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Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Should I Crate Train My Puppy?

By Pamela Noble


Crate training is a common, efficient way to train a puppy. It can be instrumental in house breaking, providing a base for good behaviour and a snug nesting place for your pet. However , some folks have reservations about putting their pet in a crate. The important thing to understand is that the crate is a training tool, and not a replacement for the supervision and care of the owner.

Properly crate training your dog has many positive outcomes for you and your pet. Being able to keep calm in a dog crate can save your dog's life in an emergency scenario. It will also make recuperating from a medical procedure much easier. Good luck with your training and remember that crate training needs patience and diligence and might not be suitable for all dogs.

Keep in mind that some dogs who have had a bad past with mistreatment and improper use of cages and confinement may not ever be in a position to be crated. The secret iss to begin slowly, don't force your dog into a crate unless positively required, and be patient. You will soon see if your dog will take to its crate. Beginning crate training with a new dog will be easier than an older dog and can set it up for positive habits for life.

For house breaking purposes crate training uses puppies' natural instincts to not wish to soil their sleeping area. This means that when in a correct sized crate your dog will not want to eliminate inside. Your dog will wish to go to the bathroom once removed from its dog crate. This is going to help you to create a schedule and location or "spot" for your pup to do its business in. Now you can create positive behavior and inspire your puppy with praise.

There is a difference between brief periods of confinement and confining your dog to a dog crate when you are away. Short term confinement should be done when you are home and can let your dog out after a brief time in its crate. This is for house breaking purposes and to adapt your dog to its crate. It'll also help your pet learn bladder/bowel control. Because your dog won't want to soil its crate. it'll learn how to hold it, and not just eliminate everytime it feels like it.

Long term confinement, such as overnight and when you're away, is done in order to avoid soiling and destruction in your house when you are unable to watch your dog and to keep your puppy safe from dangers around the house. You should only use long term confinement up to the pointyou feel you can trust your dog to wander the house on its own without any safety or destruction issues. You may also use baby or pet gates to cordon off potentially unsafe areas of the house, letting your dog roam a larger area.

Whatever you do, do not leave a dog in its crate for more than a few hours at a time. 3-4 hours maximum during the daytime, 8 hours at night. If you can't be home at some point during the day to let your dog out organize for another person to let it out and take it for a walk. If this is impossible, consider other methods of confinement in the daytime, for example penning off an area of the house or yard, or cordoning off dangerous areas with pet gates.

If you are conscientious and patient, training your dog to love its crate is a positive and crucial step in training your dog. If crate training does not sound right for your puppy dog, consider the 3 alternatives to crate training: Exercise pens, Dog Proofing Your House, and Creating a Dog Safe Area Outdoors. Look to get some more information on these options in future articles.




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