Crate Training

In the layman's world, crate training can be a controversial topic. I can assure you that if used properly, a crate is the most natural way to train a dog. In the wild, dog’s are denning animals. When danger is around, they search for a small place to hide. When it’s time to have their young, they search for a small place to whelp. The crate is your dog’s den. It will make him more confident, more secure and much more behaved.

The crate should never be used for punishment. It’s their “time-out” place. They get cookies in their crate, they get toys in their crate but they never get thrown in their crate. If you dog is trained correctly he will always voluntarily go into his crate.

If you feel your dog has done some inexplicable behavior and must be punished, do your disciple out of the crate. Short and sweet works best - don’t overdo it and give negative attention. Remember he gets only positive attention or no attention. We need to learn to take the negative attention out of the picture.

This tells him what he did bad. Now you must show him what would have been a preferable behavior... going to his crate and eating his own toys. Ask him to get into his crate (in a nice voice). When he does praise him (positive attention). This way he understands the “don’t do this... but do this” concept.

What kind of crate is best? Wire crates promote a more social dog. It allows him to be part of the family goings on. Airline type crates are safer for traveling and for dogs that dig at the door and carry on (chewing on bars etc).

Here is the correct method to crate train.

1. Safety

Above all, keep in mind that your dog’s safety should be your primary concern. Think of the crate a playpen for a baby. You wouldn’t leave a toddler in the living room alone while you do the dishes. He could put things in his mouth, play with electrical cords, grab at sharp things etc. It’s the same for your new puppy.

He may cry in crate, but he’s not objecting to the crate, he’s objecting to you not revolving your entire life around his desire for 24 hour a day attention. Initially, your puppy should be in his crate whenever you cannot directly supervise him. If your doing dishes and he’s behind you in the corner -- HE IS NOT SUPERVISED. He can chew your carpet, swallow dust bunnies, lick the electrical socket and do his duties. He needs to learn what is his and what is yours.

He needs to learn what behaviors are good and what are bad. Discipline him after the fact is useless. He doesn’t remember. If he shows remorse, he is responding to your tone of voice and your body language. Keep in mind that ‘dog language’ is made up primarily of body language. He can pinpoint all your ‘tells’ in matter of days, so if it seems he is doing things on purpose to get you mad... he is. Negative attention will satisfy especially in the absence of true positive attention.

Is all this starting to sound familiar? Are you the proud parent of a 4 year old child? Bingo!! The thought processing abilities of your dog is roughly the same as a 3-4 year old child.

When your dog does go into his crate TAKE OFF HIS COLLAR. The tags can get caught in the wire and he can cause serious injury or death to himself. The same is true with tags and/or choke collars and outdoor chain link fence. I always ask my dogs to sit as they come out of their crate so that they can put on their collars and to act as a “stop motion reflex”.

2. Housebreaking

If your purpose is housebreaking, the crate needs to be the same size of the dog. He should be able to stand, turn around, and lay. That is it. If he has too much room, he will divide the crate in two. Half is for potty duties and half is for sleeping. If you eliminate the potty half, he is left with sleeping in his feces should he decide to go.

If his dog mom did her job and kept the newborns environment clean, and the dog mom’s human did their job and kept the mom dog’s environment clean for the puppies, he should have a natural aversion to sleeping in feces.

When faced with the decision to sleep in it or hold it, your puppy should hold it. If he doesn’t, consider it your fault and bring him outdoors more often. Generally a puppy needs to go out every 1 to 2 hours. Now that you have him holding it, set a potty schedule. Initially try taking him out every hour. In a week or two, try every 2 hours. As he progresses, you can slowly increase the time.

Now we need to set your puppies entertainment, feeding and potty schedules.

Scheduling Hints:

After eating, you have about 20 minutes on the average until potty time.

Every time he wakes from a nap, you have about 20 seconds.

Preventing situations where he can be bad, develops good habits.

Discipline bad behavior constantly creates the need for retraining. It’s better to just prevent it from happening in the first place.

