How to Crate Train a Rescue Puppy

Crate training is often used to give young puppies a small enclosed area where they feel secure and is an invaluable help when you are housebreaking a puppy. Crate training your puppy can keep him out of trouble when you are away from home for short periods of time. But when you are working with a rescue puppy, you may be need to be especially attentive.

Things You'll Need

  • Crate
  • Toys
  • Towels
  • Water bottle
  • Kibble
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Instructions

    • 1

      Allow your rescue puppy to get comfortable in your home for a few weeks. This is essential because a rescued puppy has often been through a traumatic time and needs to realize that he is safe. Even gentle training can be stressful. After a few weeks, however, crate training can begin. If your puppy has been abused, crate training can actually help him feel safe and secure.

    • 2

      Leave your crate in an accessible part of your home where people are passing by. Being in an isolated spot where your rescue puppy is going to be lonely is not going to be appealing to him.

    • 3

      Rig the crate so that it stays open. In a crate with a swinging front door, tie it open with zip strips or a metal clip. For a crate that has a removable top, leave the top off.

    • 4

      Furnish the crate with your puppy's chew toys and with soft objects. You want your puppy to be be curious about the crate and to be attracted to it. Line the crate with a towel to make sure that it is warm and comfortable for him. A hanging water bottle filled with cold water is also essential when you are planning to leave your dog in the crate for any length of time.

    • 5

      Leave some kibble in the crate with your puppy. Allow your dog to find the kibble and eat it. This will give him a positive association with the crate.

    • 6

      Pet your puppy when he goes into the cage of his own accord. Give him plenty of praise. This will help him realize that being in the crate is something that he wants to do. Rescue puppies are inclined to be very shy and hesitant, so let him know that he is doing the right thing.

    • 7

      Close the crate when he is comfortable being in it. Only leave him in the crate for a very short amount of time at first. At the beginning, only crate him when you are in the room with him. The younger a puppy is, the less time he should be left in a crate on his own.

    • 8

      Lengthen the amount of time you leave him in the crate. A puppy will be reluctant to soil his own crate and, if he does, that means that he has been left in there too long. A puppy that is between nine and ten weeks old can be left in a crate for an hour or less and a puppy that is between eleven weeks old and fourteen weeks old can be left in a crate between one and three hours. By the time a puppy is seventeen weeks old, he can remain in a crate for up to six hours.