If you like nothing better than
coming home from a hard days work and finding that your dog decided to
"go" on the couch or use your favorite slippers as a new chew toy,
then crate training isn't for you. But, if you're like most people, then using
a crate to properly train your dog will be time well spent. Crate training takes some time and effort, but it is a proven way to help train
dogs that act inappropriately without knowing any better. If you have a new dog
or puppy, you can use the crate to limit his access to the house until he
learns all the house rules—like what he can and can't chew on and where he can
and can't eliminate. A crate is also a safe way of transporting your dog in the
car or taking him places where he may not be welcome to run freely. If you
properly train your dog to use the crate, he'll think of it as his safe place
and will be happy to spend time there when needed.
The Crate Training Process Crate training can take days or weeks,
depending on your dog's age, temperament, and past experiences. It is important
to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be
associated with something pleasant, and training should take place in a series
of small steps. Don't go too fast.
Step 1: Introducing Your Dog to the Crate Place the crate in an area of your house
where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft
blanket or towel in the crate. Bring your dog over to the crate and talk to him
in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that
it won't hit your dog and frighten him.
To encourage your dog to enter the crate, drop some small food treats
nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate.
If the puppy refuses to go all the way in at first, that's okay. Continue tossing
treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the
crate to get the food. If he isn't interested in treats, try tossing a favorite
toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days
so you don't want to wait several days, you need him in there now. If he
refuses to go after a few tries it is OK to force him to enter, then give a
treat.
Step 2: Feeding Your Dog His Meals in the Crate After introducing your dog to the crate,
begin feeding him his regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant
association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you
begin Step 2, place the food dish in the front after the pup has entered. Once
your pup is done eating, remove the food, wait about 20 minutes and then take
him out potty. If he does whine or cry in the crate, it's imperative that
you not let him out until he stops. Otherwise, he'll learn that the way to get
out of the crate is to whine, so he'll keep doing it.
Step 3: Conditioning Your Dog to the Crate for Longer
Time Periods After your
dog is eating his regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety,
you can confine him there for short time periods while you're home. Call him
over to the crate and give him a treat. Give him a command to enter, such as
"kennel." Encourage him by pointing to the inside of the crate with a
treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise him, give him the
treat, and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to ten minutes
and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for
a short time, then let him out of the crate.
Repeat this process several times a day. With each repetition, gradually
increase the length of time you leave him in the crate and the length of time
you're out of his sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about
30 minutes with you out of sight the majority of the time, you can begin
leaving him crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting him
sleep there at night. This may take several days or several weeks.
Step 4, Part A: Crating Your Dog When Left Alone After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in
the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving him crated
for short periods when you leave the house. Put him in the crate using your
regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave him with a few safe
toys in the crate. You'll want to vary at what point in your "getting
ready to leave" routine you put your dog in the crate. Although he
shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate him
anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving. Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged, but matter-of-fact.
Praise your dog briefly, give him a treat for entering the crate, and then
leave quietly. When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior
by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low key to
avoid increasing his anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your
dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so he doesn't
associate crating with being left alone.
Step 4, Part B: Crating Your Dog at Night Put your dog in the crate
using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put
the crate in your bedroom especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to
go outside to eliminate during the night, and you'll want to be able to hear
your puppy when he whines to be let outside.
Older dogs, too, should initially be kept nearby so that they don't
associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping
comfortably through the night with his crate near you, you can begin to
gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your
dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your
pet.
Potential Problems Too Much Time In The Crate. A crate isn't a
magical solution. If not used correctly, a dog can feel trapped and frustrated.
For example, if your dog is crated all day while you're at work and then crated
again all night, he's spending too much time in too small a space. Other
arrangements should be made to meet his physical and emotional needs. Also
remember that puppies under six months of age shouldn't stay in a crate for
more than three or four hours at a time. They can't control their bladders and
bowels for longer periods.
Separation Anxiety Attempting
to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the
problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but he
may injure himself in an attempt to escape from the crate. Separation
anxiety problems can only be resolved ith counter-conditioning and
desensitization procedures. You may want to consult a professional
animal-behavior specialist for help.
Whining If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether he's whining to be let out of the crate, or whether he needs to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from his crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, he'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at him or pounding on the crate will only make things worse. If the whining continues after you've ignored him for several minutes, use the phrase he associates with going outside to eliminate. If he responds and becomes excited, take him outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore him until he stops whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what he wants. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again.
Copyright
© 2004 The Humane Society of the United States.