With proper introduction, dogs usually accept crate training quite naturally.
The ancestor of the domestic dog, along with today’s wild canines, are den animals. This genetic predisposition means most dogs become comfortable with close quarters.
There are good reasons for you to feel good about crates, too. As a matter of safety, we confine small children in playpens and cribs. You can consider the crate to be the crib of the dog world. Beyond that, crates can be fantastic training tools that you can depend on in many circumstances.
The most common use of the crate is as a house-training tool. Because your dog naturally will refrain from eliminating in her den, the crate is the place for your puppy to spend unsupervised time. Place her in the crate at bedtime and during short trips away from home, but remember that frequent trips outside are critical.
There are many ways for dogs to endanger themselves while you are gone from home. There are horror stories of dogs and puppies that electrocute themselves by chewing on power cords, poison themselves with household cleaners or choke by swallowing strange items. Puppies are especially adventurous and can find themselves in danger in novel ways. Crating your dog ensures her safety and allows you peace of mind.
Crates are great for helping anxious dogs feel more secure while traveling and in hectic situations. Large parties, Fourth of July fireworks and small children with grasping hands are situations that cause stress for many dogs. By crate training your dog, you will provide her with a personal den that she will find familiar and reassuring in these circumstances.
Last but certainly not least, the crate can be used to prevent destructiveness. Puppies especially are prone to chewing, and the crate is the perfect thing to help them safely through this stage. While the crate will not change the unwanted behavior of chewing in older dogs, it at least can prevent damage to your possessions in your absence.
With those benefits in mind, here is a two-week crate-training program to follow:
Day 1: Place the crate in an area that allows your dog to remain part of the family while in it. The living room or dining room usually works well. Keep the door open so that your dog can investigate.
Days 2 to 5: Place a favorite toy or small treat in the rear of the crate and allow your dog to enter freely. Praise her while in the crate but never when she exits the crate. Praising her as she leaves will teach her that getting out of the crate earns the reward. Never force your dog into the crate. Crating should always be a positive experience. You now can begin feeding your dog at the back of the crate every meal.
Days 6 to 14: Begin closing the gate while your puppy is resting or eating in it. Start with 30 seconds and build up to an hour, letting your dog set the pace of improvement. Don’t open the crate door during a spell of whining or barking: Letting her out of the crate when she whines will teach her that whining is the trick to getting the crate open. Practice this two to three times a day. From this point forward, it’s usually easy to increase your dog’s crate time.
Crate training can help with a wide range of training and behavior modification for a modest investment of time and money.
Julie Winkelman is a certified pet dog trainer and a certified dog trainer. Reach her at www.retinc@frontier.net.
