Do Not Hide the Puppies Crate
This can be a huge mistake.
If you put the dog crate in a room where people don't spend any time, your puppy may or may not want to use it. He or she will feel alone and isolated from the family.
When crate training, you should put the crate in the room where you spend the most time – like the living room. This way, your pup will feel good about being in his crate, since he will know you are still around.
We promise that the crate will quickly become their favorite hangout spot. If you don't like the look of the crate you can get a cover, they sell them online or at your pet store.
Create an Inviting Spot
Another mistake is not putting some fun items in your dog's crate. Leaving it empty and bare will not be fun or inviting for your pup.
To make it a nice little comfort cave, put a comfortable dog bed inside, or anything else that makes it feel more like home for the dog. Consider your dog's preferences when picking one out, like a thin bed or even just a blanket instead.
Put some toys or chews in your dog's crate for entertainment. Some good choices are soft dog toys that he might like to cuddle with and tough chews like KONG, and we suggest having an assortment as not to bore them with the same old toy.
Switch it up a bit like every few days or so and make sure these are sturdy objects that can't be choked on if they get torn apart. Putting these inside when crate training dogs will help keep your puppy occupied.
But most importantly it will also show your puppy that his crate is a safe place with all of his favorite things.
Don't Move too Fast
Lots of folks make the mistake of simply putting their dog in the crate, locking the door, and leaving for hours at a time.
NOOOOOOOOO
This will make your puppy dislike the crate, and associate you leaving it when you put them it. It can also cause some serious issues with crate training dogs and housebreaking down the line.
You need to gradually introduce your dog to his crate when you first get it for the best results.
Start out by letting your pup explore his crate at his leisure. Some dogs take to their crate right away – that's great if yours does! If not, simply start rewarding the dog for going into the crate on their own; praise and treats are good choices.
Eventually, your dog should start using his crate for rest. Once he goes into his crate regularly, feed him inside to continue getting him used to it. Rewards have been shown to be the most effective way to quickly train a dog, so why not? After a few successful tries, start closing the door while your puppy eats. Start by remaining in the area, but eventually go to another room to see how your dog does in his crate alone. Keep closing the door for increasing lengths of time, always monitoring your dog's anxiety level while in the crate.
If he is doing okay for half an hour, you can start leaving him inside the crate for short periods of time. Make sure he doesn't need to go potty before putting him in the crate.
If your dog has an accident inside, it can set your crate training back for some time.
Punishment
If you want your puppy to see his crate as a safe place to be while you are gone, never use it as punishment. Read that again.......
Crate training puppies should result in your pet being happy to go into his little oasis; using the crate as punishment will cause him to fear it, and he may stop going into his crate willingly.
Remember, everything usually responds better to positive reinforcement anyway. Praise, treats, and playtime are much better ways to teach your puppy appropriate behavior.
The only time your crate could be used as something akin to punishment is if your dog is overly excited or nipping. If he needs to calm down, commanding him to go into his crate can give him a chance to relax.
However, if you use this method, he should still be rewarded for following the command to go into his crate.
Don't Send Mixed Signals to Your Puppy
When crate training puppies, decide on one word to be used as a command for going into the crate, such as “crate” or “kennel”. Stick with this one word when teaching them.
If you use other commands, you will confuse your dog and cause him frustration. This can lead to an issue with crate training, and they may not want to obey you. Remember that hand signals are important too. Many dogs respond to hand signals more than a verbal command. I personally snap my fingers prior to command and point to the kennel.
Get them used to this signal and don't use that particular hand motion for any other commands. This will ensure your command is clear to your pup, and he'll understand what you want from him.
Crate training dogs can be very successful when done properly.
Avoid making these mistakes and you should find that getting your pup used to his crate is much easier for you and your family. ALWAYS MAKE SURE ALL FAMILY MEMBERS ARE USING THE SAME PROCESS.
Pick a feather!
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