If you work for a living and you want to housebreak your puppy, QUIT YOUR JOB. Just kidding. It will be harder to do and take longer, but you will get there. Arrange for someone to come home at lunch. Recruit the kids to walk him after school. Bake cookies for the neighbor to entice them to take Rover for a walk. The key to success is follow through and consistency.

The Ideal Schedule:

6:00 am Wake up and walk the puppy. Carry him from the crate to outside. He will not make it on his own. Prevent accidents. Expect at least a pee. When he does, praise him and go right inside. It is important to distinguish potty time from play time in order for him to understand what he’s out there for.

6:10 am Feeding time. Preferable feed him in his crate or in an exercise pen (or a small area fenced with baby gates). This minimizes distractions and gets the business of eating done. No pickers around here. When he’s done, put him in his crate (to hold it).

6:30 am Walk time. Carry him from the crate to outdoors. This time expect both a poop and a pee.

6:40 am Play time - supervised. You have just minimized the occurrence of an accident in the house so now you can have him out and about.

7:00 am Nap time. He’ll probably cry. Naps aren’t as much fun as play time. Once he understands the schedule, the back talk will stop.

7:10 am Quick, run for the shower!!

8:00 am Walk time...

8:10 am Play time...

8:30 am Nap time... when he wakes up, start the progression over.

12:00 Noon meal! Puppies should eat 3 times a day. If this is impossible, he needs a minimum of 2 meals a day. The same is true for an adult dog.

12:20 Walk time. Wait for both the poop and the pee. Don’t forget the praise. Cookies help too especially in the winter and rainy weather.

12:30 Play time

1:00 Nap time... listen for him to get up and run.

6:00 pm Dinner meal!

6:20 pm Walk time

...Well you get the picture. Make sure you take him out just before bed. Sleep with one ear open for the ‘I have to go out whine’ or any restlessness. If he’s awake, don’t roll over ‘cuz it’s walk time.

You can expect a certain amount of screaming and crying the first few days. It will pass. He’s bored (no puppies to play with), confused, and you have a life (kind of) other than him. Give him soft toys that he can snuggle into, and squeaky type toys that remind him of his litter mates.

If the screaming gets to be too much, don’t loose your temper or worse yet...give in. When he is amusing himself, tell him he is good. If he is demanding your attention, either ignore him, give him his toy, or give a firm no and praise when he stops. Use your common sense. It takes some trial and error to find the right combination that works.

Note: If he wets in his crate and the crate is the correct size for your puppy, remove all his bedding. Sometimes the bedding absorbs accidents. Also, check your schedule. Are you letting him out enough? Is he drinking too much near bed time? Does he have a medical condition?

3. Destructive behavior

Is your puppy destroying your house whenever you leave him alone? There are many reasons for destructive behavior. The following are the most common.

a. Teething
b. Jaw Settlement (growth)
c. Jealousy
d. Angry for being left
e. Just plain bored

Prevention is the key to a well trained dog. If he keeps tearing up your books on the floor... remove the books from the floor. If he keeps stealing the kids toys... pick up the toys.

If you find yourself thinking about where the dog is and what he is up to, he should have been in his crate. In his crate give him some of his own belongings that he can shred if he chooses. Hard bones and hard toys work well also. He needs to learn what is yours and what is his. He needs to learn what is an appropriate release for his frustration and or energy. He needs his own things to get through the teething phase.

The crate provides behavior modification. It helps him learn what is expected of him in different situations.

4. Company

During the confusion of the holidays, it’s usually best to put puppy’s crate in a quiet room and only allow him out visiting for short periods.

The same is true for any large gatherings. Just like kids, they get overwhelmed easily.

5. Traveling

Puppy should ride in his crate in the car if possible. This will help to avoid car sickness, window aggression and the ever annoying ‘backseat to front seat to backseat’ game.

You are always more welcome at friends and relatives if your dog travels and stays in a crate. They don’t like their house blemished either. The crate will also provide your puppy with a familiar place to sleep. The more confident he is traveling and staying at new places, the better behaved adult dog you will have.