Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Dog Crate Training

By Stan Beck


Crate training is a very simple method of training your puppy to develop good behavior. It has been proven to remove anxiety and abnormal barking. It even works well in house-breaking a new puppy. It can also make the puppy learn that it has a place for itself in the household.

The Value of a Crate to a Dog

A majority of dogs love their crates; that's a fact. Even wild dogs seek sanctuary in small burrows to keep them feeling safe and warm. A crate does just that in a special way dogs will come to love, because by and by, your dog will come to claim that little space as its sole domain and home. In most cases, dogs that live in open spaces often grow uneasy in guarding its "territory."

How to Crate Train a Dog

Crate training is best for puppies. A mature dog that is crate trained will only get anxious when it is placed in that little cage. Being uneasy when place inside a crate for the first few days is nothing to worry about if you're dealing with a puppy which can adopt easily. But a mature dog will have very little chance of adapting to it.

A family room where there are lots of people during the day is a good place for a puppy's crate to be. You can take the crate to your room at night to make it feel your presence. Remember that dogs are social animals and puppies especially want reassurance that they are protected. After sometime, it no longer bothers them to be left alone in one place but at this stage, you should keep them safe and calm.

The puppy's comfort inside the crate should be your lookout. You should also provide it with water to drink and a nice place to sleep. This will facilitate a faster attachment of you puppy to its crate. You should not provide your puppy with a crate too large for it to become hyper and restless, as it might defeat your purpose for placing it inside the crate.

Leave the Puppy Alone

Never pull a puppy out of the crate even if it gets upset. This will only make the puppy learn that if it creates some commotion, it will catch your attention. Make it a point to take the puppy out of the crate, only if it has stayed quiet for at least five minutes. This time, you can pet your puppy to show appreciation for its good behavior.

A period of one or two hours is ideal the puppy's length of stay in the crate for its first few days. You can increase the period overtime as the puppy adjusts. As the puppy becomes more mature, it can already withstand to be left alone in the crate for very long periods.

Crate training is an effective method of improving puppies' behavior. If you can do it, you can be assured of producing dogs that are not only happy; they are also anxiety- free.




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