Crate Training
Your dog or puppy
may already come crate-trained, but if not, the training is fairly easy to
do. Set up the crate out of Fido’s
sight. Put the crate in a corner of a
room where you and your family spends a lot of time, like the den. Put one or
two tasty treats in the front of the crate and some more in the back without
Fido seeing. Leave the door of the crate
open. Make sure any urgent needs on
Fido’s part, such as a potty-break, have been met. Finally, bring Fido into the room and
supervise as he wanders around. Do not force him into the crate. If he shows interest in the crate, pet him
and praise him in a happy voice!
Curiosity will usually cause him to explore the crate. He will quickly find his chew-toys and the
treats, and will already begin to think of the crate as a happy place. Do not
shut Fido into the crate at this time!
Just allow him to get used to it.
If he leaves the crate, fine; he can go in and out as he pleases. You may end this training session at any time
at this point and move on to some other place or activity; just make sure you
end it on a happy note.
It is a good idea,
even after Fido is quite used to the crate, to continue to make it a happy
place for the dog. If he continues to
find surprises (new toys, hidden treats) in the crate, it will remain one of
his favorite places to visit. He needn’t
find the reward every time; once in a while is fine once he is used to the
crate. The reason to surprise him is to
avoid bribing him. He should get into
the crate willingly whether you have goodies for him or not! You can also have a treat that you can give
Fido after he gets into the crate, but make sure you are not constantly luring
him into the crate with treats every time. Some owners feed the dogs in their
crates to help make it one of their favorite spots in the house.
Once Fido has
become used to the crate, you can begin getting him used to being shut in
it. When he has entered the crate on his
own, shut the door very briefly (a few seconds) and praise him. Drop a treat to him, and let him out. Repeat a few times. Once he is comfortable with this game,
gradually lengthen the time you leave him in the crate. At first, stay in the room (watch television,
read the paper, etc.) You might want to
give him something to do, such as chew on a stuffed Kong or other chew toy,
while he waits. When he is comfortable spending 20 minutes or more in this
arrangement, practice leaving the room, first for very brief periods of time (a
few seconds) and then for longer and longer amounts of time. Come back to him when he is waiting
quietly. If he is whining, barking, or
scratching at the door, ignore him and stay away. This is one reason why it is important to
give him a potty-break before you
start! If you reappear or open the crate
while he is acting out, it will only encourage the behavior. If you reappear and open up the crate while
he is being “good,” you will encourage calm behavior.
By this point or
as soon as possible, begin to crate Fido during naptime and overnight. In the evening you can move the crate from
the den to the room where he will spend the night. Many owners keep the crate on the floor of
the bedroom so the dog has company, but the location depends on personal
preferences. If you have a dog despite
having allergies to them, it is best to keep the dog out of the bedroom at all times, especially while you sleep.
There is another step
once Fido is sleeping in the crate and comfortably spending 30 minutes or more
during the day while you are out of sight.
You need to make sure that the dog is comfortable in the crate whenever
you leave the house. Crate him and leave
the house for a very brief period of time, perhaps five minutes. Return and praise/treat Fido and let him out
if he is waiting quietly. Repeat,
lengthening the time that you are gone.
Remember to make sure he has regular opportunities to relieve himself as
explained under “Puppy or Dog?” in Section I of this book. If you must work and cannot return home,
enlist the help of a trusted friend or neighbor or even a paid dog-walker until
you are sure the dog can reliably wait until you get home.
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