Crate Training Your Puppy
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| "It's Not a Doggie Jail!" |
Crate training your puppy is a very practical thing to do, and should come quite naturally. Dogs,
when they were wild creatures, were “denning” animals, spending much of their time in small, dark,
sheltered areas where they felt safe and secure. This instinct is still there in our dogs today, and
using this instinct can be very beneficial in housetraining puppi8es, avoiding destructive behavior in
dogs of all ages, and eliminating conflicts between your dog and other pets (or children!) in the
household.
Size?: How big should your crate be? The basic rule of thumb is that it should be large enough for
the dog to stand up, lie down, stretch out and turn around. Another part of the “denning” instinct is
that dogs resist soiling their den area, and keeping the space small and contained is important. If
the crate is large enough that the dog can mentally “subdivide” the space into sleeping and potty
areas, then you lose that advantage. If you only want to buy one crate that will still fit the puppy
when it is full grown, you can block off the back portion of the crate with boxes or use a divider to
make his available space the appropriate size.
What type?: The two main types of crates are the plastic “Vari-Kennel” type, and the wire crate.
The Vari-Kennel type has solid plastic sides and a wire door and ventilation openings. The wire ones
are just that… all wire on the top and all sides, with a metal tray for the floor. There are benefits and
drawbacks for each. Some dogs prefer the enclosed shelter of the Vari-Kennel, and it is the sort you
could also use for airplane transport if necessary. Others like the airy, open feel of the wire. Wire
crates can also be covered with a cage cover or blanket when it is chilly, or to provide a more
enclosed den.
How long?: The most common question people have is how long a puppy can be comfortably and
realistically crated. The guideline to keep in mind is one hour for each month of age, plus one. For
example, a four month old puppy should only be crated for a maximum of 5 hours. Regardless, if your
four month old puppy is consistently having accidents in the crate when you leave him there for five
hours, then he is not ready to be crated that long, and you need to adjust his schedule accordingly.
Keep in mind also that there is an upper limit here! You would not expect to crate any 13 month old
dog for 14 hours! No dog should be crated more than 8-9 hours on a regular basis, and you should
be sure the dog gets lots of vigorous exercise both before and after crating for that long a period.
Training Tips: Start using the crate from the very first day! After a vigorous play time, when the
puppy is tired and has recently pottied, place him in the crate with his blanket and a small treat and
toy (we recommend a Kong toy, with a treat inside), the happy command, “Kennel!” and leave him
there for a while. Yes, at first he may bark or whine, just like a baby will fuss while in his crib or
playpen. But the rule is, when the puppy is in the crate, pretend he is in another country! Don’t let
him out while he is barking. Only let him out when he has been quiet for a few minutes. The crate
should be in a secluded part of a “family” area. For example, if you always hang out in the living
room, and there is an adjacent dining room or quiet corner where the puppy can hear you and
occasionally see you, but not be right in the midst of the noise and conversation, that might be a
good spot. Keep crate time short at first, and avoid using it as a “penalty box” as much as possible.
Being angry with the puppy, yelling, then putting him in the crate will give him a negative association
with it. Also, be aware that a dog who has severe thunderstorm phobia should NOT be crated during
a storm. Their “fight or flight” instinct is in conflict with their “my crate is my den” instinct, and some
dogs will injure themselves trying to get out of the crate.
The crate door can be left open when puppy isn’t in it, and you might find that when he is tired, he
will actually seek out his “den.” It really should be his sanctuary. In fact, any children in the family
should be taught that they absolutely do not ever approach the crate when the puppy is in it. That
way, when he needs a “break,” he knows he has a safe, private place to go and will be less likely to
become stressed by small children. Be sure the puppy spends time in the crate both when you are
home and when you are out, so that he doesn’t learn “when I go in the crate, they are leaving, and I
will be all alone!”
At night, you might move the crate to a bedroom, or have a second crate there, at least at first.
Some puppies benefit initially from being near you during the night when they are still very small. But
there is no reason that his usual crate location cannot be his designated sleeping spot as well.
Housetraining puppies is a task that requires very careful attention. When you are home with the
puppy, keep him in the same room with you at all times, just as you would a newly-walking toddler.
