Crate Training a Puppy

Establishing you as the Alpha member of his "pack" is one very good reason for starting your puppy in a kennel when he is very young.

Another reason for crate training is that dogs love predictability.

To know what is going to happen in any given situation makes him/her happy, and more apt to be the best-behaved dog s/he can possibly be.

A firm crate is the very basis of good puppy training. The best kind are wire crates with a lock. Make sure it is large enough for him/her to stand up and turn around.But not so big that it can roam and wander around. An excessively large kennel will inhibit house breaking.

A crate that is just the right size will be seen as his "nest", where puppies never "go potty". They will learn to hold it if you do not turn it into a prison.

Never leave a puppy under 8 weeks, longer than one hour in his/her crate. He/She will soil it, after struggling and suffering as long as he can.

Put a nice pad in there with a bone. Start with placing a tasty treat in there, he/she will go in and get it. Do this several times without closing the door, let it come in and out freely for about an hour. Compliment him/her each time s/he goes in making it all very pleasant.

Then when its attention is on its treat, close the door. Praise it quietly, "What a good boy/girl, it's ok, such a good boy/girl!" In 10 or 20 seconds, no longer, let it out without a word, no praise, just a pat. Do this for increasingly longer intervals, without giving it a chance to get upset. You can do this a number of times the first day.

Ensure every training session ends on a happy note; this is crucial.

Once he/she sees the crate is his/her own private territory, he/she will get in there on its own, expecting treats and your attention. When it does, say, "Wanna crate?" with a happy face while getting its treats. Start leaving the room while he/she 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 3 days it will be officially crate-trained, ready to be left alone for some time - no longer than an hour at first.Leave it gradually longer, slowly and carefully.

Why should I get a crate for my puppy? Because they love it is the best reason.

They feel very safe and secure in there.

When you leave a puppy alone, he/she always has some measure of separation anxiety. This leads him/herhim to any behavior that brings him/her comfort like chewing, digging, or if it is severe, voiding his/her bowels.

When placed in a crate, he/she feels safe because nothing can get to him/her, nothing can harm him/her.He/She will sleep and chew and wait for you to return. When leaving him/her overnight at the vet, if your dog is not crate trained it will cry the entire time, feeling lost and abandoned.

With crate training, it 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/she will feel without having experienced being locked in.

When you crate train a dog, do not make a prison of its crate. Never use it as punishment. Do not leave it there for more than 2 hours, just time for a long puppy nap and some chew time. After that, he/she may cry. Do not remove him/her while he is crying. This will make it think that crying will get it out .No matter what, make sure he/she is being good when you open the door. It will learn it has to be quiet to get out. Don't make a fuss when you are letting it out, just quietly open the door and take it out to potty. When it potties, praise him/her to high heaven! Dogs naturally do not go where they nest, but sometimes it happens. Don't scold, just clean it out with a bland face. He/She will learn the lesson. If you can, try to clean it while he/she is outside so it returns to a clean crate.

crate training your puppy is crucial for a dog's well-being.