Instructions
Take the crate to every place you and your puppy go in the house. Open the crate door wide and keep it in plain sight of your puppy. Do not attempt to send it into the crate. Let the puppy watch the crate, examine it and sniff all the sides and get used to the crate. Do this for a week.
Keep close watch on your puppy and whenever it gives so much as a look at the crate, start praising it. This way, the puppy will start associating the crate with something good.
Continue the practice of praising the puppy for giving attention to the crate. As this becomes routine, the puppy will start seeking your praise by giving attention to the crate. Withhold treats at this stage. Give treats only when the puppy shows a little progress like going up to the crate and sniffing it.
Encourage further progress by withholding praises and treats again. Give it praise only when it enters the crate itself or in response to your command to do so. Praise the puppy profusely or treat it to cookies or any of his favorite food only on entering the crate.
Put toys and treats that the puppy loves inside the crate. Encourage the puppy to get into the crate to get them. Practice allowing it to have them only as long as it is in the crate. Do not put food and water in the crate at this stage.
Put whatever your puppy uses to sleep on, such as a blanket, in the crate. This teaches the puppy that it should use the crate for resting. Introduce food and water occasionally into the crate as the puppy gets used to being inside the crate. Keep the crate door open and be there while the puppy has its food.
Leave a favorite toy of the puppy inside the crate and close its door. Let the puppy request you to open the door to get its favorite toy. Praise it when it goes into the crate.
Start accustoming the puppy to a closed crate door as its comfort level with the crate increases. Close the crate door when it goes into the crate. Give it cookies when inside and do not keep him inside for more than one minute. Increase this duration slowly.
Start to train the puppy to be without you when it is in the crate once it gets used to being in the crate with the door closed. Leave the room only for a few seconds at first and then increase this gradually to one minute and then to a few minutes. Return to the room before the puppy starts whining.
Leave the puppy in the crate for one hour occasionally as you go about your everyday home activities. Do not go out of the house at this stage. Praise your puppy when you return. Make this a routine until your puppy gets used to you being out for more than one hour while it is in the crate. At this stage, put the crate in your bedroom and let the puppy sleep in it.
How to Crate Train a Puppy That Dislikes the Crate
Dogs usually do not relieve themselves in places they use for eating and sleeping, so you can use crates to house train them. Crates also offer a safe haven for your puppy when you are not at home to supervise it. Your dog can entertain itself in the crate without getting hurt when you are out. By associating the crate with good things, you can train your dog to view the crate as a pleasant place to stay.