Crate Training… God’s Gift to Dog Owners

The Pro’s

Crate training is something that I am a very big believer in, however seems to be somewhat of a controversial issue with a lot of dog owners. Many people view locking their dog in a crate as cruel, however this is quite the contrary. Dogs are den creatures, so they enjoy and actually need a small space that they can call their own for sleep and to feel safe. If you try and look at things from your dog’s point of view, sleeping without a crate would be like sleeping outside for us. As well as being healthy for your dog physically and psychologically, crating your pup can insure that none of your personal objects get chewed or destroyed, and can be very helpful when potty training because dogs do not like to use the bathroom in their crates.

How To

Now, there is a little bit more to crating your dog then just buying a crate and expecting them to go in there and be quiet for 7 hours, you have to train your dog to live in their crate. First thing is first, the best way to get your pup to enjoy their new home is by putting their food in their crate for a while so they will associate the crate to happy feelings. To begin with you should keep your dogs crate somewhere close to you like the couch, so that they don’t feel like they are all alone when they go in there, this should take away any potential whining or crying that your dog might do at first. Personally, I like to cover my dogs crates at least partially with a blanket or towel just to help them sleep and keep some of the lights and sounds out, but a lot of people really just don’t like to do this, so it is your choice. If you follow these few simple steps within a week or two your dog will be sleeping in his/her crate and you will never have to worry about waking up to any pee puddles or chewed up furniture, however always remember not to ever use the dog’s crate as a place of punishment because this will circumvent all of the training that you have done and your pet will no longer see their crate as a good place but rather relate it with bad feelings and will not want to be in there.