Have a "Crate" Time With Your Pup!

The Basics of Crate Training

Crate training and potty training are two basic and important skills for any dog or puppy to learn and master. Most puppies can be taught these two skills at just about any age over 12 weeks, but they will be more receptive and will learn faster when they are under 1 year of age.

Crate Training - Acquainting Your Puppy with Its New Home

Starting at early puppyhood, train your puppy to sleep, rest, and be comfortable in its "home" (crate). Every puppy needs to learn the skill of resting calmly in a crate. This skill will be needed at the veterinary hospital, for traveling, and for restricted activity due to illness. It is also a lifesaver for many young dogs during their chewing stages - your puppy will more likely be comfortably resting in its crate instead of causing messes or trouble all over the house. Everyone in the household can sleep better with a crate-trained puppy.

Finally crate training is an effective tool for helping with housebreaking or potty training. The basic principle is that puppies will avoid soiling in their immediate sleeping/living area, that is, their crate or "den." The first couple of tries you might have some accidents, but do not be discouraged. By following the steps below, you can show your puppy how to train itself to seek security and comfort inside its little dog home. The crate should be a place of security and comfort to it like the den is for most canine animals in the wild.

Step 1: Encourage your puppy to go into its home on its own. If necessary, toss a treat into the crate. Do not force it to go in. Your puppy may quickly back out or be shy, but that is normal. Be patient and give it some time. For now, do not close the door on your puppy, but let it go in and explore without too much anxiety and worry. Of course, feel free to give praise and/or a treat when the puppy goes in.

Step 2: Once your puppy is happy and unafraid of its new home, simply restrain it at the crate door with your hand. Make your puppy stay in its home for a few minutes at first, then gradually increase the time and be sure to praise it if it behaves well.

Step 3: Once your puppy is comfortable with this - usually after a few hours or a few days of short training sessions - simply restrain it by closing the crate door gently but firmly on it, again praising it lavishly. However, try not to be sneaky about shutting the door, this can cause the puppy to distrust both you and the crate. Slowly you can get further and further away from your puppy, always praising its accepting behavior. Eventually, your puppy will feel secure in its home with the door closed, and will sit quietly and sleep in there.

Make the crate a pleasant place to rest. A few safe chew toys and a treat can help the puppy relax and drift off to dreamland. Provide soft, washable bedding in its new home, so that your puppy is comfortable and warm. Keep the bedding and crate clean and free of fleas. It is also important that the crate is the right size for your dog, if too big your puppy may soil in it. The crate should be big enough for you puppy to stand up, turn around and lie down with water bowl. Do not put housebreaking pads or newspaper in your puppy's home. We are trying to take advantage of the its natural instinct not to go in its home but in the back yard or other open place.

Potty Training - Directing Your Puppy

Little puppies need to "go" about every 2-4 hours. The following steps show how to train your puppy to get used to a regular daily schedule for elimination. A set schedule between the two of you allows your puppy plenty of opportunities throughout the day to "go," while ensuring that you do not have to take it out to "go" all day and night at unpredictable intervals and odd hours.

Step 1: Plan a schedule, such as after feeding, before bedtime, and first thing in the morning to take your puppy out to "go."

Step 2: Teach your puppy the route to the door to wherever you would like it to do its elimination, such as the back yard. When you two get to the door, praise it at the door.

Step 3: At each scheduled time of the day, go with the puppy out the door and out to the back yard or wherever you have chosen. If there is a specific spot in the backyard or other place that you want it to use for elimination, lead your puppy to that spot and let it "go" there. Also praise it as it eliminates. Very quickly, you are teaching your puppy an elimination schedule that will stay with it for the rest of its life.

When your puppy gets to 4-6 months old, you can gradually leave it in its home for longer periods of time because it can hold the urge to eliminate longer. In fact, at 6 weeks, a puppy can hold its bladder about 4 hours, by 8 weeks - 5 hours, by 12 weeks - 6 hours, and by 5 or 6 months a puppy should be able to hold it for an 8 hour work day. Soon, your puppy can be in its home all day, if necessary, until you arrive to let it out.

However, take care not to abuse the use of the crate. When you are at home and awake, supervise the puppy in person rather than using the crate. Puppies need exercise, mental stimulation and guidance from you in order to grow up healthy and happy. Too much crate time is not humane. Puppies sleep 14 hours a day or so. If the crate time is scheduled so the puppy can use it for sleep and rest, that's ideal.

Finally, good eating habits and food choice will help housebreak your dog or puppy. Although commonly done, you should avoid feeding table scraps to your puppy. Most human food can mess up your puppy's stools (as well as possibly cause other health problems) and therefore interfere with your housebreaking plans. Good quality, dry dog food is your and your dog's biggest ally. The average puppy or dog will need about 2 to 3 feedings a day, and be given water 3 or 4 times a day. You should make the last watering and feeding as early as possible - no later than a couple of hours before bedtime (around 5 or 6) - to help ensure that the puppy or dog eliminates around bedtime and will not have to go overnight.

Some of the Do's and Don'ts of Crate and Potty Training

Do...get your puppy used to its new home gradually.

Do...supervise your puppy anytime it is roaming free in your home. Supervision is what allows you to direct behavior. Chewing, elimination, barking and all other behaviors are all dependent on your direction. If allowed to be unsupervised, your puppy will begin to direct its own behavior and schedule.

Do...remove collars, tags and leads from your puppy before placing it in your home to prevent possible entanglement.

Do...remember to give your puppy food and water if you have to leave it for awhile.

Don't...try to housebreak your puppy before 12 weeks old, they lack the muscle control at that age.

Don't...leave your puppy in its home all day.

Don't...let your new puppy roam through your house unsupervised. Keep an eye on it so that when it sniffs and circles - an indication it is about to "go" - you can quickly and gently guide it to the door and outside.

Don't...punish your puppy by putting or forcing him into its home. Your puppy's home should not be associated with punishment or anything negative.

If you have any more questions regarding crate training or potty training, just ask us and we will help you any way we can.

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