Crate training is vitally important for your dog in its puppyhood phase.
It has long been accepted by veterinarians and professional trainers as the right way to go about conditioning desired behaviour results in your dogs.
A crate comes in handy for dog’s as not only does it give your dog a safe and personal space to call their own, it can ease the stress of everyday life to have a little haven that belongs to them.
Crates allow dog’s to self soothe during anxiety inducing situations and when they feel stressed.
The little den becomes a place where your dog can eat their meals, sleep, and just relax for a few moments throughout the day.
What is a dog crate?
Dog crates are usually made out of collapsable plastic, sturdy metal, and even wood, that are usually rectangular in shape and large enough for your dog to easily move around in. A puppy crate has a small door that you can open from the outside to let your dog in and out when needed. On the floor of the crate is usually a soft mattress or bed that is comfortable for your dog to lay down, or even just sit in.
A crate is a place your dog can be told to go to when there is nobody around to supervise him or her. You can leave your dog’s toys in the crate, such as a kong, nylabone, or chewy toy to keep them busy and mentally stimulated when alone.’
What is a dog crate?
The Crate Training Process
There is no fixed time frame for when a dog learns to first adjust to his or her new crate. It takes understanding your dog, and a whole lot of patience when it comes to crate training your young pup or even adult dog.
The two important things to keep in mind when crate training your dog is
How to go about Crate Introduction
Step 1: Place the crate in an area of your house that is easily accessible, and where you spend a lot of time such as your living room, or even study area or bedroom.
Step 2: Keep the crate door open and slowly ask your dog to come towards the door in a positive and encouraging tone of voice (your tone is extremely important) as your dog should never associate negatively with his or her crate.
Step 3: Keep some treats ready in your hands, such as dog biscuits, paneer, or boiled chicken and let your dog sniff it, let him know that the treatment is solely for him/her.
Step 4: Drop a few pieces of the treat into the crate and encourage your dog to sniff and find the treat, all the while keeping the crate door wide open.
TIP:- Never close it suddenly, as this will frighten your dog and make them feel trapped, and create a negative association with the crate. You want the experience to be positive.
Step 5: If your dog refuses to go all the way in at first, that’s okay – don’t force him/her to enter.
Step 6: Continue dropping treats into the crate until your dog walks calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. When he/she does so praise him and tell them that they did a good job!.
Step 7: Keep doing this till your dog is comfortable in his new surrounding. Some dogs will automatically lie in it or do a sit, or down-stay, depending on how comfortable they feel. Again do not shut the crate door.
Step 8: Keep doing this every day for short bursts of time, and only close the door when your dog settles in, start leaving them in there for a few minutes at first, before proceeding to a longer duration of time.
Step 9: Let your dog know you are around and let them see you in the same room when they are in their crate. Do not leave them and walk away.
To curb separation anxiety know that this process requires time and patience. If you notice that you have tried the steps above by yourself, and still struggle,
say your dog howls when you are away, try to shred things in the crate, or break free from it, there is something that hasn’t been reinforced properly. Seek the guidance of a professional trainer to help you with the crate training process to make it a seamless process for you and your pooch, the right way.
