One of the things on some dog owner’s list is to crate train their dogs. Most of my client’s dogs are either crate trained or are in the process of being so. Besides the added benefit of helping a puppy with house training, crate training an adult dog comes with a lot of perks for the dog. But how do you crate train a dog?
You want your dog to positively associate the crate – to view the crate as a fabulous place where fabulous things happen for dogs. To achieve this, always connect the crate with something that’s rewarding for your dog.
Crate training is a process. Be patient with yourself and your dog. Get him acquainted with and used to the crate gradually, and don’t rush the training. Never force your dog to go into the crate.
NOTE:
If you need to contain your dog or puppy and they are yet not comfortable in a crate, consider a large X-pen (as shown in this picture) of the right size for your dog or even a room such as a bathroom or utility room that is safe for them to be left alone when you cannot attend to them.
You will still have to do some preliminary work to ensure that your dog is comfortable being left in this room or inside an “x-pen,” but this choice might be a good, less restrictive option for your dog while you crate train them.
Want to learn step by step how to crate train? Enroll in my complimentary Crate Training Class. And take a look at my other on-demand training course on Walking Your Dog on a Loose Leash on Thinktific.