CRATE TRAINING AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT
When it comes to dog crates, they can be extremely useful in training your dog. Many dog owners use them for housebreaking or when they need to leave their dog alone for a while. So what exactly is crate training and why should you do it too?
What You Should know About Crate Training
Crate training is a well-known method of training a dog to be left alone, as well as to housebreak them, too. It is a fact that most dogs will not soil their bed if they can help it and so that's why it makes an excellent method for potty-training your puppy.
Dog crates come in a number of different sizes, so it is vital to get one that is big enough to fit your dog. Even if your puppy is quite small, it would still be a good idea to buy a crate that will fit the dog until it becomes fully grown. This way you will save money as you will not have to go out and purchase another crate later on. It is important that your dog does not have too much room in their crate otherwise they will divide the crate into a sleeping area and a bathroom. To ensure this doesn’t happen you can use a divider to make the crate small enough where your dog can turn around but not too large that they will soil it.
The good news is that crates are not only good to train puppies, but they are also great for an adult dog too. Older dogs enjoy going into their crates sometimes as it provides them with a safe haven to rest and have their own space.
To get your dog used to the crate it is important to make the crate a very happy, exciting place for them. This does not mean you should just stick your dog in the crate and lock them up right away. Keep the door open and put treats in the crate to coax your dog into going in. When they go in make sure to give them lots of praise. The best time to put your dog in their crate while they are getting used to it is when they are exhausted. After a long play session or walk put them in the crate after coaxing them in with a few treats and they will pass out. They will learn that when they are in the crate it is time to sleep and because they are tired they will be less prone to anxiety.
At first only keep your puppy/dog in the crate for very short periods of time. Make sure that when you let them out of their crate that they are in a calm and peaceful mindset for best results. After awhile, your dog will love their crate and will have no problem going in on their own for a nap!