Crate Training
by Rande Williford
Let me begin by saying that in no way am I an expert on crate training. The method that is describe in this article is the method that has been utilized by us to train 4 Boxers, 1 Boxer/Chow mix and 2 Miniature Dachshunds. Some of their training started at 6 weeks and some started as late as 1.5 years old with successful results on all accounts.
Crate training can potentially be one of the most important training steps that you take with your dog. It can end up being a lifesaver for you and your pet. It can save furniture, carpet, curtains and just about anything a bored or angry dog can get its mouth on. A dog any age can be trained to go into a crate of its own free will.
We started with the size crate that our boxers would always use, 24"w x 36"d x 28"h, this size crate also fits well in the back of Explorers, 4-Runners,
etc… Our biggest Boxer is 80 lbs. and rides in this size crate quite
comfortably. When we train a puppy we begin with some soft bedding
in the very back of the crate and place an old T-shirt that has been
worn by me on top of the bedding. The scent of his/her human tends
to reassure the puppy and calm him a little. Our crates are the wire
types so that the puppy can see all around the room. I keep some
type of soft treats near the crate so that they get a treat every
time they go in. At first you will need to guide the puppy in and
while doing this I say "Get in your crate". As soon as he/she goes
in, I give lots of praise and a treat. If we are crating for the
night I will lay down behind the crate and stick my fingers through
the crate so that the puppy can lay down touching me. As soon as
they are asleep I will ease away from the crate careful not to wake
the puppy. Most times they will sleep through the night. If they
don’t and wake up and cry a little, get up and take them outside,
this will also help with house training. The first thing in the
morning, take the puppy outside. Don’t worry if they eliminate in
the crate, especially a puppy, this will stop eventually. When
leaving them in the crate for the day make sure you take them
outside to use the bathroom right before putting them in the crate.
This will help with them messing up in the crate. I always make sure
that I leave a safe and non-supervised toy in the crate to help with
the boredom. A lot of people that I have talked with like to leave a
radio on for company. I also make sure that I leave some type of
light on if I know I will not be back until after dark. When crating
for the day I use the same process of putting the puppy in the
crate. I have found that treats and lots of praise go a long way in
training a puppy or dog to happily go into a crate of their own free
will.
With dedication and
persistence the puppy will learn to go into the crate when asked.
This same process will also work for grown dogs and in most cases,
quicker because a grown dog seems to catch on to what you are
wanting. Be warned ahead of time though a grown dog can be much more
stubborn than a puppy.
Some important points
to remember when crate training:
- Do not place the crate near anything that
they maybe able to reach out and touch with a paw. It’s best to
place the crate right in the center of the room that you have the
crate in.
- Do not leave any toys in the crate that could
possibly be a choke hazard or that could get wrapped around a leg or
neck.
- Do not ever use the crate as punishment.
- Do not ever use an angry tone of voice when
placing the dog in the crate.
When the crate is not
in use, we leave the door open so that the dogs can come and go as
they please into it. This becomes a safe haven for them and they
will begin to use the crate much like a doghouse. When we would
forget to leave the door open, one of our Boxers would actually go
over and open the door herself to get a toy out or to just take a
nap. One thing that we did for awhile but eventually stopped was to
cover the crate with an afghan or a throw to kind of create a cave
type atmosphere for them. This worked well to kind of cover up the
crate when company came over and makes it more pleasing to the eye.
We did discover however, that if you are leaving the house and
putting the puppy in the crate, remove the throw. Ours learned how
to grab the throw through the crate and would start to pull it
through the wire. This can not only create a mess but can
potentially be dangerous for the dog.
I highly recommend
using the crate at night until you are sure that you will not have
accidents in the middle of the night. You can also add a water
bottle to the crate when you feel like the puppy will be able to
control their bathroom use until you return.
The one thing to
always keep in mind for successful crate training is that CONSISTANT
AND PERSISTANT training is the key with treats and LOTS OF PRAISE.
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