How to Train a Dog Lesson 5

Kennel training and crate training are the same thing. A crate may look like a plastic case or a wire cage, and should be the right size for your dog, so allow growing room! Dogs that have been adopted may find it more difficult to accept this kind of training and is even more difficult to train a puppy. However it is extremely important that you keep on training your dog or puppy until they are fully trained.

There are a number of advantages of kennel training that many owners may not be aware of. One of the biggest advantages is that once your dog is crate trained it is far easier for them to travel as they are much more relaxed. Once your dog has been fully crate trained, or has been crate trained all his life, you may find that this is his favorite place in the house.

One of the biggest mistakes that some owners find they have made is not to crate train their dog. When you first bring home your new dog, you may have found that you were overwhelmed by the amount of other training you had to give your dog. However, crate training your dog is just as important as training your dog in other areas of their life. Imagine taking your dog on a four hour journey when they have not yet been crate trained. Your dog will find this experience very distressing and you may be upset seeing your dog in that state. Never use their crate as a form of discipline. Their crate should always be a place where they feel safe and comfortable. To begin crate training your dog, put a blanket, one of his favorite toys and a treat in his crate and leave the crate in a place where the dog often is with the door of the crate open. Without having to force him, your dog’s curiosity should lead him into his crate. As your dog plays with the toy in his crate gently close the door so he can become familiar with being inside the crate with the door shut.

After a while your dog will get used to being in the crate on his own, and may even enjoy it. When your dog does get used to being in his crate on his own teach him to use the crate with verbal commands. When your dog heads towards his crate, tell him to ‘go to your crate’, or to ‘go to bed’. Eventually your dog will associate these commands with going to his crate.

When crate training your puppy, remember to never keep him in the crate for more than a couple of hours a day. Another tip to remember is to exercise your puppy before he goes into his crate. When your puppy comes out of the crate it is an excellent idea to praise and play with your puppy as then he will think that being in his crate will get him love and attention from his owner. Also, when he comes out of the crate, ensure that you take him to the garden in order for your puppy to go to the toilet.