subject: Dealing With Puppy Crate Training [print this page] Crate training your dog is essential to house breaking your dog.
It is easier to crate train puppies than adult dogs because adult dogs may have already established habits on their own which will then have to be changed.
An advisable time to start crate training your puppy is just after your puppy has learned basic obedience training.
It is important to state that crate training your puppy is not the equivalent of putting your puppy in a jail cell, although some dog owners may feel that way initially.
In fact, the crate is like a home within a home for your puppy; once it learns it way into the crate it can become a favorite spot.
Similar problems may be encountered by dog owners when they begin crate training which they don't know how to solve.
Obstacles encountered by dog owners and the ways they have been overcome are listed below.
Starting puppy crate training at the same time as potty training and obedience training.
If a puppy is unable to following an obedience command, some pet owners mistakenly place the puppy in its crate.
Care should be taken to ensure that the puppy does not associate time in the crate as punishment thus is less willing to enter the crate.
Puppies may avoid the crate because they feel they are being deprived of companionship with their owners.
Putting your puppy's food next to its crate, and creating a comfortable place for your puppy to rest and sleep, helps your puppy see positive aspect of the crate rather than feel isolated.
After the first few times when the puppy is place in its crate, begin to guide the puppy to the crate until it is able to enter on its own.
Puppy owners commonly encounter during crate training that their puppy does not want to stay in the crate.
Although it may seem that this is due to the playfulness of the puppy, there could be a problem with the crate itself.
When your puppy wants out of the crate even when it is hungry and/or sleepy, investigate how the crate may be changed to be more comfortable.
A puppy's crate should be a private haven for your puppy; a comfortable space of its own.
A puppy will eventually begin to appreciate time on its own once it associates the crate with the ability to rest, sleep, and eat away from distractions.
