Crate Training
There are people with strong convictions against crate training, but, if you consider all of the benefits, crate training is a responsible way of teaching and watching over your dog.
For all of you dog owners that have children, you know that putting your baby in a crib or playpen is a way to safely confine your child when you can’t closely watch over him or her. Similarly, the crate for your dog allows you to have a safe place to put your dog and can accelerate housetraining. Your dog will have a place to go that is his own. Dogs are naturally den dwellers.
The crate can help to curve many behavioral issues. It can help to prevent destructive chewing and playing, and help to prevent separation anxiety. It gives you a secure place to put your dog when door traffic is increased, not allowing him to accidentally run out the door. Usually when you take your dog to the vet’s office or for grooming, he will be put in a crate to wait. It will be much easier on your pet during these visits if he is comfortable in a crate rather than being stressed by the visit.
You can utilize your home as a valuable resource. Your dog will want to roam and search the dwelling. The opportunity exists to allow your dog more real estate to explore when he becomes more able to follow your instructions. When your puppy becomes more capable of controlling his bladder, you can reward him with short periods of off-leash time to access your home, but only after responding to a request. For example: ask your dog to sit, lay down, stay, etc., then release him and tell him to go play for a reward.
How to Crate Train
There are two women that show Chihuahuas and keep there dogs locked up inside there camper constantly. When the dogs get out at the show, they do really well because they finally get out of the boxes. This is not love of the breed or dog. This is selfish and cruel on the owners’ part. Your pet, dog, best friend should have love and caring just like a child should.
Crate training is not a LIFESTYLE for your pet. It is an important tool for the owner to achieve confidence and competence in the pet.
Every puppy needs to learn how to build bladder control. By confining your pet in a crate for an hour or so to nap, and then, letting him out, guess what your puppy will need to do? That’s right, take him out to the area he uses to potty and let him go. Now reward him by saying good boy and mushing him up. This will not only strengthen his bladder control, but will build on your pets ability to do something that he will be rewarded for.
Most puppies have a sense of cleanliness about them. They will not intentionally spoil the close environment of the crate, but if you leave them in it for an unrealistic amount of time for the age of your pet, he may have no other choice but to spoil the crate. Once this has happened, it will be very difficult to train your dog not to spoil the crate again. The point is, take the time to properly crate train at the beginning and you can eliminate most of the problems from the beginning. Your better breeders will have your puppy on a schedule already. Find out what the schedule is and take it from there. Make a point to begin crate training for only short periods of time and certainly only after you are certain that your puppy is empty. This will lead to success for you and your puppy. As the puppy matures, you can increase the amount of time in the crate.
Do not go out and get a crate and put your dog in it right away. Instead, turn the crate into a wonderful place for your dog to go. Start by putting the crate in the area you have him confined in with the door open. For a few days, give your puppy his favorite treats or toys in the crate. Your pup will not only go in for the treats, but he will use the crate to sleep in instinctively. Think about it; if you were given a cash reward every time you walked into a room, chances are, you would spend more time in that room, right? The same holds true for your pet.
When it is time to play with or train your puppy, take the crate out and put it in the play area. Leave the door open and allow him to investigate it. Place a treat near the entrance and gradually push each treat farther in the crate. This will lead to the puppy wanting to be in the crate for treats. Reward your pet for wanting to go in the crate. Rewarding your pet will lead to a positive manner of raising your puppy.
Hope this article helps you in your endeavors. Have fun and stay positive with your puppy. Raise your puppy as a child.