Crate Kennel Training a Puppy

Crate training your new puppy can make life a lot easier for both you and your new addition. Having a crate can provide your dog with a safe haven long into adulthood. Training your puppy to use a crate also helps speed up housebreaking; dogs are naturally inclined not to relieve themselves where they sleep, so crate training has more than one practical application. Starting to train your puppy right from the beginning can give it a head start on a happy home life.

Things You'll Need

  • Crate
  • Soft towels
  • Chew toys
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Instructions

  1. Proper Training

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      Kennel training can help create a happy living environment for any puppy.

      Select an appropriate kennel or crate. The kennel should be large enough for your puppy to comfortably lie down in, but not too large. Many wire crates come with dividers so you can adjust the living space as the puppy grows. Take into account the size and strength of your pet--a kennel that might easily contain a delicate poodle will be torn apart by the weight of an Australian cattle dog leaning against the wall.

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      Chew toys are a welcome diversion from life outside the kennel.

      Set up the crate in an area that will give your puppy some privacy and quiet time. Line the bottom with towels to make a sleeping area, and put in one or two chew toys.

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      Establish a routine. Dogs are creatures of habit, and making kennel time a part of the daily routine will help introduce the crate as a welcome part of the schedule. Decide when you will feed your puppy, play with it and when it will be contained in the crate. Introducing your puppy to the crate for short periods during the day and all night long will help it not only get comfortable in the crate, but to learn to control its bladder and not relieve itself where it's sleeping.

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      When you release your puppy from confinement in the crate, immediately go outside or to an area where you would like it to relieve itself. Make sure to praise it when it does as you wish; this will reinforce the idea that the crate is not a never-ending punishment, and reminds it that you're still there to let it out when the dog needs to go.

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      Reward your puppy with praise and petting around the time you both confine it to the crate and release it. This, too, will reinforce that going into the crate is not a punishment but a retirement to a safe, comfortable place.