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Basic puppy training should incorporate crate training for several reasons, it should be implemented the very first night your new puppy comes home.  Crate training puppies isn’t as difficult as a person might think.  It’s also one of the foundations on which all other dog training can rest.

It can be an amazing benefit for your puppy and you if you have a safe place for her to keep herself company while you are busy, or while you are asleep.  Your puppy’s crate will help give your new puppy the comfort and security that she needs.  It also helps to eliminate separation anxiety which many puppies go through.  It also helps you by letting you have piece of mind, knowing that your home isn’t being destroyed, that your carpets are not being ruined and that your new puppy is safe in general.

Our oldest son was the first to aquaint me to the benefits of crate training puppies.  He had gotten a young puppy that was always getting into everything, and using the bathroom everywhere.   At the time he was living in a small apartment and it was becoming a problem to have his puppy running lose when he was at work or sleeping, because his puppy was chewing everything and relieving himself anywhere and everywhere.  While waking up one morning and stepping in you know what, he decided to look into crate training.  Watching the benefits that he enjoyed was enough to convince me of the importance of crate training for puppies.  His puppy was much happier, and my son was too!

Introduce your puppy to the crate in a fun way.  Don’t force her into the crate if she doesn’t want to go in. Food plays a big role in many training techniques.  It can play a simple but important role in crate training. In the introduction you should have a treat or toy to coax her to investigate the crate.  She will soon see it as a comforting place, if you give her some time.  After she has been introduced to the crate and she isn’t afraid of it, keep the door to the crate open, and every once in a while put bite sized chunks of her favorite treat into the crate. You can also create a short trail of treats that leads in to the crate if your puppy is still a little scared about going in.

It’s also helpful to leave a favorite toy or two in the crate.  As your little explorer starts stepping into the crate with no help, you should flood her with praise.  Always give positive comments when your puppy is in her crate.

Don’t forget, when crate training puppies, you should always use a key word that your puppy can learn.  I use the word “Kennel”.  Each time your puppy walks into the crate you should use the key word.  Saying the word will help your puppy to associate being in the crate with your key word.  Be consistent with the word and with the training, and in no time at all, she will be crate trained.

For more information, check out this puppy training blog.