Crate Training your Puppy


I'm a great believer in crate training pups from an early age. Some people think it's unkind "caging" a pup, but I take the view that you can't watch them 24/7 and stay sane, so it's a good idea for everybody's sake!

There are many advantages to crate training a puppy:- 
  • Safety. You know exactly where your puppy is and that he's not chewing through an electric wire while you're in the bath.     
  • Security. His crate is his space; his bed is in there, along with his favorite toy and your missing sock. This is his haven, where nobody will pester him to play when he is tired.     
  • Convenience. Your Aunt Lily hates dogs. Pop him in his crate and you won't upset either of them. Just don't invite her very often!     
  • Hygiene. When you're potty-training him and need a break or a bath. At least any accidents will just be in the one place. Crating is invaluable overnight during this period. Nothing worse than coming downstairs early on a cold, dark, miserable January morning and standing in a pile of poop. Kinda ruins your whole day!
Crate training your pup takes a bit of time and some sympathetic, but firm handling. Introduce him to his crate for a few minutes at a time at first; sit in it yourself, feed him in it and generally convince him it's a great place to be. 

Then you can begin closing the door, but stay close (he should be able to see out).
Tell him how wonderful he is and give him a treat.

Next, leave him for a little while. This is where you have to be firm; he'll probably whine and scratch at the door at first. When he's quiet, come back, praise him and let him out.


Never leave him too long at first. He should be in a fairly quiet part of the house, but near enough so that he can hear the rest of the family - I used to leave the radio on for mine.

Persevere with this, and he'll soon accept his crate. Ours used to go in to sleep there long after they were grown up. Max has to fold himself nearly in half to get in his crate now!