Crate Training Your Dog

Dogs come from a line of animals that dwelled in dens. Curling up to sleep in a safe place is normal for them. Additionally, dogs do not want to soil their den. This makes a crate a wonderful tool for a new pup to sleep or take their naps. Just be sure to immediately take the puppy outside to relieve himself as soon as you let him out of the crate. This routine accompanied with lots of praise for making it to the outside area will make housetraining a breeze.

By using a crate you simply limit his access to your house and can do so until the puppy learns all the rules. These usually include what the new family pet is allowed on to strengthen his teeth, and what he is not allowed to chew on, and to absolutely eliminate the possibility of the dog carrying out any of his normal bodily functions indoors. Especially important where there are babies crawling around.

Crates, like a den, are for sleeping. They are too small to be a playpen. Your dog needs to be able to roam in safe areas, get plenty of training and exercise, and being social animals (that's why we have them live with us after all), spend time with you. Dogs do not like to be alone or excluded.

Additionally puppies can be transported around in a crate, especially useful during car journeys, or in public places where puppy dogs are disallowed from roaming free. Contrary to public opinion, puppies feel safe in a crate and actually enjoy being in them. To them it is a safe place, a form of plastic womb, where they feel protected. One thing that has to be remembered is that the dog may get pretty thirsty inside the crate and should always have access to water, especially if he or she is being left in a car for a short while. If the puppy is being left in the crate, you should always make sure that it is not under a strong sun and that there is sufficient access to air.

The ideal long term crate for puppy training should ideally made of plastic, often coming under the description of "flight crates" When purchasing a crate, the owner should take into account how long they plan to use the crate, and how large the puppy will have become by that time. Crates can be purchased in all sizes and colors, and should be large enough for the dog to be able stand up in and move around a little. After use, they can always be sold, retained or kept in the loft for the next time.

When your puppy comes into contact with the crate for the first time, it may not actually appreciate your good intentions and may even panic at the prospect of being put inside. Always remember that dogs are naturally attracted to dark, cool places, so maybe till he or she become acclimatized to the surroundings, it would be a good idea to cover the crate with a blanket, to create the atmosphere of a cave or a burrow. Bear in mind that crate training can take only a few days or it might take a few weeks. This depends on how old the dog is the state of its nerves and if it has had any past and unpleasant experiences regarding crates.

To get the dog used to the crate concept, its first introduction should be in a friendly environment. There is no way that the dog should be pushed or forced into the crate, instead he should be gently coaxed into it, talk to him or her in a soft and friendly voice, with the promise of incentives to help it on its way Pretty soon your dog will get used to the idea and even begin to enjoy life in this dark, cool and friendly place. Stage one of your missions is over; the dog and its crate are as one!

To reinforce this special relationship, the next stage is to begin to feed the dog inside his new mobile home. In the unlikely event that the dog is not happy at being fed in his crate, you can gradually get him used to the idea, by giving him small amounts of food, gradually building up the size of his meals inside the cage, till it becomes a living fact. The dog will increasingly begin to associate the crate with all things pleasant in his life.