Crate Training

Items needed for this lesson:

• Crate

• Treats

• Leash

• KONG Classic ( optional )

In this lesson I am going to be explaining how to start crate training. The first thing to remember is that crate training is a process that takes time. A new dog will not be perfectly crate trained after one night or one practice session with the crate. Crate training takes time, and patience. To start we want to buy a crate that is properly sized - I generally recommend a 36” to 42” crate for most dog breeds. If you read my puppy preparation guide you’ll remember that we need to buy a crate that has a divider. The divider allows us to give our dog only enough room for them to stand up, fully lay down, and turn around. Any extra room will be seen as a potential potty area to a dog. Dividers are mostly used with growing puppies as the crate is usually too much room for them. On adult dogs there should not be the use of a divider unless the cage is too big. 

When we begin crate training we are going to want to place the crate in a room that is frequented the most during the day. This room usually is the living room in most homes. In the crate we will place nothing inside, besides the insert that comes with the crate. We are going to place our dog on the leash at this time. Now we are going to sit on the ground by the front of the crate with the crate’s door open. Next, we are going to let our dog sniff the treat in our hand, and then toss a treat to the back of the crate. The dog should go into the crate to retrieve the treat. If not, change the treat to another type or something your dog isn’t often given. Once the dog is fully inside the crate getting the treat, we are going to gently close the crate door. Once the dog turns around, we wait a second for calm behavior, and then open the door. If your dog begins pawing at the door or barking, leave the crate door closed until they stop. Make sure to not leave or walk away yet as this is just the first step. This exercise is supposed to be quick, and fun for your dog.  Eventually, as your dog begins to get a hang of this game, you can leave the door shut for a few more seconds each time. If your dog begins to wander into the crate on it’s own, feel free to give them a reward while they are inside the crate. At night, you can move the crate to a bedroom or leave it in the living room. Before placing our dog for durations for than a few minutes, we want to make sure our dog has used the potty first. We always want to take them straight to potty after leaving the crate as well. This establishes a routine which we will talk more about in our potty training lesson. Remember: if the dog is only placed in the crate when you are leaving, they will associate the crate with separation. This is why we want to practice crate training a variety of times for a variety of instances. 

We can also start giving chews or filled frozen KONGS inside the crate as well. These are seen as extremely high value to most dogs, which makes the crate seem great as well. Chews, and KONGS are especially great in the crate for puppies. They can help teething, and provide safe engagement. Puppies' mid-day meals can also be placed in the KONG, and frozen to provide both nutrition, and teething pain relief.

Here is a rough timeline of how we can expect our dog to perform when entering crate:

3-4 month- The dog will enter crate with treat thrown inside

5-6 months- The dog will enter crate with a treat lure & command

7-8 months - The dog will be able to enter crate with command only 60% or more of the time

9 months+ - The dog is able to enter the crate with command only

Remember: The crate should be a purely positive space for your dog. This means no kicking, hitting, or shaking the crate. Make sure to take your dog to potty BEFORE placing them in the crate to rule out potty whining. When our dog whines while in the crate ( provided they pottied ) they are seeking attention. To counter this, we are going to ignore any whining. When our dog is quiet, then we can go check on them if needed. ( Always listen to the whines of your dog to be sure they are not in danger, fear yelping is entirely different then whining for attention ).

Keep in mind some dogs may take to crate training faster than others. The most important thing to do is to not rush through it. Go at your dog's pace when learning, and progressing through crate training. 

Eventually, once your dog is older you may have them start sleeping outside of the crate at night or during the day. ( I recommend crating any unsupervised dog for the safety of the dog, and other animals that may be in the house). When this is done we still want to practice crate training every now, and then to make sure our dog remembers. This can be done by giving them a KONG as a treat in the crate, or placing them in their crate to calm down after playing outside. The reason to always practice is for emergencies, vet visits, grooming, and more. 

If you have any questions feel free to contact us! Virtual sessions are a quick, remote way to get more information and modeling of how to crate train at your home.