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Why It’s Important to Crate Train
A crate training is an important first step in getting your new puppy and even an older dog acclimatized to its new home. The saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” doesn’t need to be applied. Dog crates are used to train new puppies, rescue dogs, and senior dogs.
Crating your dog is never a good idea in the long term. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals tells dog parents that crates are best used as a relatively short-term management tool, not as a lifetime pattern of housing.
The softer term forcage is what the word “crate” is used for. Crates are not a way of life.
Crate training isn’t going to happen in a day or two. A crate-trained dog will learn to be house trained, combat separation anxiety, and stay out of trouble with time and patience.
Familiarizing Your Dog With the Crate
Place a toy inside the crate and spread it around to make sure your puppy is familiar with it.
They will come to think, wow! There is food and fun in this thing.
Praise them for sniffing around the crate and interacting with it even if they haven’t gone inside yet. Reward them with more treats once they are inside. They should not be forced inside the crate.
Hang out with your dog for a while while they are inside. Reward them with treats and praise while they are inside. After a few moments have passed, call your puppy out to you.
Have your puppy go in and out of the crate several more times until they are comfortable with it. Keep the crate door closed for a moment. If they stay inside for a short period of time, open the door and reward them with treats and praise.
You have completed an important first step if your dog seems to be at ease with the crate. Practice being around the crate before moving forward if they haven’t reached that level of comfort. A puppy cannot be rushed.
Spending Longer Periods of Time in the Crate
It can take weeks for your dog to get used to crate time. Feed your dog meals in the crate to get them excited. If you fill a bowl with a little bit of food, you can have them eat inside with the crate door closed. Once they finish eating, take them outside to eliminate and let them out of the crate.
If your puppy starts to cry after eating, don’t let them out until they stop crying. They will associate crying with being let out. They will keep crying until they get that result.
After they finish eating, increase the time spent in the crate. Once they can calmly be in the crate for up to 10 minutes after eating, move on to crating them for short periods of time without the meal.
Next time you practice crate training, gradually increase the number of minutes you spend in the crate until your dog is comfortable with you being out of sight for at least 20 minutes.
Try to leave the house for a short period of time once they have been left. They get more used to it. If you leave treats inside the crate, they will focus on the food instead of you.
Potty Training Using a Dog Crate
Dogs don’t want to soil their own bedding. Taking them outside to relieve themselves each time they are let out of the crate is what you want to do.
Accidents will happen. If your dog has gone to the bathroom in the house, do not scold or punish them if they have left the crate. They should be taken to potty outside immediately.
You should take more potty breaks on the first night. Young puppies and adult dogs who have not yet learned the ropes need consistency. They should always be praised and rewarded with treats when they eliminate outside. They will learn that this only happens when they eliminate outside.
Why You Should Crate Train Your Dog
Dogs benefit from crate training. They will learn not to relieve themselves inside because the crate acts like their den. Because of this instinct, you can use a crate to keep your pet safe while you are unable to watch them and to help them learn how to pee and poop outside. They will come to associate the crate with a safe place to rest and will seek it out on their own accord throughout the day.
How long can a dog be in a crate?
It is recommended not to crate your dog for more than 4 hours if they are a puppy. Puppies cannot hold their bladders for that long. Older dogs can be crated for a bit longer, but if you need to be gone for more than 4 hours out of the day, it’s time to look at other solutions.
