To Crate Train Or Not To Crate Train

To a dog, a dog crate can be like his own special home inside your home. It actually makes your dog feel very secure to have an enclosed space where they can go at will. There is a myth out there that using a dog crate or an anti bark collar is cruel, but that is not true as long as you leave them in for no more than a few hours. Actually, if you properly train your pets, you’ll find multiple advantages to incorporating dog crates into your training regime.

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It’s actually very critical in the training process that you never coerce your dog to enter the crate. The most important aspect of crate training is that you must never force your dog into the crate. Believe it or not, when you introduce your pet to their crate the correct way, they will love it. If done properly, you will find that your dog actually loves the crate and goes there on his own to sleep and “get away”.

Your Pet’s First Exposure to The Crate

The first thing you need to do is “introduce” your dog to the crate. If you make it fun for your pet hanging out near the crate for several days, you won’t have any worries. When you introduce the crate to the home, it should be in a place where you permanently want to keep it, and where members of your family hang out. You should start off with the crate in the spot you want to keep it in and this should be somewhere that is away from the traffic areas of the home but in a room that the family spends time in. You don’t want your pet to feel isolated and lonely in a crate that is way off somewhere where no one ever goes!

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Putting Your Dog in The Crate

Ideally, you want the dog to desire to enter the crate on his own volition. One way to do that is to “bribe” him by putting his favorite toy or a treat inside. Don’t put it too far in to begin with, just enough so he has to stick his head in to get it. Y

You’ll probably find that he pokes his head in and then backs our right away. No problem, as long as he gets plenty of positive reinforcement he’ll be alright.

Keep doing this daily, moving the treat or toy further and further inside. You also might want to be sure that you have a comfortable dog bed in there just in case Fido wants to try it out for a short nap.

Eventually, your dog will get used to going in the crate. When you see him in there, sit beside the crate and pet your dog while he is inside. This will let him know that being in the crate is “good”. Always keep the door open wide at this point.

The Best Way to Encourage His Desire for the Crate

Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. When he seems quite comfortable with it, close the door but do not latch it. Leave it unlocked so that he can nose his way out if he feels uncomfortable.

As time goes by, you’ll find that your dog goes into the cage for may reasons, including sleep, rest and relaxation. If you are going to close the door, be sure you provide him with fresh water at all times and never leave your dog locked in the crate for extended amounts of time.