How to Crate Training your dog
Puppies, and many adult dogs, sleep most of the day, and many prefer the comfort of their den. For your mental health, as well as that of your puppy, get a crate. Here are just a few of the many advantages to crate-training your dog:
-A crate is a babysitter — when you’re busy and can’t keep an eye on your dog, but want to make sure he doesn’t get into trouble, put him in his crate. You can relax, and so can he.
-Using a crate is ideal for getting him on a schedule for housetraining.
-Few dogs are fortunate enough to go through life without ever having to be hospitalized. Your dog’s private room at the veterinary hospital will consist of a crate. His first experience with a crate shouldn’t come at a time when he’s sick — the added stress from being crated for the first time can retard his recovery.
-A crate is especially helpful during the times when you have to keep your dog quiet, such as after being altered or after an injury.
-Driving any distance, even around the block, with your dog loose in the car is tempting fate. Stop suddenly and who knows what could happen. Having the dog in a crate protects you and your dog.
-When we go on vacation, we like to take our dog. His crate is his home away from home, and we can leave him in a hotel room knowing he won’t be unhappy or stressed, and he won’t tear up the room.
-A crate is a place where he can get away from the hustle-and-bustle of family life and hide out when the kids become too much for him.
A crate provides a dog with his own special place. It’s cozy, secure, and his place to go to get away from it all. Make sure your dog’s crate is available to him when he wants to nap or take some time out. He’ll use it on his own, so make sure he always has access to it. Depending on where it is, your dog will spend much of his sleeping time in his crate.
Finding the right crate
Select a crate that’s large enough for your dog to turn around, stand up, or lie down comfortably. If he’s a puppy, get a crate for the adult size dog so that he can grow into it. Some crates are better than others in strength and ease of assembly. You can get crates in wire mesh-type material, cloth mesh, or plastic (called airline crates). Most are designed for portability and are easy to assemble. Our own preference for durability and versatility is a wire mesh crate. Wire mesh crates are easy to collapse, although they’re heavier than crates made out of cloth mesh or plastic. We recommend a good-quality crate that collapses easily and is portable so that you can take it with you when traveling with your dog. If you frequently take your dog with you in the car, consider getting two crates, one for the house and one for the car. Doing so saves you from having to lug one back and forth.
Coaxing Buddy into the crate
In order to coax Buddy into the crate, use these helpful hints:
1. Set up the crate and let your dog investigate it. Put a crate pad or blanket in the crate.
2. Choose a command, such as “Crate” or “Go to bed.” If your puppy isn’t lured in, physically place Buddy in the crate, using the command you’ve chosen.
3. Close the door, tell him what a great puppy he is, give him a bite-sized treat, and then let him out. There’s no rule against gentle persuasion to get your pup enthused about his crate.
4. Use a treat to coax him into the crate. If he doesn’t follow the treat, physically place him in the crate and then give him the treat.
5. Again, close the door, tell him what a great little puppy he is, and give him a bite-sized treat.
6. Let him out. The treat doesn’t have to be a dog biscuit so long as it’s an object the dog will actively work for.
7. Continue using the command and giving Buddy a treat after he’s in the crate until he goes into the crate with almost no help from you.
For the puppy that’s afraid of the crate, use his meals to overcome his fear. First, let him eat his meal in front of the crate, and then place his next meal just inside the crate. Put each successive meal a little farther into the crate until he’s completely inside and no longer reluctant to enter.
Helping Buddy get used to the crate
Tell your dog to go into the crate, give him a treat, close the door, tell him what a good puppy he is, and then let him out again. Each time you do this, leave him in the crate a little longer with the door closed, still giving him a treat and telling him how great he is. Finally, put him in his crate, give him a treat, and then leave the room — first for 5 minutes, and then 10 minutes, and then 15 minutes, and so on. Each time you return to let him out, tell him how good he was before you open the door. How long can you ultimately leave your dog in his crate unattended? That depends on your dog and your schedule, but for an adult dog, don’t let it be more than eight hours. Never use your dog’s crate as a form of punishment. If you do, he’ll begin to dislike the crate, and it will lose its usefulness to you. You don’t want Buddy to develop negative feelings about his crate. You want him to like his private den.
