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Crate Training
Every dog deserves a room of his own,a quiet place where he can go to sleep, munch on a bone, or simply
contemplate the world undisturbed. ,Dogs are den animals and providing a secure, enclosed area for them
to retreat satisfies a strong instinct for them.Most dogs will need little persuasion to use their crates, but
your new pet should be introduced to his crate the moment he arrives home. ,Choose a size that allows
your dog to stand up,turn around, and stretch out, but make sure it is not too large for your puppy (who is
likely to use one part for sleeping and one part for a bathroom if there is enough room). Crate dividers are
sold by most large pet supply companies to allow your puppy to grow into a large crate.If you have
purchased a wire crate, cover it with a blanket or towel to provide a dim, secure environment (make certain
the cover is not accessible for your new pup to chew). Put your dog's food bowl inside and some tempting
toys. You might consider tossing in a few treats or stuffing a rubber toy with peanut butter and letting him
chew it inside the crate. Keep the door open while he explores. While your dog is busy enjoying his dinner
or gnawing on a bone, close the door for a few minutes, but sit beside the crate and reassure him you are
still there. After one or two minutes, open the door again. ;Play this game several times, but make sure
never to open the door while your dog is whining, barking or scratching to get out.To do so will only teach
him that the object of the crate is to escape from it, and that he can acheive that end by barking, clawing
and whining!By nightfall, your dog should be ready to spend the night in his crate with the door closed,
preferrably in your bedroom, where he can be reassurred by your presence and continue to bond with you
even while you're sleeping.If your dog whines or barks during the night, take him out to his toilet area, then
immediately put him back in his crate. If he continues to whine, ignore him. ;You are teaching him that when
he';s in the crate, he should be resting, and that the only acceptable reason to disturb Mom during the
night is for bathroom privileges.;Soon you will have a dog seeks out his crate whenever he is tired or
stressed, who can be contentedly left in his crate to chew a bone while you are away, and who sleeps
easily and securely through the night.A word of warning: a crate is not the place to leave a dog while you
are at work all day, and young puppies should never be left in a crate for more than two hours at a time. ;A
puppy who is forced to soil his crate has just learned some very bad habits, and the house breaking rules
that have been broken will be extremely difficult to re-teach.
Every dog deserves a room of his own,a quiet place where he can go to sleep, munch on a bone, or simply
contemplate the world undisturbed. ,Dogs are den animals and providing a secure, enclosed area for them
to retreat satisfies a strong instinct for them.Most dogs will need little persuasion to use their crates, but
your new pet should be introduced to his crate the moment he arrives home. ,Choose a size that allows
your dog to stand up,turn around, and stretch out, but make sure it is not too large for your puppy (who is
likely to use one part for sleeping and one part for a bathroom if there is enough room). Crate dividers are
sold by most large pet supply companies to allow your puppy to grow into a large crate.If you have
purchased a wire crate, cover it with a blanket or towel to provide a dim, secure environment (make certain
the cover is not accessible for your new pup to chew). Put your dog's food bowl inside and some tempting
toys. You might consider tossing in a few treats or stuffing a rubber toy with peanut butter and letting him
chew it inside the crate. Keep the door open while he explores. While your dog is busy enjoying his dinner
or gnawing on a bone, close the door for a few minutes, but sit beside the crate and reassure him you are
still there. After one or two minutes, open the door again. ;Play this game several times, but make sure
never to open the door while your dog is whining, barking or scratching to get out.To do so will only teach
him that the object of the crate is to escape from it, and that he can acheive that end by barking, clawing
and whining!By nightfall, your dog should be ready to spend the night in his crate with the door closed,
preferrably in your bedroom, where he can be reassurred by your presence and continue to bond with you
even while you're sleeping.If your dog whines or barks during the night, take him out to his toilet area, then
immediately put him back in his crate. If he continues to whine, ignore him. ;You are teaching him that when
he';s in the crate, he should be resting, and that the only acceptable reason to disturb Mom during the
night is for bathroom privileges.;Soon you will have a dog seeks out his crate whenever he is tired or
stressed, who can be contentedly left in his crate to chew a bone while you are away, and who sleeps
easily and securely through the night.A word of warning: a crate is not the place to leave a dog while you
are at work all day, and young puppies should never be left in a crate for more than two hours at a time. ;A
puppy who is forced to soil his crate has just learned some very bad habits, and the house breaking rules
that have been broken will be extremely difficult to re-teach.