Some owners even keep a puppy attached by a tether to their waist! Watch his behavior and habits,
and learn what his “I have to go potty” signals are. Some pups begin to sniff and circle, or suddenly
get very quiet when just a moment ago they were happily playing. Take the puppy out and praise
him lavishly when he does his thing. If he has an accident in the house, unless you actually catch him
“in the act” it does no good to punish him. He can’t make the connection. But if you do catch him, a
very loud, harsh NO, followed by picking him up and taking him outside should make your point.
Again, if the then potties outside, lavish praise reinforces that he just did a Very Good Thing! If you
can’t keep the puppy in the room with you for a while, if you are cooking dinner or scrubbing the floor
or trying to hang a shelf, that is when the crate will come in handy, preventing the puppy from
“getting away with” pottying in the house without you right there to correct him. After the puppy has
been in the crate for any length of time, and likely needs to empty his bowels or bladder, that is an
ideal time to take him outside, let him go, and praise him for pottying outside.
Food or Water?: Should you put food and water in the crate when you are crating your dog for the
day? It is probably best not to leave food in there all day. Feed the dog in the crate if you like (this
is actually a great way to teach him this crate is “home!”), but remove the bowl and any leftover food
before crating the dog for an extended period of time to avoid his developing the need for a bowel
movement while he is restricted to the cage. If you are going to be gone more than just a little
while, you might leave some water, either in a “lick bottle” attached to the cage, or a bowl that
hangs on the wire of the crate sides or door. Leave enough that the dog will have refreshment and
hydration, but not so much he develops a painfully full bladder! You might even fill the water
container with ice cubes, which will melt slowly.
A crate-trained dog has his own “sanctuary” in the house. You have a safe place to put him or her
when you have guests or a repairman in the house, or in the event of an emergency (a severe storm
or tornado). If you ever have to travel, a crate-trained dog is much more at ease being shipped by
air and is much safer in a vehicle. At some point in your pet’s life, odds are that he or she will spend
some time at the veterinarian’s office, either for routine spay or neuter surgery, or for other health
care needs, and you can be sure he will have to be housed in a crate or kennel while he is there. A
crate-trained dog is much more comfortable and less stressed than a dog who has never been in a
crate before. Crate training your puppy has so many benefits, and all it takes is a little commitment
to the training early on. Even an older dog can quickly adapt to a crate, so it is never too late to
start!
when they were wild creatures, were “denning” animals, spending much of their time in small, dark,
sheltered areas where they felt safe and secure. This instinct is still there in our dogs today, and
using this instinct can be very beneficial in housetraining puppi8es, avoiding destructive behavior in
dogs of all ages, and eliminating conflicts between your dog and other pets (or children!) in the
household.
Size?: How big should your crate be? The basic rule of thumb is that it should be large enough for
the dog to stand up, lie down, stretch out and turn around. Another part of the “denning” instinct is
that dogs resist soiling their den area, and keeping the space small and contained is important. If
the crate is large enough that the dog can mentally “subdivide” the space into sleeping and potty
areas, then you lose that advantage. If you only want to buy one crate that will still fit the puppy
when it is full grown, you can block off the back portion of the crate with boxes or use a divider to
make his available space the appropriate size.
What type?: The two main types of crates are the plastic “Vari-Kennel” type, and the wire crate.
The Vari-Kennel type has solid plastic sides and a wire door and ventilation openings. The wire ones
are just that… all wire on the top and all sides, with a metal tray for the floor. There are benefits and
drawbacks for each. Some dogs prefer the enclosed shelter of the Vari-Kennel, and it is the sort you
could also use for airplane transport if necessary. Others like the airy, open feel of the wire. Wire
crates can also be covered with a cage cover or blanket when it is chilly, or to provide a more
enclosed den.
How long?: The most common question people have is how long a puppy can be comfortably and
realistically crated. The guideline to keep in mind is one hour for each month of age, plus one. For
example, a four month old puppy should only be crated for a maximum of 5 hours. Regardless, if your
four month old puppy is consistently having accidents in the crate when you leave him there for five
hours, then he is not ready to be crated that long, and you need to adjust his schedule accordingly.
Keep in mind also that there is an upper limit here! You would not expect to crate any 13 month old
dog for 14 hours! No dog should be crated more than 8-9 hours on a regular basis, and you should
be sure the dog gets lots of vigorous exercise both before and after crating for that long a period.
