How to Make Your Dog Enjoy His Crate – Crate Training a Dog or a Puppy
Introduction
One of the best dog training methods to encourage emotionally healthy dogs is by using crate training, a highly useful technique that ensures that everyone in the household can enjoy the benefits of a happy and healthy pet.
To get started, let’s take a look at the dog’s innate tendencies. Dogs like modest, tight dens, whereas humans want expansive mansions with high ceilings and thousands of square feet.
It keeps you safe from danger and toasty in the cold. When living in the wild, a dog really needs a den. Every dog knows that if he sleeps in the open, he leaves himself vulnerable to predators, and this is why every dog has an innate need for a den.
Dogs really need around 12 hours of sleep every day. They won’t mind spending most of the day sleeping in their kennel; they’ll just be eager to go out and play as soon as their family gets home. Just keep in mind that canines will always choose a confined space like a dog run, even if humans generally dislike the notion.
After attending a dog training class, the vast majority of owners return home with good intentions of crate training their dogs, only to give up after two or three days. Why? Because all night long the puppy has been whimpering and clawing at the kennel door, waking up the owners and making it impossible for them to get any rest.
So they just throw away a great training resource. It fascinates me that folks who can persevere for months with a newborn infant couldn’t seem to make it through a week of crate training. Indeed, that’s all that’s required.
Your dog should be fully adjusted to his confinement after a week. Despite the dog’s natural need for a den, we must keep in mind that this is not their native den. The new dog was delivered to his mother in the den. The familiar comfort of their den.
Steps for Introducing a Puppy to a New Home
There must be a settling-in period between the time a puppy is removed from his mother’s den and the time he is introduced to his new home. There are a number of options available to hasten and smooth this transition:
1. Never Bring New Puppy to Home in The Evening
There will be no time for him to get to know you, and he will feel lonely, afraid, and yearn for his/her mother. This will provide him the most time possible to explore his new environment before retiring for the night.
2. Keep The Dog Crate With You in The Same Room
Bring the kennel into the kitchen if you spend most of your time there. When everyone in your household is watching a movie together in the living room, it’s convenient to have the kennel nearby.
Your dog will soon start to choose his kennel as a place to relax over the floor or the sofa. My dog prefers to sleep in his kennel.
When he’s tired, he goes back to his crate, opens the door, and goes to sleep until I call him. People may find his behavior weird, but he’s only following his gut.
3. Adjusting to Life Without Mom and Siblings
In any case, the day you get your puppy to home is the day you must start crate training.
You should begin by feeding him within the crate. Put his dish across from the exit so he may eat in peace. Once he’s inside the crate, treat him with praise and affection.
Keep encouraging and praising him until he finally enters the crate. To encourage him to go to his crate, you can say, “Go to your crate.”
So, you won’t have to waste time chasing after him in the mornings when you’re already late for work if you take the time to crate train him beforehand.
4. Never Use the Kennel as Punishment
The dog should only associate punishment with one of these spaces and never with his kennel.
So, never ever put a dog in a kennel as a form of punishment. The kennel needs to feel like home to the dog at all times. Choose a small room, like the laundry or a spare bathroom, if you need to quarantine your dog from your family.
5. Always Use Firm Encouragement
It’s not because your dog is terribly afraid of being left alone in his kennel overnight if you hear him whimpering, crying, or scratching when you go to bed.
He’s learned that if he whines, you’ll come to his aid and let him out. If your dog isn’t completely quiet before you let him out of his kennel, he could cause a lot of trouble.
This way, he’ll learn that whining and crying won’t get him anywhere, and you and your family can enjoy some peaceful evenings in the future. If you give in to your dog’s whining and release him from his crate, you will be teaching him that his whining will get him what he wants.
Keep in mind that the alpha dog, will never accept orders from any of the other dogs.
You must always be your dog’s alpha, and this is especially true during the first few years together. When he understands his limits, he’ll be at ease and content to play within them.
6. Creating a Positive Crate Experience for Your Puppy
To help your puppy associate positive feelings with his crate, you could put his favorite toy in there on sometimes during playtime.
Toss the puppy’s goodie into his kennel whenever he behaves well, and do this whether or not you have begun obedience training. He’ll associate his kennel with positive reinforcement and excellent conduct.
7. Keeping The Crate Warm
If your puppy is cold in the kennel, consider placing a hot water bottle beneath the covers. Your puppy will feel more at home, since this is similar to the warmth it experienced in the litter.
He feels more at ease going to sleep in a warm room. You might also try placing some stuffed animals in and around his immediate vicinity.
If you’re getting an adult dog, they’re probably accustomed to sleeping elsewhere anyhow, so there’s no need to socialize him. For the first few nights, it’s best to sleep with the kennel next to your bed so the puppy doesn’t feel too lonely.
In order for my dog can see me and feel as if he is sleeping with his pack, I place the kennel on a table at the same height as my bed. After the first week, I put the kennel on the floor next to the bed. Then, I slowly but surely move the kennel to its permanent location some distance from the bed.
Never Give Up
The key to successful dog crate training is persistence. Do not give up if your dog still exhibits fear of the kennel or whines after you’ve done everything to help them adjust to it. In this article: 5 Most Popular Dog Training Techniques, read more about some of the advantages you will get if you follow this advice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in this article about how to train your dog to like his crate we stresses the significance of providing a comfortable and secure space for your pet. If dog owners follow the guide’s advice, their canine companions will be more content and safe when confined in a crate.
The guide offers helpful tips for dog owners who want to encourage their dogs to view the crate as a safe, comfortable, and rewarding place to hang out.