Crate Training Do’s & Don’ts
These tips will help your puppy or dog to stop whining in the crate, being in the crate at night, and will be a great base for you to avoid feeling guilty about putting your dog or puppy in the crate. All of these tips are relevant for anyone looking to crate train their canine companion. Whether you are crate training your puppy, or crate training your rescue dog with separation anxiety.
Do dogs like crates
Dogs naturally gravitate towards den-like areas. Have you ever seen a dog lay under a chair, under a table, or in the corner of a couch? All denning behaviors! The crate is a great way to simulate a den for your dog. This way the crate becomes like your dog’s bedroom. It’s where they can go when they need to calm down or when they don’t feel like hanging out with the guests. Through crate training we have to show our dogs and puppies how to calm down, and self soothe.
Don’t List:
Don’t only put your puppy in the crate at night or when you leave the house. We want your puppy to learn that the crate is a safe space, and if the only times they go in is when you leave the house, or go to sleep, your puppy may have a hard time adapting to their crate.
Instead, take advantage of times when you are less busy, but cannot keep both eyes on your puppy. Watching a movie is a perfect time to place your puppy in their crate; you can drop a few pieces of food into the crate semi-regularly while watching your movie to really reinforce that the crate is a good place.
Don’t keep the crate far away from you at first. Just like how we don't want to only put the puppy in the crate when we’re absent, we don’t want the crate to be far from the commotion of the house. Ultimately, the crate is also teaching your dog what the routine is going to be for them as adults. THey may no longer need their crate, but once your dog is grown, you want them to be able to relax on a bed or the couch while you do your housework, while you have dinner, etc.
Don’t Feel bad about putting your puppy in the crate. Dogs & puppies are very good at reading our emotions, and if we feel bad every time we put our puppy in the crate, they will sense this “bad” feeling and associate it with the crate. Make sure your puppy is satisfied & cared for before they go in the crate, so you don't have to feel bad or guilty about it.
Night time crate training: can you crate a puppy overnight?
Night time is one of the most important times to use your crate with your new puppy or adult rescue dog! When we are asleep we cannot supervise our puppies, so we cannot ensure they are learning how to behave appropriately. As long as your crate is sized correctly, you can absolutely leave your puppy or dog in their crate overnight. If your puppy is having trouble adjusting to sleeping that long without using the bathroom, keep their crate nearby to be able to hear them at night and take them out. If your puppy is whining to go to the bathroom at night, be sure to wait for a moment of silence from your puppy before you take them out of the crate. If they are whining or barking continuously, you can interrupt them, and hopefully redirect them back to silence, with a swift tap on the crate.
Most puppies will learn to hold their bladder through the night within the first few weeks home, so make sure to learn when your puppy is crying to let you know they need to go to the bathroom, and when it is out of boredom/ attention seeking.
Do list:
Do Play crate games! Let your puppy come in and out of the crate regularly during training sessions. Reward them often when they are inside the crate.
Do use frozen food in Kongs, Fenrir Hammers, and other freezable, stuffable feeders. You can even put a whole egg in the freezer overnight and give it to your puppy as a pupsicle.
Do Keep the crate in your general area, and use it when you cannot give your puppy 100% attention
Do Give your Puppy 100% of your attention when they’re out of the crate. Even just 20 minutes of undivided attention is more valuable to your pup, than 2 hours of free roaming where they will likely make poor choices and get in trouble (get into the trash, chew on furniture etc.)
Take advantage of the puppy phase, because they sleep most of the time, and only need short bursts of awake time, in which you can fit all your training needs.
FAQ SECTION
Do I need to crate train my puppy/do you need to crate train your dog?
We recommend crate training to everyone who comes to us. Adult dogs learn in the same way puppies do, and we find it brings dogs lots of comfort to have their own space. Especially rescue dogs who have recently found their forever homes, can benefit from the clarity, security, and safety that comes with a crate. Of course if you are not sure what steps to take, we always recommend you work with a professional trainer to teach your new dog or puppy at their speed.
Can you kennel train an older dog/can you crate train an older dog
Absolutely! No dog is ever too old to learn and the steps to reinforcing the crate as a positive place are the same as for puppies.
Dog whining in crate
Most dogs whine because a need has gone unmet. Read our needs blog post to assess what you can do. If you are certain all of your dog’s needs have been met, our goal is to interrupt the whining, and praise moments of silence. The most effective way to interrupt whining is by tapping a wire crate to rattle it, or attach a leash/long line to the door of the crate and rattle it that way. Using sound to interrupt the whining and say “quiet”. Wait for just a moment of silence and tell your puppy/dog “good quiet” in a calm way. If you think your puppy needs to go to the bathroom, wait for this silence before you let them out of the crate.
Can I put a blanket in my puppy's crate
Deciding whether or not to place bedding in your puppy’s crate varies from puppy to puppy. Typically we like to wait at least a few days to see if the puppy is going to have any accidents. Oftentimes, puppies will go to the bathroom on their bedding and move it to a corner so they can still lay comfortably in their crate. Whenever you decide to start putting a bed or a blanket in the crate, we recommend you begin during the day, so you can monitor your puppy and make sure they don’t chew it or use it for the bathroom.
