Many people ask about crate training. The following article explains
crate training & its benefits.
When dogs are in the wild, they live in a den. This makes them feel
safe & secure. In your home, his crate is his den. Crate training
should begin as soon as you bring your new puppy home. He should be
encouraged to sleep & rest in his crate. He should be coaxed in, not
forced. A small treat can be used & always give him lots of praise.
At first, he may try to back out or become very timid. This is
normal. Just give him time & he'll go in on his own. In the
beginning, don't close the door. Let him go in & out as he pleases
until he's comfortable with the situation. Once he's comfortable,
restrain him with your hand in the doorway. Eventually, he will feel
comfortable enough to have the door closed. A puppy should be kept
in his crate whenever he is not supervised.*
A puppy instinctively knows not to "mess" in his crate, but does
need to go out every 2 to 4 hours when he's young. Make sure you
take him out frequently & get him on a schedule. Leave an approved
chew toy in the crate with him so he can satisfy his need to chew.
Eventually, as the puppy grows into a full grown dog, he will use
the crate with the door open as his den.
*Please note that a puppy or dog should never be left in a closed
crate for extended lengths of time, such as all day while the owners
are at work. This is entirely too long to be left in a crate! What I
prefer is to block off a room of the house that has an easy care
floor, such as the kitchen. A child gate works nicely for this
purpose. Place newspaper or puppy pads in a few places in the
blocked off room. Paper trained puppies & dogs can use the papers &
get some exercise while you are away without getting into trouble.
If the puppy is crate trained, leave the door open to his crate
during this time so that he still has access to his "den".