Training Tips: Start using the crate from the very first day! After a vigorous play time, when the
puppy is tired and has recently pottied, place him in the crate with his blanket and a small treat and
toy (we recommend a Kong toy, with a treat inside), the happy command, “Kennel!” and leave him
there for a while. Yes, at first he may bark or whine, just like a baby will fuss while in his crib or
playpen. But the rule is, when the puppy is in the crate, pretend he is in another country! Don’t let
him out while he is barking. Only let him out when he has been quiet for a few minutes. The crate
should be in a secluded part of a “family” area. For example, if you always hang out in the living
room, and there is an adjacent dining room or quiet corner where the puppy can hear you and
occasionally see you, but not be right in the midst of the noise and conversation, that might be a
good spot. Keep crate time short at first, and avoid using it as a “penalty box” as much as possible.
Being angry with the puppy, yelling, then putting him in the crate will give him a negative association
with it. Also, be aware that a dog who has severe thunderstorm phobia should NOT be crated during
a storm. Their “fight or flight” instinct is in conflict with their “my crate is my den” instinct, and some
dogs will injure themselves trying to get out of the crate.
The crate door can be left open when puppy isn’t in it, and you might find that when he is tired, he
will actually seek out his “den.” It really should be his sanctuary. In fact, any children in the family
should be taught that they absolutely do not ever approach the crate when the puppy is in it. That
way, when he needs a “break,” he knows he has a safe, private place to go and will be less likely to
become stressed by small children. Be sure the puppy spends time in the crate both when you are
home and when you are out, so that he doesn’t learn “when I go in the crate, they are leaving, and I
will be all alone!”
At night, you might move the crate to a bedroom, or have a second crate there, at least at first.
Some puppies benefit initially from being near you during the night when they are still very small. But
there is no reason that his usual crate location cannot be his designated sleeping spot as well.
Housetraining puppies is a task that requires very careful attention. When you are home with the
puppy, keep him in the same room with you at all times, just as you would a newly-walking toddler.
Some owners even keep a puppy attached by a tether to their waist! Watch his behavior and habits,
and learn what his “I have to go potty” signals are. Some pups begin to sniff and circle, or suddenly
get very quiet when just a moment ago they were happily playing. Take the puppy out and praise
him lavishly when he does his thing. If he has an accident in the house, unless you actually catch him
“in the act” it does no good to punish him. He can’t make the connection. But if you do catch him, a
very loud, harsh NO, followed by picking him up and taking him outside should make your point.
Again, if the then potties outside, lavish praise reinforces that he just did a Very Good Thing! If you
can’t keep the puppy in the room with you for a while, if you are cooking dinner or scrubbing the floor
or trying to hang a shelf, that is when the crate will come in handy, preventing the puppy from
“getting away with” pottying in the house without you right there to correct him. After the puppy has
been in the crate for any length of time, and likely needs to empty his bowels or bladder, that is an
ideal time to take him outside, let him go, and praise him for pottying outside.
Food or Water?: Should you put food and water in the crate when you are crating your dog for the
day? It is probably best not to leave food in there all day. Feed the dog in the crate if you like (this
is actually a great way to teach him this crate is “home!”), but remove the bowl and any leftover food
before crating the dog for an extended period of time to avoid his developing the need for a bowel
movement while he is restricted to the cage. If you are going to be gone more than just a little
while, you might leave some water, either in a “lick bottle” attached to the cage, or a bowl that
hangs on the wire of the crate sides or door. Leave enough that the dog will have refreshment and
hydration, but not so much he develops a painfully full bladder! You might even fill the water
container with ice cubes, which will melt slowly.
A crate-trained dog has his own “sanctuary” in the house. You have a safe place to put him or her
when you have guests or a repairman in the house, or in the event of an emergency (a severe storm
or tornado). If you ever have to travel, a crate-trained dog is much more at ease being shipped by
air and is much safer in a vehicle. At some point in your pet’s life, odds are that he or she will spend
some time at the veterinarian’s office, either for routine spay or neuter surgery, or for other health
care needs, and you can be sure he will have to be housed in a crate or kennel while he is there. A
crate-trained dog is much more comfortable and less stressed than a dog who has never been in a
crate before. Crate training your puppy has so many benefits, and all it takes is a little commitment
to the training early on. Even an older dog can quickly adapt to a crate, so it is never too late to
start!