Crate Training and why it's ImportantCrate Training and why it's Important Crates are to a dog as your bedroom is to you. Dogs need a comfortable, safe place lounging away the hours you are gone for work or shopping. There are numerous articles on the internet describing how to crate train your dog, but I haven't found any that give you a list of how to do it and in what order. All dogs are different so take this list with a grain of salt. If you run into a problem with something not working after trying it for two days, call me. This list is the fundamentals but by no means the end. I have lots of techniques you can switch to that may work better. Below is a step-by-step, day-by-day list to acclimate a puppy or a grown dog to a crate. Yes, it takes time. No, it is not impossible.Day 1: Set up the crate. The preferable location would be the living room or wherever you have the TV. Leave the crate door open and throw a cookie in the crate. Let your dog watch you. They will probably go after the cookie. DO NOT close the door; you are just letting your dog get accustomed to the new item in the house. Praise your dog for not being afraid. Day 2: Your dog should be accustomed to seeing the crate by now. Take a treat, lure your dog over to the crate; throw the treat into the crate once at the crate. Say Good Doggie - and you're done. DO NOT close the door yet. Day 3: Repeat Day 2 but close the door for 15 seconds, then open the door. You will stand in front of the crate talking to your dog, telling them what a good doggie they are. Day 4: Repeat Day 2 but close the door for 30 seconds, then open the door. Day 5-6: Repeat Day 2 but close the door for 45 seconds on Day 5 and 1 minute on Day 6. You are still in front of the crate, talking to your dog, telling them what a good doggie they are. Day 7: Now comes the tricky part. Now you will go out of sight of your dog while they are in the crate with the door closed. Walk into another room (out of sight ) for 15 seconds. You can still talk to them if needed, but they can't see you. Always remember to praise when you release them from the crate when they are calm. If they are not entirely ready, back up to Day 6 for another day and keep going back & forth between sight and out of sight until they get a calm day before proceeding. Day 8-9-10: Repeat Day 7 out of sight but increase the seconds per day by 15 seconds. Day 8 is 30 seconds out of sight, Day 9 is 45 seconds, and Day 10 is 1 minute. If you try to progress and your dog is not calm, back up to the last step where they were quiet. Now we have to work on leaving the house for varying periods. Day 1: Your dog has worked up to being calm in the crate with the door closed for 1 minute with you out of sight, good job. Today you will walk out the front door and stand for 30 seconds. Listen!!!! Is your dog calm or stressing? If stressing, Crack the door and say, "Na Na, it's ok baby," or some calming words, then close the door and start your timing over. If your dog does not calm down, you need to back up to Day 8. When all is calm, release your dog and praise. Day 2: Same as Day 1, but you will step away from the door like you are leaving. Don't think that they don't know you are messing with them because they sure do. They know if you are standing there right outside the door or not. So today, you are going to step away. Listen!! Make sure there is no stress. When all is calm, release your dog and praise. Day 3-4-5: Repeat Day 2 but increase the distance from the door and the time by 15 seconds each day. When all is calm, release your dog and praise. Day 6; Today, you are going to your car. Yep, they know when you are leaving the grounds. Open your car and sit for 30 seconds, with the motor off. When all is calm, release your dog and praise. Day 7: Today, you will start your car, assuming Day 6 went well with no stress. When all is calm, release your dog and praise. Day 8: Today, you will drive around the block, assuming Day 7 went well with no stress. When all is calm, release your dog and praise. Viewing their crate as a haven is as important as feeding them. Crating is not only a method for potty training a new pup but is also critical if your pet is injured and needs crate rest (can you imagine trying to crate train a dog that is injured), vet visits. If they stay for the day, a spa day, or boarding (a bad experience can happen to dogs because they are suddenly crated), in case of a natural disaster ( See the Fire Evacuation Plan ) and a host of other causes that the dog needs to be crate trained.
If you love your pet and want the best for them, please crate-train them to be comfortable with the idea. Keep your dog acclimated to the crate. It doesn't mean the dog has to spend all day in their crate, but there are times when both you and your pet will be glad they are not afraid of their crate. The crate should be a safe place to go when they are scared or overwhelmed. Teach children not to bother the dog if the dog has gone to the crate.
 Crate Training and why it's Important |
