How do you encourage crate training?
Brycen Gusikowski
2025-07-11 16:51:00
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: 8
To encourage crate training, it should be used as a nice place to be, so will need to be big enough for when your puppy grows up with space for food, water, bedding and toys. Getting them used to the crate is really important. It should be a positive place to be and not used as a punishment. To begin with, you will need to prepare your crate by placing a comfy bed, blankets, water and toys. You can also add a blanket over the top, for extra cosiness. Next up, leave the door open and allow them to go in and out of their own accord, until they are comfortable. From here, you can gradually start to close the door when your puppy is in the crate for a few seconds at a time. Slowly build up the time the door is closed. Give your puppy a long lasting chew or Kong toy which they can enjoy when they are in there to encourage them to relax.
Michele Witting
2025-06-28 05:50:04
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: 8
Get a crate that your dog can stand up in, turn around and comfortably lay flat in. Place the crate in a calm, quiet area, away from people passing by, away from direct heat or draughts, and get some treats ready. Cover it with a blanket or crate cover to make it feel like your dog’s own little bedroom. Prepare the crate with comfortable bedding suitable for your dog and the temperature of the room. Add a favourite toy or two – you can even attach one to the bars so that it can only be played with in the crate – young dogs love dangling toys.
Go back in doors and sit near the crate, but don’t make a big deal about it. Call your dog over to you and reward with some treats. Place a trail of high value treats leading to and into your dog’s crate – make sure the ones in the crate are even better than those out of the crate. Throw a treat near to the crate and allow your dog to go to eat it. Keep repeating, getting increasingly closer to the crate. At some point your dog might start following the trail that you set up earlier, especially if the treats in the crate are better than the ones you have.
Once your dog is going into the crate readily, add a cue such as ‘crate’ each time they go in. Use a marker word or use a clicker and click just before or as your dog gets the reward. Once your dog is starting to settle, close the door then open it again, dropping more treats in the crate. Close the door and post treats through the roof.
Keep doing this after exercise and at meal times. With repetition and patience, your dog will learn that this is a great place, a fun place, a place of calm and a chill-out zone. Having a chew that is longer lasting will increase your dog’s desire to stay there, as will comfortable bedding.
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