Proper Crate Training

by Linnea on 01/29/13

I'm more medically and nutritionally minded so when I need training advice, I go to my friend Kiersten who was the head trainer at PetSmart.  We both believe in positive reinforcement training so I value her advice above those who use forceful methods.  I asked her to write an article on the importance of crate training and how to properly train your dog to enjoy spending time in their crate....

Having a new dog or puppy in the home brings more joy than one can explain. 

It takes patience and consistency. Teaching a dog to love its crate should be a positive lesson/thing. So, why not start from the beginning? Remember, for older or previously trained dogs, you can start again. Yes, old dogs DO learn new tricks.

       Starting with a crate that will fit the dog as an adult is the best bet. Finding one that has a divider is ideal if you have a puppy. The divider will be able to be moved as the puppy grows. The dog should have stand up and turn around room only. Any more room than that, the dog will potty on one side and sleep on the other.

       Getting your dog accustomed to the crate should start off slow. Throw a couple of Linnea's really high value protein treats in the crate for your dog to find. When you see your dog go in the crate on its own, put more treats in there. Kinda like a jackpot.  Verbally praising your dog when it goes in the crate will help. Kongs or Nylabones are pretty much the only other thing recommended to go in the crate. If your dog chews, happy little chemicals are released and should help the dog calm down, curl up and fall asleep. You can start closing the door a few minutes at a time. Then, gradually increase the amount of time. Four minutes. Five minutes. And so on. Then, increase it to where you can get in the car and drive around the block.

       Dogs are denning animals. It is natural for your dog to have a cubby cozy place. Keeping the crate door open while you are home gives the dog somewhere to go for rest or quiet. Somewhere safe to go when there is company visiting or to get away from the rest of the family.

       The amount of time a dog can be in a crate depends on how old your dog is. Ideally a puppy should not be in a crate any longer than how many months old it is. Three months old should only be in the crate three hours. And that is just an example. Bringing a puppy or adult dog home on a weekend and by Monday expecting it to be crate trained probably won’t work. For people who are gone all day at work, letting your adult dog out at lunch is great. That is when getting a dog walker would come in real handy. Especially the days when you know you will be gone longer than normal.

       So, your dog should always think of the crate as something really good. This means that there aren't any time-outs in the crate. The only time out the dog should go in the crate for is if the HUMAN needs a time-out.

       I have a multi dog household. I feed my dogs in their crates. They are contained when they are done and not free to roam and potty in my house. They also associate their dinner and crate as a good thing.  I know how much each dog is eating. They aren't arguing about food. They are safe to eat without children in the house pestering them. They aren't going to be stolen from my back yard or get out during a storm. They aren't chewing up my sun glasses or electrical cords.  A good pet parent knows exactly what their pet is doing every single moment of the day.  

       Think about what your dog is doing before you let it out of the crate. Is it barking? Then, it will bark to be let out. Is it pawing at the crate door? Then, it will try that next time it wants to get out. It will also try it other places too. Like the back door to get out. Same thing with whining. These are all behaviors that can create separation anxiety like behaviors. When you come home, come calmly through the door. None of this, "HIBABYHOWAREYOUMOMMADADDYMISSEDYOUSOMUCH!"  type of chaos. That all creates puppy like behavior. We are acting like puppies! How confusing is that?

       Remember to reinforce the behavior you like. If you hear a "WOOF!" And you respond with a yell back. You just reinforced an unwanted behavior. Negative attention is still attention.

       Exercise and consistent positive training are key to teaching any dog.