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If you are like us and love to take your dog everywhere you go, having your puppy used to their crate will help them in air travel.
If your puppy has been crate trained, they will stress their little hearts less during the flight.
Crate training puppies also is a must if you love to attend dog shows with your pooch.
With so much activity at these shows, the easiest way to keep both you and your pooch happy at these events is to provide a safe haven for your pup to be comfortable.
It is extremely important to note that a crate is not a prison for your puppy and definitely should not be used to punish your dog. Your pup’s crate must always be a place that they can feel a great sense of safety and be comfortable. When you are training your pooch to be comfortable in the crate, it is important that it is always treated as a positive place for your best friend.
When crate training puppies it is important that you find the right size crate for your dog. This is a hard task if you want to buy one for them when they are young as it will be difficult to determine the exact size your pooch will grow to be.
If you research your breed, you will find the general size your pup will be in inches when fully grown.
Use this as a guide to pick the right sized crate as they are measured in inches. You can get crates in plastic, collapsible metal or Tent Pens. We believe the tent pens are the type your pup will find most welcoming and comfortable.
Ideally your pooch needs to be able to stand up on all four legs, turn around comfortably and lay down without being cramped. This all needs to be possible when your cute little pooch is fully grown. If you have bought the crate when your friend is a puppy, you will need to make sure you block off the extra space.
Your puppy is a den dwelling animal and if you buy the right sized crate, they will not soil inside it. If your pup has more room than they should, they will use one section as a toilet.
The only time they will pee in the right sized crate is if you have closed the door on them and left them there for too long.
That is why using the crate to potty train your pooch is not necessary.
1. When training your puppies to enter the crate, place it in different parts of your home before getting them to enter. This way they become used to seeing the crate in different areas and adjust to wherever it may be.
Try to place the crate in areas that are free from drafts but not cramped. Areas you or your family spends a lot of time are a good idea.
2. When you are first crate training puppies, make the time your pup spends in there as short as possible. Place a couple of their favorite toys in there and offer treats at the back of the crate. Also place a blanket down so that they are happy to lay in the crate.
It might also help if you play games involving the crate. Having your puppy sit inside the crate and then throwing their favorite toy to chase outside the crate can work well.
3. For the first few times your puppy enters the crate, offer praise. Do not close the door on them for the first few times they enter as this may scare them. They will naturally find the crate and enter it voluntarily.
4. After some time your pooch should feel comfortable entering the crate and use it as a place to lie down and relax. Once this has been achieved, give your puppy a treat and close the door. Close it for a few seconds and then open it up again whilst praising your little pup.
5. Continue to do this whilst keeping the door shut for slightly longer periods at a time. Try not to give them a treat for each time as you may end up with one obese little puppy!
6. It is important that you don’t continually shut the door on your puppy as they will associate entering the crate with being locked up. Try to mix it up and sometimes close the door for short periods, other times let them stay in there without closing the door.
7. We don’t recommend closing the door for extensive periods of time when you're crate training puppies unless it is necessary. Using the crate for potty training is not necessary as your puppy will not soil in there if it’s the right size.
You will get an idea they need to go to the toilet if they have been sitting in the crate for some time with the door open and they get up and leave. This can be an indication for you that they need to go.
When you are crate training puppies, you need to remember that they need to go to the toilet more often than an adult dog. So try not to keep them in their crate for very long with the door closed as they may soil the crate. This will put your training back as your adorable pup will be hesitant to enter the crate again.
Your puppy’s crate is their home. It is a place they can go for some quiet time and feel safe. Try not to disturb them too much whilst they are in their crate as it is their den.
If you plan to put your pooch in the crate whilst small unsupervised children visit, make sure your pup gets to meet the children first. Your puppy may associate children visiting with negativity if it means they are locked away each time. That is why it is important for your pups to be allowed to greet the visitors and then be placed in the crate.
You must be patient when crate training puppies as it can be quite a slow process. Your puppy must trust you and be certain that you won’t lock them up every time they enter their den.
It is their home and they should never be locked inside whilst you are not home. Remember, the crate is their sanctuary and not a prison.
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