having his own room.

Crates are a safe place for dogs. They are never sent there in shame. They will be sent there when owners no longer want to deal with them and need a time-out, but the difference is they can never be sent in anger. Their crate is their sanctuary. It needs to remain so.

Purchasing:

When purchasing your crate by one that fits your breed of dog. Do not purchase one much larger. Dogs are more comfortable in a well fitted crate, than they are a huge one. It should be big enough for him to stand up, turn around, and be able to stretch out. For travel it is safer to travel in a smaller fitted crate - though the dog must still be able to stand up and turn around comfortably.

You can purchase metal, or plastic crates. Both are excellent and have advantages and disadvantages. Metal crates allow more air flow into your dog.

Where to put your crate?

I suggest placing it in a part of the house where he can still be actively involved in the goings on. I deteste crates placed in unused rooms, and most basements. I suggest living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms. My puppies have two crates. One in the TV room, and one in my bedroom for night-time.

Training:

Crate Introduction: Start as soon as you get your puppy. Toss a cookie right into the entrance way of the crate and let your puppy chase it in. Then throw another cookie further into the crate and let him chase it in. Then, restrain your puppy, throw a cookie in, then let your puppy go. Once your puppy is doing this, he is ready for lesson number 1.

1) Feed your puppy his food in the entrance way of his crate for his first feeding of that day

2) Feed your puppy his food inside the centre of the crate for second feeding of that same day

3) Feed your puppy his third meal of the day with his food at the back of the crate. Please note that the gate has not yet been closed.

4) On day two, feed your puppy inside the crate, WITH THE DOOR CLOSED. When your puppy is done, open up the door and let him out.

NEVER LET YOUR PUPPY OUT IF HE IS CRYING. ONLY EVER LET HIM OUT WHEN HE IS SILENT If after his food he is crying, wait until he is silent before you let him out. If he is really upset, you can lift the front of the crate 1 cm off the floor and let it bang on the floor. Often this will quite your puppy long enough for you to say 'good quiet' and then you can let him out!

Feed each meal in the crate from this point on, with the door closed.

5) Your puppy is now ready to spend night-times next to you in his little crate. The crate should be right beside your bed, close enough so that you can put your fingers into the bars if he needs soothing. I will often sleep with my fingers in the bars. Several times through the night my puppy might squirm, finds my fingers, licks them, then settles right back down to sleep. My puppy sleeps in his crate on day two. For day one, puppies sleep with me in my bed. That first night of cuddling and bonding makes sleeping away from siblings so much less scary, and makes future crate training so much simpler and painless for all participants.

Let your puppy sleep this way for several weeks at least. My young dogs all sleep in my bedroom in their crates for at least their first three months of life.

6) Start crating your puppy for short amounts of time when you have to run out (such as the grocery store). When you return home, only let him out when he is silent.

7) Once you have mastered step six, crate him for an hour, when you are HOME. A good time to practice is when you are eating supper. Only let him out when he is silent.

Congratulations - you have now crate trained your dog.

Copyright by Monique Anstee. May be reprinted without permission 1) if used in its entirety without editing; and 2) provided copyright notice remains in place.