Crate Training Your Dog
August 18, 2010 by Paris and John
Filed under Tips, Training
Today we have a special guest post on crate training from the experts over at WoodDogCrate.com:
The most important thing to remember when it comes to crate training your dog is never do anything that makes him reluctant to go in his crate. The crate should always be a pleasant place, and only nice things should happen to your dog while he is in there.
Don’t use a crate that’s too small for your dog. He will be uncomfortable in the crate, and won’t enjoy his time in there. Make sure he can stand up, turn around and stretch out in his crate. If he feels cramped in the crate, he won’t want to spend time in there.
Never use the crate as a punishment. If you are angry at your dog, don’t be rough with him as you put him in the crate. He may become anxious about going in the crate, but even worse, he will become frightened of you. This isn’t good for your relationship.
Never frighten your dog when he is in his crate. Don’t yell at him, bang on the walls or slam the door. He has no way of getting away from your intimidating behavior, and he won’t want to go into his crate in case the scary noises happen again.
Don’t leave your dog in his crate for long periods of time. Dogs don’t like to soil their den, and he will be distressed by being unable to get out to go to the toilet. If he has an accident in his crate, the smell may lead him to do it again. All your hard work in toilet training him will have been in vain.
Don’t allow small children or insensitive guests to harass your dog when he is crated. The crate is supposed to be a safe place where he can escape unwanted attention. If he can’t get some time out from the noisy household activity, he may become anxious.
Don’t put the crate in a secluded part of the house, where your family doesn’t spend much time. Your dog will want to be close to you and the rest of his human pack. If he will be on his own away from the action, it’s not hard to see why he wouldn’t want to go into his crate. If space is an issue in your family room, dog crate furniture is a great alternative to the plastic and wire crates as these crates take up as much room as an end table.
If something has happened to scare your dog, and he doesn’t want to go in his crate, don’t force the issue. That will only make things worse. Take a big step backwards, and go right back to basics. You may well need to start your dog’s crate training all over again. Don’t rush things, make every experience with the crate a positive one, and over time he will learn to again settle in his crate.
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