To a dog, a crate can be like his own special home inside your home. A safe place, a den of sorts, that your dog can go to when he or she wants to feel secure. Some people think that putting your dog in a crate is cruel, but it is only cruel if you do it in an abusive manner such as leaving your dog in there for more than a few hours. In fact, crate training your dog properly has many advantages for both you and your pet and should be something that you incorporate into your dog training plans. I thought I would never do it until it was explained to me.
While some dogs might take to a crate right away, others might be a little leery of this strange object that you want them to step inside of. The most important aspect of crate training is that you must never force your dog into the crate. Instead, you must make your dog want to enter it of his own volition. If done properly, you will find that your dog actually loves the crate and goes there on his own to sleep and “get away."
Introducing Your Dog To The Crate
The first thing you need to do is “introduce” your dog to the crate. Take one of his favorite toys or a treat and “hand out” by the crate so that he simply gets used to the crate being in the room. Play with him near the crate, repeating this for several days. You should start off with the crate in the spot you want to keep it in and this should be somewhere that is away from the traffic areas of the home but in a room that the family spends time in. You don’t want your pet to feel isolated and lonely in a crate that is way off somewhere where no one ever goes!
Getting Your Dog Into The Crate
Next, you want to get the dog to go into the crate on his own. One way to do that is to “bribe” him by putting his favorite toy or a treat inside. Don’t put it too far in to begin with, just enough so he has to stick his head in to get it.
You’ll probably find that he pokes his head in and then backs out right away. That’s OK, just be sure to pet and praise him so he feels good about the whole thing.
You want to keep at this exercise every day, gradually putting the toy or treat in farther and farther. You also might want to be sure that you have a comfortable dog bed in there just in case he wants to try it out for a short nap.
Eventually, your dog will get used to going in the crate. When you see him in there, sit beside the crate and pet your dog while he is inside. This will let him know that being in the crate is “good." Always keep the door open wide at this point.
Getting Your Dog To Stay In The Crate
Keep repeating the above steps while trying to get your dog to spend more and more time in the crate. When he seems quite comfortable with it, close the door but do not latch it. Leave it unlocked so that he can nose his way out if he feels uncomfortable.
Eventually, your dog will come to love his crate and will probably retreat there if he is feeling insecure as well as to sleep. If you are going to close the door, be sure you provide him with fresh water at all times and never leave your dog locked in the crate for extended amounts of time.
It was amazing how fast our Maltipoo got accoustomed to the crate. It was only a day or two, but every dog is different.
This of course is just one step in your training ventures. Some people, especially first time dog owners, believe they need a professional to train them and their dog. But there are a lot of free dog training tips online. Youll be surprised how easy and rewarding it is when you do it yourself.
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