Easily Crate Train Your Puppy Or Older Dog
Before you bring a new puppy into your home, there will be much you need to do in order to make the house safe for him to live in. By this I mean things like making sure there are no exposed electrical cables your puppy may try to chew through, clearing away things such as detergent bottles, and personal items of value, that would prove too much of a temptation for your puppy. Especially around the area your puppy will be spending much of his time.
There may also be times when you will have no option but to leave your puppy alone for a while, and therefore, unable to keep your eyes on him. Preparing a safe place for him is very important. In order to keep your puppy safe and secure, you can buy him a puppy crate. If you introduce your puppy to his crate in the correct way, it will become a safe and cosy den for him, and he will look forward to retreating there when he decides he would like some space to rest, or sleep. Furthermore, your job of house training your puppy will become much easier, and of course when you need to leave your puppy alone from time to time, you can pop him in his crate where you know he will be safe while you’re away.
If you decide to buy a crate for your puppy, you will need to consider the following. Remember, your puppy will grow quite rapidly, so buy a crate he will be able to grow into. A good idea is to buy a crate that has a separate part that you can use to divide the crate into two. As your puppy grows, you can move the divider further back, eventually removing the divider all together, when it is no longer needed. Buy your puppy’s crate before he comes home to live with you, and put it somewhere were your puppy can be close to you and see you.
When your puppy arrives, don’t introduce him to his crate immediately, but let him check it out in his own time. When you are ready to introduce your puppy to his new crate, get down on the floor, and armed with some tasty food treats, encourage your puppy in investigate the crate, by throwing some of the treats inside. Puppies are naturally curious and playful, so take advantage of these qualities, and make a game of it.
If however, your puppy seems reluctant to investigate, throw the treats on the floor by the crate at first, then next at the opening, then just inside of the crate, and so on, in this way he will gradually become accustomed to his new den. When your puppy is more than happy to go inside of the crate and retrieve his food treats, the next step is to close the door. Again, do this gradually. Start with closing the door for a second, then two seconds, and three, and so on, and so on. Soon you will be able to build up to minutes, and even several hours.
You can buy your puppy some tough chew toys, the kind that you can stuff with food, like cream cheese, peanut butter, sausage and the likes, and put them in his crate with him. This will not only give his teeth and jaw a good work out, but help to occupy him, when he is alone in his crate. If your puppy cries, barks, or whines etc. to get out of his cage, wait until he has stopped, then put a treat or two in the cage. Don’t allow your puppy out of the cage while he is making a fuss, as doing so will only teach him that barking or crying is all he needs to do in order to be released. Be patient, consistent, and give him plenty of rewards, and your efforts will be rewarded.
Never punish your puppy by sending him to his crate. His crate should be associated with feelings of safety and security. If you’re still in the process of house training your puppy, putting him in his crate is an ideal solution, when your busy, or out of the house for a short while, as he will not be able to make a mess on the floor. Dogs do not like to relieve themselves where they sleep, so he is more likely to wait until you return, to put him out in the garden. Very few dogs will show negative reactions such as fear and panic when faced with being put inside of a crate, such a dog may pant excessively, salivate, and emit a constant high pitched bark. If this is the case with your puppy, then a crate may not be the best idea for him or her.
Try the formula above again, taking each step more slowly, and see if this helps. If you are still having problems, then it may be that a basket is better for him. If you have an older dog, and you would like to crate train him, use the same principles as I have outlined above. The only thing to remember here is to buy him a crate just big enough for him to stand up and turn around in, and to comfortably lie down in.
This article offers practical advice on helping your puppy or older dog become accustomed to spending time in his crate. The article discusses why it makes good sense to buy a crate for your dog, the best method of helping your dog to accept it, and how to keep your dog occupied when he is spending time in his crate.
