This article is meant to give you general guidance as you begin crate training with your puppy or new dog. Teaching your puppy crate training is the first and best step in his life. Crate training makes all the other steps in his training go so much smoother, much like a solid foundation makes for a superior wall. Each individual dog will have its own timeline and its particular motivators. If you are struggling at any point, please call us for an appointment.
Why do we do crate training?
The best reason to get a crate for a dog is because they love it! Dogs feel very safe and secure in there. You’ve probably heard the expression that a dog sleeps with one eye open. That’s partly true. A dog by nature is genetically programmed always to be on guard should the pack face attack or danger. In the wild, dogs seek out caves or other enclosures so that they don’t need to watch in a 360-degree angle. This is their preferred resting environment, and they can enjoy a greater feeling of security and relaxation if enclosed. Providing your dog with his/her very own crate, is giving him a place where he can enjoy some quality rest & relaxation.
Crates help with…
Potty training:
Crates are wonderful tools to help you with potty training a dog. Dogs don’t like to sleep where they soil, so for this type of training you will want the crate to be more fitted. This means the dog should just have enough room to fully stand up and turn around, and that’s enough. If we give too much room, the dog will soil in one spot and curl up and lie down in another. (For more potty training help, please see our article, Potty Training 101.)
Safety:
A crate can keep your dog safe by taking away the opportunity to chew on and/or ingest something that could be harmful. It thereby also keeps the dog from being destructive to your home and belongings.
Acclimating to new animals/environments:
If you are acclimating to a new space or a new animal friend, being able to get used to the new surroundings from the comfort of his safe space makes things easier on your dog. It is a huge asset if you want to take your dog travelling with you.
Combatting separation anxiety:
When you leave a puppy alone, he always has some measure of separation anxiety. This leads him to any behavior that brings him comfort, such as chewing excessively, digging, or when it is severe, voiding his bowels.
When placed in a crate, he feels safe because nothing can get to him, nothing can harm him. He will sleep and chew and wait for you to return. Further, when leaving him overnight at the vet, if your dog is not crate trained he will cry the entire time, feeling lost and abandoned. With crate training, he is sure you will return, you always do. Of course, the vet’s office is strange and will cause him some anxiety, but nothing like the pure terror he will feel without prior experience in being locked in.
Overall, a crate is a great training assistant. It provides safety and security for your puppy and helps you through those moments when you aren’t able to keep track of him. It’s also a great place for your pup to have some down time when he becomes over-stimulated. It helps provide routine, boundaries, and sets you and your dog up for success.
How do we do crate training?
Let’s start with supplies:
You will want to create a positive association with the crate from the jump! So gather your calm and your patience. They will be two of the most helpful tools.
Of course you will need a crate, but there are different types. I recommend a wire crate with a reliable lock. You may also choose a hard sided crate if you prefer. Again, make sure it has a secure locking system. Remember that overall, it should be big enough to suit your dog once he reaches full size. It should also have a divider to make it smaller to start, and then grow with your puppy. Place the divider so the space is large enough for him to stand up and turn around, but not so large that he can roam and wander around. A too-large crate will inhibit house breaking.
Besides a crate, the other supplies needed will be things your dog loves. A variety of treats, toys, chews, etc. will be helpful. You can put a towel, blanket, or dog bed inside, once you get a sense of how much of a chewer your dog is, and if he would get destructive with those items or not. Starting with just the plastic crate liner is completely fine.
Begin to practice:
Set the crate up, make sure the door will stay open, and see how your dog responds. Anytime your dog goes into the crate, praise him. If he is not going in on his own, put something inside that he likes and wait for him to go in. Then praise him. Continue to get your dog to go in by putting desirable items inside. NOTE: You will monitor your dog anytime there are items in the crate with him. You want to watch to get a sense of how much chewing your dog will do, and what types of items he prefers. We don’t ever want him alone with something he could ingest that would do harm.
Get him going in and out frequently. And as this happens, connect a cue with the action. You might say “kennel in” or “crate” or whatever cue suits you. Give the cue, and then guide your dog to walk in (possibly throwing in one of the desired objects). Gradually work to getting the dog to easily go in on cue and then get the reward item. Practice in short spurts.
As soon as you see that your dog is comfortable, you can shut the door. Keep it very short, just a few seconds to start and let the time gradually build. Praise your dog for staying calm in the crate and then let him out. Keep it short so he doesn’t fuss. This helps him learn that staying calm gets the door to open. Practice several times a day, gradually increasing time, and don’t push too far too fast. Always end on a positive note.
Training Progression
Once he sees the dog crate is his exclusive territory, he will go in there on his own, expecting praise, treats, and your attention. He may even lie down and relax. When he does, just let it happen and stay nearby at first. Over time, as he is more comfortable, you can gradually increase your distance from the crate. Then, start leaving the room while he is in there for 2 minutes and onward, gradually. When you return, don’t make a fuss, just walk over and open the crate. In a short time, he will be officially crate-trained, ready to be left alone for an hour (no longer at first), and able to sleep there at night. (Remove his collar during these times.)
When you put the dog in the crate at night for sleeping, put it near where you sleep. When the dog can easily smell that you’re nearby, he will sleep more peacefully and acclimate even faster. He is a pack animal and can easily be unsettled if he is not sleeping near his family. Also, you will be close enough to hear the signals from the very young puppies that they need to go to the bathroom. Somewhere between the age of 12-16 weeks, many puppies are able to begin to sleep through the night.
During the day, never leave a puppy under eight weeks longer than one hour in his crate. He will soil it, after struggling and suffering as long as he can. As his body grows and his muscles get stronger, his potty training will become more reliable, and that time will stretch. Leave him gradually longer, slowly and carefully. Eventually, you will give the command “kennel in“ to let your puppy know it is time for him to go in his crate and rest. If you have to be out of your house regularly for long periods of time, consider finding a dog walker to provide those needed breaks.
It’s Important to Remember…
Do not make a prison of your dog’s crate, or use it as punishment. Do not leave a puppy there for more than 2 hours, just time for a long puppy nap and some chew time. After that, he will cry. Do not remove him while he is crying. This will make him think he has to cry to get out. Cue him to sit or simply wait for him to calm some. No matter what, make sure he is good when you open the door. He will learn to be calm and quiet to get out. Do not make a fuss when you are letting him out, just quietly open the door and take him straight outside to potty. And of course, praise him when he potties outside!
Dogs naturally do not go where they nest, but sometimes it happens. If you are faced with this, do not scold; just clean it out with a calm face. He will learn the lesson. If possible, try to clean it while he is outside, so he returns to a clean crate.
Keep in mind, the potty-training phase will pass fairly quickly, and you will have created a habit that will serve your dog’s peace for years to come.
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