Crate training

WHY USE THE CRATE? The crate is the safest and most effective form of confinement. Socialize your puppy to it immediately and continue to use it through maturity (2–3 years). It provides safety and respect in many areas. Crating provides a housebreaking tool, structure, acceptance of boundaries, puppy safety, property safety, and relationship preservation. Housebreaking . The crate is an excellent housebreaking tool. The goal of its use is to stimulate cleanliness. Puppies instinctively don’t want to soil their sleeping or living area. Structure . When the crate is used for structure, it is the single easiest way to establish a “followthe-rules” appreciation in your dog. Simply using the crate on a regular basis allows the puppy to accept the concept of rules of the house. Acceptance of Boundaries . While the crate is a physical boundary, its use generates the acceptance of boundaries in your dog’s life. This helps achieve one of your main puppy goals. Puppy’s Safety . Certainly there are times when you cannot be “tied” to your dog or supervise her every action. These are the times when crate usage is also positive and helpful. Any dog, uneducated in household rules, can get into danger when you’re not looking. Household dangers range from puppies falling down the steps to puppies chewing wires, ingesting the wrong items, etc. Using your crate for those moments

when you need to take your attention away from watching your puppy will guarantee safety until you can watch her again. Property Safety . Nothing is more devastating than seeing your one-hundred-dollar pair of shoes ripped into pieces by your puppy’s side. Seeing your DVD remote control being used as a teething toy while you’re sidetracked on the phone is also quite upsetting. Contrary to popular belief, these things are accidents in puppyhood, but can be prevented by using the crate for the times when your puppy is unsupervised. Relationship Saver . Using your crate to give you and your puppy some time away from each other is important in maintaining a good relationship. When we, or our puppies, become tired and stressed, both run the risk of acting inappropriately. Our voices and body language become stressed while our puppies can end up making destructive mistakes. Whether it’s losing our patience or a valuable item, our relationship can become compromised. The crate as a relationship saver answers the timeless question: “How can I miss you if you don’t go away?”

Crate Training—How to Use the Crate

53.One size fits all.To save money,purchase the crate that will be adequate for your dog’s lifetime needs. During the housebreaking period, block off the rear of the crate with wood slats or crate dividers available at larger pet stores. As your puppy gets better at keeping the crate clean,gradually increase the available living space. 

54.The crate should be big enough for the puppy to stand up in, turn around in, and lie down in comfortably. It shouldn’t be big enough for the puppy to eliminate and then move away to the other side of the crate.

Setting Up the Crate 

55.We have assembled many metal crates, and each assembly is just as “easy”as the first.Assemble the crate away from the puppy.Have someone take him on a walk that will last at least a half hour. The clanging of metal and gnashing of teeth (your teeth) during set-up will surely prejudice your puppy’s first impression of his new home. 56.Introduce your puppy to the surface on which he will be resting. Take the pan out of the crate and allow the puppy to investigate it. Place some treats on the pan to help out. The same idea is important for the plastic crates. Separate the halves and allow the puppy to play in the bottom half.

57.Cushion the bottom of the metal crate. Sometimes the noise your puppy makes walking on the pan can scare him. To dull the sound, place the crate on a carpet or cut up the cardboard box and place the cardboard underneath the pan.

Location of the Crate 

58.Place the crate in a quiet location. The goal of being in the crate is to rest and relax.If the crate is located in the kitchen or other high-traffic area, your puppy will not rest adequately and may develop problems from being overtired. The ideal place is in a separate room behind a closed door. Bedrooms are the ideal place for the crate. This is the room where you (the owner) leave the most scent.Your puppy will feel closest to you here and will get the best rest here. 

59.Use the crate,not the gate.Puppies need their own space.Gating off an area like a laundry room or kitchen doesn’t allow the puppy their own dedicated space. These areas are shared-space areas. How relaxing would it be if your bedroom doubled as the kitchen?

Socializing to the Crate 

60.Maybe your puppy has been socialized to the crate at the breeder, maybe not. Since the crate is one of the most important tools in raising and training your puppy, it is time to be brave! Your attitude toward the crate will greatly influence how your puppy accepts this aspect of his life. Remember, adult dogs spend significant amounts of time alone; it is essential they learn to self-soothe now. 

61.Place your puppy in the crate. Give your puppy their favorite treat.Always have a pleasant voice even if your puppy was doing something dastardly or dirty. It is often how the puppy is placed in the crate and not what they were doing that makes being in the crate punishment.So if you never yell and you keep your emotions under control, the crate will always be a happy place. 

62.Always get your puppy and lead him to the crate (using a leash). Never call your puppy to the crate. This will avoid the “keepaway”game as your puppy might not always want to go into the crate and may dash around the tables and under furniture trying to avoid you. If your puppy makes a fool out of you, your temper will undoubtedly rise,and now the crate will seem like punishment.

63.Provide some “white noise” for your puppy. Turn a radio on low volume or a fan on low. This will provide enough background noise for your puppy. He will be less likely to stay awake and “listen” for house noises like people moving around or that pesky squirrel dashing through the leaves. 

64.Even if your puppy is acting inappropriately and you need to use the crate for a time-out, do not use anger when crating your puppy.Remain calm when using the crate so your puppy does not associate your anger or emotionality with the crate itself. 

65.Cover all bases! When your puppy is overly stimulated, you can cover the crate with a blanket to remove excess stimulation. Most often, puppies calm right down when covered. Leave the side facing the wall open for ventilation.

How to Use the Crate 

66.Give your puppy frequent elimination breaks in and out of the crate to ensure that your house and the crate remain clean. A clean crate will stimulate the puppy’s natural instincts to remain clean.

67.In puppyhood, your puppy will not understand being crated as a negative reinforcement for bad behavior. It will, however, settle her down if rest is truly what she needs, or if she is becoming too stimulated during play. (In the adolescent stage,a dog does understand “consequences” and will be able to see crating as part of a “liberty removal” system.) 

68.The crate is a valuable tool for providing time management for your puppy. The best way to use the crate is to set a schedule for your puppy.The key to good management is many repetitions in and out of the crate. 

69.Have at least five planned activities ready when your puppy is out of the crate. These activities should last between thirty and forty-five minutes total for a young puppy. Make these activities “quality time” with 100 percent attention being paid to the puppy. After this time is over, allow your puppy some downtime, and then he will probably be ready for a crate nap.