| Crate Training For Peace of Mind and Safety |
| Crate Training Crate training is a valuable and worthwhile exercise. Most dogs will need to be in a crate at some point in their lives at a veterinary hospital, groomer or boarding kennel. These places are inherently frightening and stressful for a dog, but much more so if they now feel trapped and are not used to being calm in a crate. At no point in time should a dog be stuffed into a kennel, have the door slammed and locked and be left alone to “learn to deal”. That is a fabulous way to create a dog who is terrified of being crated. Take the crate to the center of the room. Bring a big bowl of tasty treats, your clicker and slightly hungry dog. Sit alongside the crate. Many dogs will look at the crate while they sit next to you. If they look or move towards the crate, click and give them a treat. Repeat this until they are actively looking or moving towards the crate. If the dog seems comfortable being near the crate, try tossing a treat just inside the door. If the dog reaches in to pick it up, click and toss another. Repeat this a few times and then wait to see what the dog does. If the dog investigates father in, click and give a few small treats one after another. Continue until the dog is all the way in the crate. Then give several more treats and speak happily. Allow the dog back out of the crate and then ignore them for a few moments. Begin the crating process again. The dog will learn that good and exciting things happen in the crate! Some people choose to feed their dogs meals in their crate as well as give them special treats like bones or chewies only in their crates. This helps to make the crate extra pleasant, as well as preventing fights between dogs over high value resources. For crating my own dogs, I have always had a Kong stuffed with peanut butter at the ready. I always placed the Kong in the crate, as my dogs went in to get it, I told them to “Go Kennel”. Very quickly they learned this routine and would race into the crate before I could say anything. My Lab got the point that if I opened the peanut butter cupboard for anything at all, she would race upstairs and launch into her crate. It was always so disappointing for her when I just needed sugar and was not actually leaving the house! I strongly advise putting the dog in the crate for several short spells while you are home. This helps the dog learn that the crate does not always mean you are leaving, as well as giving you the opportunity to use the crate to contain the dog if you are busy or have company without the dog screaming to get out because he is not used to being crated with people home. It is important to not feel like this is "doggie jail". This is your dog's safe place, a bedroom of his own. Just as your parents did not let you out of your room every morning with a lot fan fare, make sure you are calm when releasing your dog from the crate. I suggest going one step further and only release your dog if he is sitting and calm. |
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| Etta was not happy about her crate when I got her. She now will retreat to her kennel when she needs a rest at public events we go to. It is so nice to have her be able to relax and feel safe! |
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| Crate Size and Types |
Puppy, Please! Dog Training, LLC ~ www.puppyplease.com ~ (603)261-9283