How to Start Keeping a Puppy Out of a Crate

Crate training your puppy helps both with housebreaking and with keeping your puppy confined when you are not at home. Learning to trust your puppy when it is out of the crate does not happen overnight or without your full involvement. Puppies are curious about their new home and surroundings and can get into trouble when not supervised. Your responsibility as a new puppy owner is to teach your puppy right from wrong, allowing it to learn to spend time outside of the crate and become a part of the family.

Things You'll Need

  • Baby gates
  • Leash
  • Odor-neutralizing cleaner
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set a regular schedule for your puppy; one that fits well with your schedule. Do not attempt to set a schedule over the weekend you cannot stick with during the week. Pick a feeding time for your puppy and feed the puppy at the same time every day.

    • 2

      Feed your puppy in the crate or confine your puppy in the crate after feeding. Leave the puppy in the crate for 10 to 15 minutes afterward. Then take your puppy outside for it to to go to the bathroom. Tell you puppy to go "pee" or "pooh" to teach it to go on command. Praise your puppy as soon as it does so, telling it what a good dog it is.

    • 3

      Bring your puppy in the house to play with it for 1/2 hour before letting the puppy take a nap in the crate. Extend playtime out of the crate as your puppy gets older. When your puppy is two months old, it can wait two to three hours between potty breaks. A three-month old puppy should have four hours of control, and a four-month old can control its bladder for five hours.

    • 4

      Watch your puppy the entire time it is out of the crate. Block off room exits and entrances with baby gates so your puppy cannot accidentally wander from your sight. Puppies are curious and often get into things they shouldn't when unsupervised. Leash you puppy, attaching the leash to your belt if needed.

    • 5

      Get familiar with the signals your puppy gives when it needs to go to the bathroom. Pacing, sniffing the ground and turning in circles are signs it is time to go potty. Immediately pick the puppy up and get it outside -- your puppy cannot wait for you to find your jacket and shoes. Do not forget to praise your puppy for going outside even though it may have started inside.

    • 6

      Clean up any puppy accidents immediately. Use a product designed to neutralize odor so your puppy does not attempt to soil the area again.