What is the best method of crate training puppies?

Question

When crate training puppies is it better to leave them in for an extra hour if you have something you have to do. Or to come home let them go and put them right back in the crate.

Answer 1

I had a belgium Shepperd puppy. First 3 nights he was in a crate with my arm stretched over the cage, next few nights I moved his crate in the hallway and slept on the floor with my head sticking out of my bedroom and my arm about a foot from the cage. Next few nights I moved his crate to the living room and slept on the recliner. Next I opened the sliding doors, set his crate on the patio and slept on the recliner a couple of days. Next I put him in his outdoor cage, it was huge with a cedar dog house built for some reason with rain drains! (spoiled him a little) Still slept on the recliner, a few days of this he would always watch that I didn't move. After a few day I got a blanket and slept under that eventually one day slipping from under the blanket to my bed. This method took less than a month. Every time Lupo knew it was time for me to go to bed he would happily sit in front of the sliding doors, I would let him out and he would go straight to his mansion. He learned many other wonderful things and I miss him so much. I read this training method in a book, but sorry can't remember the name. You know what is best about it? I still had his crate, a little bigger though, and kept it in the house, living room, if there were people there he would come in the house and go to the crate unless someone wanted him out to play. He was the smartest best trained, (not so much by me but how Belgiums are) Amazing friend.

Answer 2

First off, a puppy should never be left alone in it's crate. My personal favorite idea, when it comes to keeping the crate clean, is the buy a grill for inside the kennel. It fits on the bottom and you can line the bottom(underneath the grid) with some newspaper. But they puppy shouldn't be left in the kennel for anymore than 45 mins, AT THE MAX. /so yes come home, let them out, reward them for doing their jobs outside and play with them from like 5-10 mins then put them into the CLEAN kennel. Always keep the crate clean...then they'll know that it's supossed to be clean all the time...puppies are smarter than we think!

Answer 3

You know I was concerned when we started crating our pup but it was actually VERY easy and now he loves his "bedroom"-sometimes more than the rest of the house. We started by putting the crate somewhere he could view what is going on and leaving the door open. Put a nice comfy pillow or bed in it and a couple toys. Let him venture into on his own or gently show him if he doesn't find it himself. We put a blanket over ours so it is private for him, his own personal space. After he got used to the crate we started shutting the door. He still cried when he had to go to the bathroom but he loved it otherwise. As to you leaving the pup in the crate an extra hour-it depends on what you need to do. Go to the bank? Take a shower? Pups need to be left in the crate for longer amounts of time. They need to get used to the crate and you being gone. Soon they will learn when you are leaving it's time to go in the crate. As long as you potty them before they go in and immediately after they get out you shouldn't have a problem. Good luck to you....ours is only 7 months but I still remember those days :)

Answer 4

Actually, since dogs are pack animals, they really like a crate. It's like their den. You need to remember not to use the crate as punishment. I would let them out as soon as you get home. Remember to greet the alpha male first. Puppies who are crate trained are housebroken faster and easier than puppies who aren't. Crates are not cruel at all.

Answer 5

Here ya go

http://www.thepetprofessor.com/articles/article.aspx?id=1945

Depends on the age and development of the puppy, remember that at first their bladders are very small.

Answer 6

omg don't do that! that's horrible, you should take your precious puppy to a professional trainer!