Selecting a crate

Crates will be plastic or collapsible, metal pens. They come in different sizes and can be purchased at most pet stores. Your dog’s crate should be just large enough for it to stand up and turn around.

 

The crate training process

Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog’s age, temperament, and past experiences. It’s 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 intervals. Slow and steady wins the race in dog training.

 

Step 1: Introducing your dog to the crate

Put the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time but away from the main activity area. ring your dog over to the crate and talk in a happy and excited tone of voice. There is no need for baby talk or pitching your voice. Just talk like you would chat with a friend about a gorgeous sunny summer day. Make sure the crate door is securely fastened open, so it won’t accidentally close or hit your dog and frighten it.

To encourage your dog to enter the crate, drop some small food treats near it, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If your dog refuses to go all the way in at first don’t force it. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If your dog isn’t food motivated, try using its favourite toy instead. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days. Don’t get frustrated. Repeat this exercise a few times a day with only 2-3 repetitions.

 

Step 2: Feeding your dog his meals in the crate

After your dog willingly steps into the crate and is comfortable with it, begin feeding the regular meals inside the crate. This will create a positive association. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, put the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If your dog is still reluctant to enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as he will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed your dog place the bowl a little further back in the crate. If you hand feed your dog use the food to practice going in and out of the crate by scattering some food alternating between scattering food inside and outside the crate.

At this stage incorporate a command word whenever your dog goes into the crate and be consistent in using the command word while practicing this stage of crate training.

Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat its meal, you can close the door while he’s eating. At first, open the door as soon as he finishes his meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer until your dog is comfortable staying in the crate for 10 minutes or so after eating. If your dog begins to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving it in the crate for a shorter time period. If it does whine or cry in the crate, it’s imperative that you do not let it out until it stops. Otherwise, it’ll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so it’ll keep doing it.

 

Step 3: Conditioning your dog to the crate for longer time periods

After your dog is eating its regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine your dog there for short time periods while you’re home. Call your dog over to the crate and give it a treat. Give it the crate command you have been using and encourage your dog by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, give verbal praise and the treat and close the door.

Sit quietly near the crate for five to 10 minutes without engaging with your dog. Then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time without engaging, then let your dog out of the crate. Repeat this process several times a day. With each repetition, gradually increase the length of time you leave your dog in the crate and the length of time you’re out of 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 it crated when you’re gone for short time periods and/or letting it sleep there at night. This may take several days or several weeks.

Be consistent and do not give in if your dog starts to whine and begs to be let out.

 

Step 4: Crating your dog

• During the Day and when you leave the house
  After your dog is spending about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving it crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You’ll want to vary at what point in your “getting ready to leave” routine you put your dog in the crate to avoid your dog predicting the next steps and becoming anxious. Do not make a big fuss about leaving and stay calm. While your dog shouldn’t be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate your dog anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving. Don’t make your departures emotional and prolonged, but matter-of-fact. Verbally praise your dog and give it a treat for going into the crate and then leave. When you return home, don’t reward your dog for excited behaviour by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low-key and calm. 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. Your dog should not be left alone in the crate for more than four to five hours at a time during the day.

• 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 or nearby in a hallway, 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 crating doesn’t become associated 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.

 

Possible challenges

1. 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 small a space. Other arrangements should be made to accommodate 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.

 

2. Whining

If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether it is whining to be let out of the crate, or whether it needs to be let outside to go to the bathroom. If you followed the training procedures outlined above, your dog hasn’t been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from the crate. Try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, it’ll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at your dog or pounding on the crate will only make things worse.

If the whining continues after you’ve ignored your dog for several minutes, use the command your dog associates with going outside to potty. If it responds and becomes excited, take your dog outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not playtime. If you’re convinced that your dog doesn’t need to go to the bathroom, the best response is to ignore the whining until your dog stops. Don’t give in, otherwise, you’ll teach your dog to whine loudly to get what it 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.

 

3 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 it may injure itself in an attempt to escape from the crate. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counter-conditioning and desensitization procedures. You may want to consult a professional trainer or animal behaviorist for help.