Puppy Crate Training Advice

Choosing the right size crate for your puppy is very important. The crate should be big enough for your puppy to stand up, turn around and lay down comfortably. If the crate is too large your puppy will tend to use one part of the crate as his toilet and sleep in the other part. This will defeat the object of crate training your puppy. If the crate is too big for your puppy, you can partition part of it off and remove the partition when your puppy grows bigger.

One of the reasons for not having the crate too big is that it will help your puppy to learn to control his bladder as dogs do not like to soil the area in which they sleep.

Once you have purchased a suitable crate for your puppy, place it in a quiet corner of the living room and somewhere you puppy can still see some family activity. To begin with if you place your puppy's crate somewhere too out of the way, he may feel too isolated. So place the crate where your puppy can still see you or other members of the famiy.

Make the crate nice and cosy for your puppy with a warm blanket or dog bed and place one or two of his toys inside. Gradually introduce the crate to your puppy. Sit on the floor with your puppy and as you are playing with him throw a puppy treat just inside the crate so your puppy will go and fetch it. Throw another puppy treat a bit further inside the crate so your puppy will have to go inside the crate to fetch it. Just leave the crate with the door open for a day or two so your puppy will get used to it. You may find he is going inside the crate a lot and he may even go in there and have a nap.

After your puppy has got used to the crate and is happy sitting inside it, close the door for a moment or two and then open the door and let him out. Gradually increase the time with the door closed. The next step is to close the door and then leave the room for a minute or two, come back into the room, open the door and let him out. This will let your puppy know that you will always come back and let him out again. If your puppy gets agitated and starts crying and barking at some point, wait for him to calm down before you let him out. He will then see that you will let him out for good behaviour and not when he is being noisy.

When your puppy is happy being in his crate with the door closed over an extended period of time, it is now time to let your puppy sleep in his crate overnight with the door closed. You could add a hot water bottle or ticking clock for extra comfort for your puppy if you feel it necessary. Always let your puppy out of the crate first thing in the morning and take him straight outside to relieve himself.

Crate Training is good for your overall puppy obedience training plan. When you have to leave your puppy alone in the house for short periods of time, you can put him in his crate and know you will come home to your house intact.

When you need to take your puppy out in the car, you can take him in his crate and this will help to make him feel safe and reassured and help him get used to the motion of the car. This will be handy when you have to take him on a car journey on your own so you can concentrate on your driving without having to worry about your puppy running around loose in the car.

In time your puppy will come to love his crate, it will be a safe haven for him and a place where he can go for some peace and quiet.

If you have an unruly puppy that is driving you mad, you can read some more Puppy Obedience Training Tips here.