Crate Training
a puppy

Do you have questions about crate training a puppy? Do you have vague doubts about whether it's 'cruel' or not? Are you looking for a straightforward 'how-to' guide?

If there's one thing I've learned over the years of raising puppies, it's that a dog crate is a puppy's best friend (of course you're in first place, but a dog crate can come in a close second!).

It's also a puppy parent's best friend.

So, on that note....crate training a puppy, here we come!

The benefits of crate training a puppy

A dog crate is an amazingly versatile piece of equipment. It'll help you and little Fido in more ways than you might think.

Crate training a puppy can :-

• Help you housebreak your puppy (protect your carpets)
• Keep him safe when you're not around to supervise (keep the veterinary bills down)
• Keep him out of trouble (protect your furniture, rugs, shoes and every wire in the house)
• Keep him safe when traveling in the car or by air (put your mind at rest)

Which crate ? What size?

The fiberglass crate
This type is made up of three pieces of molded fiberglass or heavy-duty plastic. The top half, the bottom half, and the metal/wire door. The top and bottom half are joined together with screws or plastic fasteners which makes it easy to take apart for cleaning or storage.

This kind of dog crate provides a securely, enclosed space which resembles the natural den. It's strong and durable and is the only crate recommended (or allowed) to be used for dogs who travel by air. It's main drawbacks are that it does limit little Fido's view of what's going on around him and can get hot inside on a warm day.

The wire crateThis type of crate is made up of wire panels and has a plastic pan that fits inside as a floor. Some models fold down for storage.

If your puppy craves more seclusion but you have a wire crate, throw an old blanket or table-cloth over it. Don't use your best stuff though, even if it looks better, as that little chewing machine will probably nibble on (or even devour)whatever piece of blanket he can grab.

Introducing the crate

Crate training a puppy of less than 8 weeks of age is not recommended as they're still too young for separation from their canine or human family, and have little to no bladder/bowel control.

When you're crate training a puppy it makes the whole process a bit easier if you let little Fido get used to the crate, and feel comfortable around it, before he has to spend much time actually inside it.

Something worth mentioning here is that you should never use the crate as punishment. Fido needs to think of his crate as a safe, happy place where he gets the chance to chew on his very favorite toys! Putting him in his crate as a punishment or when you're angry with him will undo all the hard work you invested in the first place.

Here's a few ideas of ways you can help Fido get accustomed to his new crate and learn that it's a fun place to spend time -

• Open access
  When you begin crate training, leave the crate door open and throw some really tasty treats inside, all the way to the back. Puppy curiosity will get the better of your little fur ball sooner or later and he'll venture inside to claim them.


• Feed him inside
  Give Fido his meals inside the crate (with the door open). This way he learns to associate one of his favorite things (food!) with his crate. If he seems scared at first try feeding him right outside the crate door a couple of times then try it inside again.
• Play Hide & Seek
  Make crate training a puppy fun by playing this game. Put a tasty treat or special toy inside his crate and then encourage Fido to 'find' it. Using a happy, friendly voice say something along the lines of "where's your goodie? Let's find it?". Follow the search with praise, such as "Oh, there it is. It's in your crate (or bed, house whatever you want to call it). What a good boy, you found it!"
  
  

  Let's get started

  When you think Fido's ready to spend some time with the door closed start with very short periods and work up. A couple of pointers to make this part of crate training a puppy a bit less stressful for you both :

  Take a potty break first.
  Make sure Fido has been outside to 'do his business' before you crate him, even for short periods. This way when he starts fussing right away you know he doesn't have an urgent need to 'go' and cuts down on the chances he'll eliminate in the crate, which defeats the purpose of crate training as an aid to housebreaking.

  Put his favorite toy in with him.
  It's a good idea to have a special toy for Fido to play with only when he's in his crate. Make sure it's something he really likes and is safe (no loose parts etc.). It'll stave off boredom and help him forget he's not outside running around. If you have an old T-shirt or something similar that you don't mind getting ruined (it's possible it'll get peed on, pooped on or chewed beyond recognition) you could put that in the crate too. Fido will feel happier and be reassured if he can 'smell' you right next to him.
  

  
  Don't shut him in and then leave the room.
  Young puppies want to be with their people at all times and if you disappear from sight he'll be scared, and you don't want him to make those kind of associations with his crate.

  Ignore initial 'fussing'.
  Crate training a puppy is not going to be all smooth sailing. Almost all puppies will fuss and cry the first few times they're confined to their crates. Remember, they want to be right next to you at all times. If you take little Fido out as soon he starts whining I can guarantee he'll whine even louder and longer next time. Anyone who's raised children will know all about this phenomenon! Stay close by but ignore the racket and don't make eye contact.

  
  There's one caveat here. Occasionally you'll find a puppy who is particularly highly strung and nervous who may suffer from severe separation anxiety when put in his crate.

  If your puppy appears 'hysterical' (whining, barking, scratching, throwing himself around, has a bowel movement or is panting heavily) it's best to let him out and consult your veterinarian or an experienced dog trained for advice on how best to handle that.

