Puppies are similar to children. They both need structure to be happy and healthy. Without rules to abide by, their entire lives would be chaotic and disordered. This is also true for new dogs of any age that may have been adopted from a rescue shelter or another family. Since all dogs need some sort of structure and routing, these rules of crate training might be an option you’d want to research.
Just like any other kind of training, crate training works best if you follow some basic rules. Many of these are the same as any basic training, but there are some things particular to crates that you want to be aware of. There are in fact five golden rules of crate training you should learn to help make it a more pleasant experience for both you and the dog. The rules of crate training are as follows:
1. Your dog should associate the crate with safety and comfort, so never use it for punishment because this will make your dog want to avoid the crate instead of making him want to go in it.
2. Gradually introducing your dog to his crate is the best course of action. Don’t push him to go in there too much at first. You might try just putting the crate out and seeing how he reacts. When your dog does go in the crate, be sure to reward him for his good behavior.
3. A crate is the dog’s den. The dog will naturally not want to soil it’s den. If it is forced to do it’s business in the crate, it will be a negative experience. Always make sure the dog has had a chance to go outside and take care of the biological necessities before going into the crate.
4. As soon as you let your dog out of the crate, be sure you take him outside to do his “business”. This will establish a good routine and can help immensely with potty training.
5. Never put your dog in the crate if he is stressed, anxious or scared. In fact, going into the crate should be your dogs idea. You want him to feel like it is a safe haven from him to go to, otherwise he won’t want to be in there.
Stick to these rules of crate training and you may be surprised at how quickly and easily your dog takes to his crate!
