Puppy Crate Training
Puppy crate training can be a very important part of providing responsible and effective care for your puppy, and it is a useful tool when ‘housebreaking’ (dogs do not like to mess in their resting area).
Please consider using a crate for training your puppy. Read on to find out why puppy crate training works.
We humans have an abhorrence of crates because we may see them as cages, and therefore, cruel. Whereas, dogs are different, they actually like small, enclosed spaces where they can rest and feel secure.
Because puppies can easily get up to no good, letting a puppy just wander around the house on his own is setting him up to fail and could also put him in danger.
Letting him wander will set you and your puppy up for conflict, as puppies inevitably do puppy things that will require you to intervene (and clean). It also sets you up to get mad at him for when he does these natural puppy things. And getting mad will get in the way of your good training and it will really hurt your relationship with your mischievous munchkin.
Your puppy will like it if you create a den-like atmosphere for him where he will feel safe and comfortable.
For puppy crate training there are a wide variety of crates to choose from. The two basic types are:
- Wired crates – good for hot climates. You can use a piece of light fabric over one end of the crate to provide some sense of security for your puppy.
- Plastic airline crates – dogs seem to like these better because they are more enclosed and have a cozier feel.
Some crates have an extra door on the side or back to provide more options for access depending on where the crate will be positioned.
Whichever crate you choose for crate training your puppy, be sure there is enough room for him to stand up and turn around in there. It is important that your little friend can move around, especially when you have to leave him in his crate for a while.
Lucky for some, responsible breeders have already used a crate with their litters, so these puppies may already be used to being in one. If this is true, you are already ahead of the game and you can work to reinforce little guy’s head start. But most people have to start from scratch.
This section on crate training your puppy is continued on Page 2.
Page 2 of ‘Puppy Crate Training’ is here: Crate Training Puppies
