Crate Training a Puppy
Effective puppy training should incorporate crate training for many reasons, it should be started the very first night your new puppy is welcomed to her new home. Crate training puppies isn’t as difficult as you might think. It’s also one of the major foundations on which all other dog training can rest.
It can be a great benefit for your new puppy and you if you have a secure place for her to keep herself company while you are busy, or while you are asleep. The crate can give your new puppy the safety and comfort she needs. Crate training also helps to eliminate the separation anxiety that a lot of new puppies experience. It helps you by letting you have piece of mind, knowing that your house isn’t being destroyed, that your floors are not being soiled and that your new puppy is safe in general.
Our oldest son was the first one to aquaint me to the benefits of crate training puppies. He had gotten a young puppy and it was getting into everything, and using the bathroom everywhere. He was living in an apartment and it was starting to become an issue having his puppy running lose while he was at work or at night, because the little puppy was chewing everything and relieving himself all over the house. While waking up and stepping in you know what, he decided to look into crate training. Seeing the benefits that he enjoyed was enough to convince me of the importance of crate training for puppies. His puppy was much easier to get along with, and so was my son!
You will need to introduce your puppy to the crate in a non threatning way. Do not make her go into the kennel if she doesn’t want to go. Food can play a big role in a lot of training techniques. It can be used in a very simple but important role in crate training. In the introduction you will want to use a treat or a toy to coax her to investigate the crate. Before long she’ll view it as a good place, if you give her some time. After she has been introduced to the crate and she isn’t afraid of it, leave the crate door open, and occasionally drop small chunks of her favorite treat in the crate. You can also make a short trail of treats leading in to the crate if your puppy is still a little scared about going in.
It’s also helpful to leave a favorite toy or two in the crate. As she begins stepping into the crate with no coaxing, you should flood her with affection. Remember to give positive affection when your puppy is in her crate.
Always keep in mind, when crate training puppies, you should have a key word that your puppy can learn. I use the word “Kennel”. Whenever your puppy gets into her crate you should say the key word. Saying the word will help her to associate her good behavior with your key word. Be consistent with the key word and the training, and in no time at all, your puppy will be crate trained.
For more information, check out this puppy training blog.