  But don't be fooled too easily. Fido may act like a crazy dog for 30 seconds or a minute but then settle down to the occasional whine. If he's generally not an anxious, highly nervous dog he's unlikely to develop raging anxiety issues because of his crate
  
  

  The freedom bell rings!

  Wait for quiet before letting him out.
  Whether your puppy is in his crate for 5 mins or 30, never open the door and let him out while he's crying and complaining. Wait for a lull first or he'll think he's getting out because he's making such a fuss.

  Don't fuss over him when time is up.
  When it's time for Fido to come out of his crate open the door and put on his leash without making a big fuss of him. Take him outside right away so he can 'potty' in his usual spot, then it's time for play and lots of loving! If you give him a big welcome the minute his paws hit the kitchen floor it'll make him desperate to get out the whole time he's crated.

  When you begin crate training a puppy you'll need to start with short periods of crating and work your way up. Here's a general guide to the length of time your puppy can spend in his crate -

  9 - 10 weeks old - 30 mins
  11 - 14 weeks old - 1 - 3 hours
  15 - 18 weeks old - 3 - 4 hours
  18 weeks plus - 4 - 6 hours
  
  

  The exception to this is overnight crating. Try to put your puppy in his crate beside your bed at night, or at least somewhere you can hear him (although you may wish you couldn't hear him at 2am). Remember, he's still a baby and as such will need to go out to 'potty' at least once during the night.

  Crate training a puppy at night time is easier if you make sure he's had a potty break and hasn't had access to drinking water after, say 8pm. That way he'll most likely go to sleep for several hours before needing to go out. Don't ignore his crying at that point as he won't be able to hold it in and if forced to potty in his crate it'll make housebreaking him much more difficult.

  This stage of crate training only lasts a short while and you'll be glad you persevered when you have a clean, housebroken dog.
  
  

  What if he 'goes' in his crate?

  As I explained earlier, crate training a puppy works because dogs are den animals by nature and will try very hard not not to mess where they sleep. If little Fido regularly eliminates in his dog crate the answer may lie in the following check list -
  • Is he too young (less than 8 weeks old) and has no bladder/bowel control?
  • Did you forget to give him a potty break before you put him in his crate?
  • Did he drink a lot of water immediately before being crated?
  • Could he have worms or an upset tummy due to a change in diet or stress?
  • Could he have a medical problem such as a urine infection?

  If you're crate training a puppy there's an important issue I'd like to mention at this point. On various other pages in this site we've indicated that buying a puppy from a pet shop is not a good idea for many reasons.

  This is another one. Puppies bought from pet shops often come from puppy mills where they are forced to live, eat, play, sleep and eliminate in tiny, filthy pens. When brought up in these conditions a puppy's natural instincts are overpowered and a pet shop pup will most likely have no problem with pottying in his crate.

  This can make housebreaking a bigger challenge for both of you.

  No matter what reason your pup has for messing in his crate, do be certain to clean the crate thoroughly, so that the scent of his 'accident' doesn't encourage him to get in the habit of re-soiling over and over.

  The best type of cleaners to use are enzymatic ones, which totally break down and destroy the odors associated with urine, feces and vomit. Nature's Miracleis the one I would personally recommend, we use it a lot!

  There are also a host of other dog urine cleaning products on the market, click here to see a full list of the ones that we recommend.
  
  

  Safety issues when crate training a puppy

  Now, one of the reasons for crate training a puppy is that it helps to keep him safe - but there are a few things you need to do to make sure he stays that way.
  1. Don't ever leave a chain, prong, training or slip collar on little Fido when you put him in his crate. It's quite possible it could get caught up on something and then he'll panic, the result of that could be tragic.

     If you really must leave a collar on make sure it's a simple, undecorated buckle collar - or even better a safety 'break-away' type collar

  2. Don't leave your puppy crated in a hot room, in sunlight (even indoors) or outside in direct sun. It doesn't take much for a puppy or dog to overheat, and again the results could be tragic.

     When you're crate training a puppy in hot weather, be especially careful with short nosed breeds (otherwise known as brachycephalic breeds) as they tend to have more difficulty with the heat. Something similar applies to heavy, thick-coated breeds such as Shetland Sheepdogs, Husky's etc.

  3. A puppy or dog who is crated, can tend to feel cornered if approached or teased. Even an even-tempered, docile dog can react with growling or snapping if he feels threatened. Never allow children to tease Fido while he's in his crate or push their fingers through the doors or wire panels.

  His crate is meant to be your puppy's safe haven and as such he has a right to some peace and quiet and to feel safe when he's inside.
  
  

  Housebreaking and crate training is one of the biggest early challenges you'll experience as a new puppy parent!

  ...but some basic knowledge and a positive attitude can get you a long way though!

  For an in-depth look at house training and crate training, plus a whole lot of extremely useful information about other important puppy training topics check out The Ultimate House Training Guide. It will make the whole process so much easier for both you and little Fido.

  And for the best, up to date information on other aspects of puppy training, you can find the very best books on dog training on our Dog Training Books page. We have the cream of the crop, personal reviews, even a link to allow you to purchase the book of your choice right away....we told you we'd make this puppy parenting stuff easier didn't we :)
  
  
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