How to Crate Train Your Dog

Featured Dog Crates

 

Varikennels are perfect for housebreaking, travelling of wherever you want a secure but attractive place to confine your dog. Durable construction. Fast & easy assembly. Great for housebreaking or for preventing destructive behavior. MUCH MORE

Life Stages Dog crates grow with your dog. Divider panels cut housebreaking time in half by confining your puppy to smaller spaces when he is tiny and then allowing him more room as he gets bigger. Durable construction. Fast & easy assembly. Great for housebreaking or for preventing destructive behavior. MUCH MORE

How to Crate Train Your Dog courtesy of Futurpets.com & Midwest Homes 4 Pets   Step 1: Puppies are used to small, comfortable spaces, as they have usually been living with a crowd of littermates piled on top of each other in a confined area. In the case of wild dogs, this is the den.   Start by acquainting your puppy with his new home. Put a soft bed into the crate and a puppy pacifier (for a dog this is usually a chew bone, but you can also find wonderful cuddle beds with a cuddle pal stuffed dog with a heartbeat sound that will help to comfort a young dog.)   Encourage your puppy to go into his home on his own. If necessary, toss a little treat in the home. DON’T FORCE HIM! He may quickly back out or be shy, but that’s normal. Just take it slowly. At first, don’t close the door on him, let him go in and out on his own. Once he is happy and unafraid of his new home, simply restrain him at the door with your hand. Make him stay in the dog crate (his new home) for a few minute, then gradually increase the time. Be sure to praise him! Once he is comfortable with this, (probably a few hours or days of short training sessions) simply restrain him at the door wth the door - again praising him lavishly. Soon he will be secure in his home with the door closed. Slowly walk further and further away from him, always praising his accepting behavior. Evenutally the pup will sit quielty and sleep in his new dog crate with the door closed. After the first introduction phase, have your pupppy sleep and rest in his new "home". If he objects to being confined, simply leve the room until he is quiet. This sometimes takes some perseverence, but you don't want to teach him that his objections get him released.   If you don't have a crate for your new arrival, you will be fighting an uphill battle with housebreaking and controlling destructive behavior.   See the links below or located elsewhere on this site for the best crate bargains on the internet. Purchase cheap dog crates online.   See: Learn How to Housebreak Your Dog