Tips on Crate Training Your Dog

Though some view crate training as cruel, if done correctly it actually provides many benefits to the dog and its owner. Some of these advantages include toilet training the dog, giving you a place to put the dog without worrying about him chewing everything in your house, and providing a safe and secure place for the dog to rest in. Crate training is commonly used for the small indoor breeds, but can be used for larger dogs too. However, some dogs can have some difficulty learning the concept, so here are some tips that you can try to help your dog feel comfortable in his new home!

Be Realistic

It’s important to not leave the dog in the crate all day long, or to push his boundaries if he’s still a puppy. A puppy can only hold his bladder for a short time (from ages 2-6 months, the amount of hours he can hold it and therefore stay in his crate is equal to how many months old he is), so don’t try to push him past this point. On the other hand, if you are training an older dog who has never been in a crate before, it may take longer for him to learn, so be patient. If you are leaving your dog in the crate for an extended amount of time or it’s a hot day, then a source of water in the crate is necessary. Try leaving the radio on when he is in the crate as well, as this can provide comfort.

It’s a Bed, Not a Cage

Make your dog’s crate comfortable, with a pillow or a dog bed, and maybe a soft toy or a blanket as well. Always put your dog in his crate for naps and during the night so he associates being in there with sleeping and relaxing. He will soon learn that his crate is his bed and is a special place for him only.

Encouragement

Perhaps the best thing to do is to let your dog know that his crate is a happy place, which can be done by many different means. Try some of these out to see which encourages your dog best.

Feeding your dog in his crate is a very effective positive reinforcement, as dogs love food! Also involving food is the method of training your dog the command ‘go in your bed’ and rewarding him with a few treats for going in his crate. Another thing that might help is putting your dog’s favourite toy in the crate with him. This will also aid in reinforcing the notion that his crate is a happy place. If you’d like, you can try giving him something special, such as a pig’s ear, which will keep him occupied for quite a while. However, if you try this method, make sure that the only time he gets the treat is when he is in the crate, so he learns to associate his crate with his favourite treat!

Not a Punishment

Never use your crate as a punishment for your dog. If you ever do this, it will ruin any progress you have made and tell the dog that it’s not a happy place to be in. No matter how bad he is being, refrain from putting him in his crate!

Always Available and Nearby

It’s important to keep your dog’s crate open and ready for him to use, in case he wants to go there by himself. Right from the beginning, your dog’s crate should be in a place where people are (if possible) so he does not feel as though being in his crate means isolation. The lounge is a great place for the crate, and it should be shifted to your bedroom during the night to aid in adjusting your dog’s sleeping pattern.

Whether you simply don’t want your dog getting into mischief when you are gone, or need a hand with toilet training, crate training is an effective method to make both you and your dog happy. Hopefully these tips will help to show your dog how wonderful and safe his crate is. Good luck with your training!