Puppies don’t have habits that they’ve been forming their entire lives, whereas an adult dog may have spent its entire life never having to enter a crate. Don’t leave your dog in their crate too long. Here are crate training steps you can practice at home with your puppy:
It’s Important That Your Pup Feels Secure, Safe And Protected When Inside Their Crate, Essentially Acting As A Safe Haven For Them To Escape To When Needed.
To help your puppy learn to love her crate, make every experience — especially the first one — a positive one. Allowing puppies to “cry it out” can create negative associations with being crated. Dogs ideally shouldn’t be left alone for more than four hours.
The Practice Relies On Your Puppy’s Instincts Of “Denning,” Which Refers To A Dog’s Natural Willingness To Seek A Private And Secure Place When Their Environment Becomes Stressful.
Crate training a puppy to sleep at night can be a pain. Generally, dogs don’t soil their dens, and this natural habit helps your puppy learn how to control her bladder when she’s confined. Introduce your dog to the crate.
Put A Soft Blanket Or Bed In The Crate.
Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Never use the crate as punishment. Repeat this several times so your puppy starts to learn that after following your “in” cue, they get rewarded.
Repeat The Exercise A Couple Of Times Until Your Puppy Will Happily Stay Inside The Crate For Short Periods, Chowing Down On His Treat Without Whining And Barking.
According to the american kennel club , it takes a dog around six months to be fully crate trained. Also, don’t forget to take it out to the toilet a few times before bedtime. Prepare your dog for crate training by sapping their energy (go for a long walk, play ball, etc.) and making sure they don’t need to go to the bathroom.
