Rules of Crate Training For Dogs

by Ken Charles

Crate Training can be used as an adjunct to House Training puppies. By instinct, most dogs do not want to defecate or urinate in their den -- in this case, the crate.

The puppy is kept in the crate except during feeding time or during supervised play time. When the puppy comes out of the crate, he or she is taken to the "shampy area" and given encouragement to "go potty" or other predetermined voice command. When the puppy "goes potty" she or he is profusely praised.

Until housebroken, the puppy is either in the crate or is closely supervised.

Before the puppy goes in the crate, give him plenty of attention and play (and time for toilet), so that he is ready to rest and take it easy and goes into his crate willingly.

For maximum effectiveness, the crate must be just large enough for the puppy to be able to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. If there is too much space, the puppy might use the unoccupied end as a bathroom.

Crates can be either metal or plastic. If your new puppy is nervous or suffering from separation anxiety, a wire crate will give him a wider view of what is going on and keep him involved in the family's activities. A plastic crate is easier to clean and keep sterile - this is also a requirement for airplane travel.

In addition, timing of the puppy's potty breaks are crucial. Even a confined puppy has a difficult time controlling its urination and defecation. Control gets better as the puppy gets older, but it is the owner's responsibility to ensure that the puppy has ample opportunities to eliminate outside the crate.

Toys and soft material for bedding in the crate make it more comforting for a dog or puppy. Crate Training must not be a stressful experience for the dog.

Even an adult dog, when ill or affected by certain medications, can end up soiling the crate, making the dog uncomfortable both physically and mentally, if the owner isn't vigilant and aware of the dog's needs.

It is important not to misuse the crate by turning it into a prison. Some trainers advise only to close the crate when the owner is home but this is disputed by others.

Simple confinement is not the same as crate training. Sometimes confinement is necessary where the puppy is not yet house-trained.

The crate is not designed for locking the dog in and leaving him for extended periods; if the dog isn't let out when it needs to relieve itself the training will be set back weeks or even months. To avoid this, make a diary of your puppy's frequency of toiletting

When not confined, then make sure he is taken from his crate to your designated toilet area at these intervals. Being in a crate will not mean he needs to toilet less frequently!

No dog should ever be confined to a crate for a longer period than their owner can 'hang on' without needing to use the lavatory.