Crate training

Things to note first:

- some dogs just don't take to crating no matter how gently you introduce it. They may just not like the feeling of being enclosed or if rescued may have a traumatic past to do with being crated
- crate training takes time to do it properly. If you're crating to help ease a dog's separation anxiety it can take months, but is well worth the effort in the end
- crate training is a very useful housetraining aid, and good for energetic pups who need enforced rest!
- crate training is NOT cruel when done properly; it's recommended not to leave your dog crated for longer than 6 hours at a time

Okay, here we go... (please note, this is how I crate train, feel free to meddle with it )

1) Buy a crate that is big enough for your dog to comfortably stand, turn around, lie down (stretched) and sit up in


2) Put the crate in the room you want it to stay in (you can have more than one crate in the house). Leave the door open, put a comfy bed or blankets in there. Click and reward the dog (plus verbal praise) whenever he looks at or goes near the crate. If he walks inside give him a huge fuss. You want positive associations with the crate from the get go.


3) Put treats in the crate when the dog is out of the room so he is constantly wandering in and out of the crate to look for treats. You can teach him a command (such as "crate" ) to go inside, and click and reward when he does. Some people say to feed the dog's meals in there, which I would recommend if you feed the dog in a bowl and not from puzzle feeders


4) After a few days, when you know your dog is comfortable with the crate, close the door when he is in there with you sat right by it. Feed him the tastiest treats while he is in there, cheese, chicken, hot dog, whatever! On the first go, let him out as soon as you close the door. Entice him back in and close the door again for a few seconds. If he seems freaked, stop closing him in and just leave treats in there for him as before.


5) Slowly build up the amount of time the door is shut; a few seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes etc etc. Judge it by how comfortable your dog is; if he's happy, you can increase the time faster, if he's a sensitive dog do it slower.


6) Start moving away from the crate whilst the door is shut. Just a bum-shuffle amount at first, and lower the time you leave him in. Leave lots of treats in there to keep him busy and happy, or a Kong stuffed with cream cheese, PB (frozen if he can get it out too fast!). Over a period of days increase it so you can leave pup in his crate for a good fifteen minutes whilst you're in the room with him - remember, if at any time he acts unhappy, he's been pushed a little too far and you need to go back a few steps


7) Pop him in his crate and step out of the room for a few seconds, then let him out and praise him. Over a few days build up the amount of time pup can be left alone in the room until you can shower or do other things whilst he is happy in there...if at any point pup starts refusing to go into the crate when you want him to, but is otherwise happy in there, simply put him on his lead. Say "crate" (or whatever command you use) and calmly guide him into the crate, then take off the lead and praise & reward him. If pup puts up much of a fight or acts scared, he is fearful of the crate and you should go back a few steps.


8 ) As with getting him used to you being out of the room, the next step is exactly the same except this time you are stepping out of the house. Just step out the door at first, then go in and have a puppy party (shower him in praise and treats!). Gradually increase the time. If you have a baby monitor it's useful to hear how he does when you're gone. We used my partner's phone, I called it off mine and we answered it then left it by Kasper's crate. That way we could hear if he whined. Filming the dog and seeing how calm he looks in there may also be a good idea.



Kasper had very bad SA when we adopted him. We learnt he'd had it the whole 9 months he was with his previous owners (he used to be very destructive when they shut him in the kitchen, which they punished him for ), but when we first got him we didn't have a clue. He used to 'collect' items that smelled of us from the kitchen where we left him; a hairbrush, a book, the tea towel etc. When he chewed halfway through a door we finally realised we needed to do something about it - we were new to dogkeeping, what can I say?!

It took us almost a month to build Kasper up to being left the full five hours, I think. But we took it incredibly slowly, as he is sensitive and at the time was a new, and fearful, rescue dog too. We were dealing with a lot of other issues with him (he used to cower from our hands and had no self-confidence) so we wanted to make crate training as gentle on him as possible...so yeah.

You know your dog best, so go at his / her speed!

Red

Oh, and to prove it can be done with the neediest of rescue dogs!



And the door is open there so he was free to come and go as he pleased

Red