Its never too late to Crate train your dog!
Think of it this way: In the wild, a momma dog will put her pups in a safe den while she goes to get food. Her puppies know that they are safe! As a pet they think the same way ~ when you leave for work, shopping or sleep your dog will love to be kept safe in their “den”.
Benefits of crate training
- Security – the crate is a safe den to go in when scared or tired.
- Prevents separation anxiety – The crate will condition your dog to have “down time” so when you leave your dog will actually relax.
- Time Out : When properly crate trained, the crate can be a great “time out” when your dog is acting a bit crazy.Because your puppy is relaxed in their crate they will be able to calm down for a few minutes.
How to crate train your adult dog:
Choosing a Crate : The crate should be big enough for your dog to stand up and lay down comfortably.
Crate set up: As you see in the picture SOJAs crate is comfy and cozy! I put a towel and a blanket on the bottom and a blanket on top to make it dark. At first set up the crate close to your bed! Your dog will feel most comfortable near you.
- Step 1. Introduce the crate by throwing in treats and leaving the door open.
- Step 2. Feed every meal in the crate. Place the food in his crate and use the cammand “crate” or “kennel up”. After a few days you can close the door while your dog eats and open when they finish.
- Step 3. After a week of introducing the crate, you can slowly increase the time your dog stays in the crate with lots of reward ! I like to throw in a treat and letting my dog out when he finished. Then next time wait 1 minute after he finishes and keep increasing the time.
- Step 4. Throw a filled Kong in the crate and try to leave them in there longer. Don’t try to go to fast as you will set them up for failure. The goal is to have your dog quiet in the crate.
Tips:
- Duration.Slowly increase the duration you leave your dog in the crate during the day. If he starts to cry, it was too long. Step back and try leaving him for a shorter time
- Consistency.Like any other training consistency is the key! Within a week or so you will notice your puppy will go in their crate on their own!
- Do not let your dog out of the crate until quiet. We want to teach them that quiet gets them out.
- Be patient! Consistency is key to any training. Your patients will reflect on your dogs progress. If you start getting fustrated, end the training session and try later !
