Crate/cage training for a pup.. help?

Question

My best mate has just had a pup. She asked me about crate/cage training since I've had dogs in the past. I've never used it but i'd like to ask anyone who knows......How do you go about it? Is it really the best method for training? What alternatives are there?

Answer 1

http://www.netpets.com/dogs/reference/training/cratetrain.html

This is a decent page on crate training. Crate training is especially use full for small breed pups as they tend to be more nervous when their owners are gone and need to go out more often therefore they have more accidents in the house unless the owners watch them every second. The important thing with a crate is that it is always positive, the pet is never punished there while he is a puppy, it can be used s a "time out" when he is older.
Hope this helps :)

Answer 2

Since dogs are "den animals" the idea is that the crate provides a safe "den" for the dog.
This is best started when the pup is small or even before they leave the nest (if the mother is crate trained).
Make the crate comfy with a blanket and when you ask the pup to go in give him an incentive (treat). This assures them that it's a safe place, a good place.
Leave the door open at first and repeat this throughout the day several times. The next day you can close the door for a brief period after giving a treat. It's best that you use a treat that may take a while for the pup to devour. A "Kong" treat (rubber ball with an opening that you can put peanut butter in, etc).
Continue this process gradually until the pup takes naps, sleeps at night in the crate.
Many people use the crate as a safe place for a young dog to stay in when the owner is gone. It is not as a punishment - it is a "safe place" for the dog (and for the owner who doesn't want their apartment destroyed when they go out shopping!).
Most pups would never think of soiling their "nest" or "den" so it is also effective in training the pup to do their "business" outside. When releasing the pup from the crate, take them immediately outside and they will learn to relieve themselves outdoors rather quickly.
Hope this helps! I've used it for my dogs and it is very easy and my dogs love their crates!

Answer 3

Crate training is great for puppies. Since the dog evolved from a den type animal, the wolf, the crate is a very comforting place for the dog while you are gone or while sleeping. I have trained quite a few puppies and I always crate them while I'm gone, that way they don't tear up the house : ) Put a collar on the puppy, say "kennel" and lead him in. Close the door, after he relaxes and isn't scratching to get out, open the door and praise him. Do that plenty of times, you can also put treats in the kennel every now and then, and before you know it your puppy will go into his kennel without a lease from a few rooms away.

Answer 4

We got a puppy a couple months ago and we were using a small carrying crate but it was too small so we went to the store and bought a nice size crate where he is able to move around and sleep and all that. Before leaving the house in the morning we put a bowl of food and water and a toy or two for him. Then we put like half a treat in there for him so he will get in. When we come home he goes straight outside and he uses the bathroom for like 5 minutes straight lol. And the rest of the afternoon he goes everywhere with us because its a bit much to put him in there if hes in there all day. Hes had very very few accidents in the house since and hes doing great at going outside. A couple nights he was gettting off the bed and using the bathroom inside so we put him in the crate at night for that also and tried it without the crate at night again and hes doing very well. So I would suggest it if you have a puppy.

Answer 5

hi. i'm a expert canines coach. i'd advise utilising a crate. There are some policies for crate training. whilst paying for a crate be certain that it is the splendid length. The domestic dog could have the potential to coach around and get up totally jointly as interior. reckoning on the breed of canines and the size of the entire grown canines there are some crate possibilities. you should purchase a crate that has a detachable wall so as that because of the fact the canines grows you are able to exchange the size of the crate. the different decision for smaller breeds that wont enhance plenty is to get an excellent crate it particularly is barely one length. there are various motives to crate practice a domestic dog. For one, it facilitates decrease messes made by the domestic dog jointly as your dozing, or away at artwork or working errands. the different is it helps the canines a secure place to get faraway from rigidity and relax. think of roughly it as a bear den. The bear would be much less in all hazard to be troubled jointly as hiding. another issues to think of roughly whilst potty training is that for each month the domestic dog is, say 5 months, you shouldn't anticipate the domestic dog to hold its urine or poop for not extra then 5 hours. i'd advise taking the domestic dog's water away some hours until eventually now mattress and not permitting nutrients or water jointly as in the crate. in case you hold the domestic dog in a crate over night be certain to permit him/her exterior right this moment. do no longer make your espresso or get the newspaper first, permit the domestic dog out, their organic reaction to noise is that as quickly as they hear you they get excited and that's whilst injuries take place. As your specific question, to his yipping jointly as the door is closed it particularly is regular. i'd try utilising advantageous reinforcement. provide him treats if he is going in on his own, then some days later whilst the door is closed and then some days after that get up and go away for a jiffy with the door closed, if he whines return to the crate after a jiffy yet dont provide treats. Then once you go away and return a jiffy later take care of him and open the crate door. I dont advise training a domestic dog anymore than 15-20 minutes at a time. I additionally would do away with any blankets until eventually he's very nearly a hundred pc accident loose. i desire that fluctuate into powerful please permit me understand in case you have any further questions

Answer 6

Crate training is the best. Look at those web sites. One thing, if you train the dog to sleep in it at night, don't ever use the crate for punishment.

Answer 7

I trained my dog by putting her pee pad by the door and took her outside on a schedule. Then when she got used to using the pee pad, I made the pad smaller and smaller until it was gone.Then she would sit by the door when she wanted to go out. If she had an accident I would put her in her kennel. (After a while, I knew she had an accident b/c she would sit in her kennel so knew she was learning) It took a while because small dogs are hard to train, but it worked for every dog that I had. My big one it only took 2 weeks to house train him the same way. I hope this helps.

Answer 8

The answers to ALL your questions and more are at www.ddfl.org-
Crate training is the best and this area is not big enough to tell you everything so PLEASE visit the website I gave.