Puppies are not naturally inclined to enjoy being alone, resulting in potential nervousness and destructive behavior. By crate training, your puppy can feel comfortable and secure even in your absence.
Why is crate training important?
How do I crate train my dog?
What are the benefits of crate training?
Crate training your puppy has numerous benefits that make it worthwhile.
1. Before your puppy learns the house rules, utilizing crate training is an effective method to restrict their access to the house.
2. After your puppy has become comfortable in their crate, it is safe to leave them alone overnight or at home.
Once your puppy becomes accustomed to the crate, they will no longer experience anxiety or feelings of abandonment when left alone.
The reduction of soiling, chewing, and destructive behavior occurs.
Your puppy has a particular place that belongs solely to them, providing a sense of safety and allowing them to retreat whenever necessary.
6. It is possible for you to use the crate in order to effortlessly carry your puppy to the veterinarian or various other locations.
How do I manage whining?
If your dog whines or cries in the crate at night, it can be challenging to determine if she is whining because she wants to be let out of the crate or if she needs to go outside to eliminate.
At first, you can neglect the whining in the beginning. If your dog is merely trying to test if she will be allowed outside, she may stop. If the whining persists even after ignoring it for a few minutes, you can reiterate the phrase that your dog associates with going outside to relieve herself. If she reacts and gets enthusiastic, it is time to take her outside. However, this outing should have a specific goal and not be a time for playing.
If you believe that your dog does not have to relieve itself, the most effective response is to completely disregard its whining. Punishing the behavior often unintentionally strengthens it as the dog receives attention from you.
When you ignore whining, be prepared for it to worsen initially before improving. If the problem becomes too difficult to handle, you may have to restart the crate training process from the very start.
What to avoid when crate training your dog
- Don’t rush crate training. While it may be frustrating to go slow, you want to be sure to make the crate a place your dog is happy to use.
- Don’t yell at her or pound on the crate if she is whining, because this will likely make it worse.
- Don’t give in when the whining or behavior gets worse! Your dog is throwing a temper tantrum which you don’t want to reinforce by giving her what she wants.
- Don’t use the crate as a punishment for bad behavior. Again, you want to associate the crate with only good things so your dog is happy to use the crate.
Other tips for crate training success
- Make sure your crate is the right size. A puppy may need several sizes as she grows. While in a crate, a dog should be able to stand up to their full height and turn in a circle comfortably. However, the crate should not be so big that there is a distinct potty and sleeping area.
- Vary at what point you put your dog in the crate during the process of getting ready to leave. Although she should not be crated for a long period before you leave, you can crate her anywhere from 2-20 minutes prior to leaving.
- Don’t make departures emotional and prolonged, but matter-of-fact instead. Praise your dog briefly and give her a treat for entering the crate, and then leave quietly.
- When you arrive home, don’t inadvertently reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to her in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals very low key and reserve playful, excited greeting behavior for after she has been let outside and has calmed down somewhat.
- Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you are home so that she does not begin to associate crating with being left alone.
- Keep your dog’s crate in or near your bedroom if crating overnight to avoid your dog associating the crate with social isolation. Having your dog nearby will also help her tell you when she needs to go potty in the middle of the night until she’s able to hold it for extended periods of time.
How to choose a crate?
Puppy training and play
Learning and play are essential for the development of puppies, as they help them grasp the principles of life. It is recommended to commence training as soon as possible, taking advantage of the puppy’s inherent ability to absorb knowledge.
How to socialise a puppy
Starting early with gentle introductions to new experiences, people, and animals is crucial in ensuring that your puppy develops into a confident and well-balanced adult, making socialization a vital step.
