You may think that you don’t need to crate train your dog, because you never plan to put him into one. However, even the newest dog owner will soon learn that there are times when it becomes mandatory to do just that. After all, your new puppy isn’t going to know the guidelines of your household, such as where he isn’t supposed to gnaw or where not to go potty, and until you can teach him, you aren’t going to want his mis-steps at behaviour destroying your house. In addition, you will have times when you’ll need to take him to the vet for check-ups and shots, and it will be much easier to do so if he is in a crate. As with all other appropriate dog behaviors, crate training is a very important ability to teach your dog.
So how should you go about teaching your dog to remain in a crate when he obviously would rather be out with the remainder of the family? Begin by purchasing a crate that is huge enough for your dog to both stand and turn around in. If he is going to get much larger, you may want to get a larger dog house now to save having to buy another one later. Put it in an area of your home where family members spend plenty of time so that he will remain with the family even though penned up, and put a soft blanket or towel on the crate’s floor for him to lie on. Purchase a water dish that isn’t going to be spilled easily, and make sure he has water all the time he is in the crate.
You naturally don’t want to teach your dog to detest the crate by trying to cram him into it if he is refusing to go. In order to get him to enter it willingly, place some dog treats within near the door, and when he follows the trail inside, you can secure the door. Do not get impatient with him if he continues to refuse to go into the dog house on his very own for a few days. Eventually he will understand what it is that you’re desiring him to do, and he’ll obey.
Once your dog has become used to spending short amounts of time in his crate you can begin feeding him healthy meals in there. At first you will need to allow him out straight away when he has finished eating, but then, to continue with his crate training, you need to stretch out the amount of time you leave him in the dog house so that he gets used to prolonged times being shut up in case it becomes critical to keep him there.
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