Crate Train Your Dog

It is easier to crate train your dog than you might think. Dogs, foxes, coyotes, wolves – all like to use a den for sleeping and caring for their young. Your therapy dog is no different. If you introduce your dog to crate training correctly he will feel secure in his crate. It quickly becomes a place to go for peace and quiet, a place he can go to get away from noise and stress. It should be respected as such. If you have children teach them to leave the dog alone when he is in his crate.

What is Crate Training?

Crate Training is a container made of wire, plastic or mesh. Crates come in all sizes from the very small to enormous! Some people call crates kennels or cages.

Which Size Crate Is Right For My Dog?

Which is the right size crate for your dog? Your dog should be able to stand in the crate and have enough room so that his back doesn’t touch the top of the crate and when he lies down he can stretch out.

Where can you find a crate? Crates can be found at pet stores, online pet catalogs, department stores… just about any place that caters to animals.

Why Crate Train Your Dog?

Why should you use a crate? There are a lot of reasons to crate train your therapy dog. It keeps him safe when you are gone. It will give you peace of mind knowing your dog isn’t getting into trouble or wreaking things in the home. House training is much easier. The crate is familiar to him if he goes to an unfamiliar place or travels with you. If you are involved in an accident on the road, a crated dog is less likely to get loose on the road or be flung from one part of the car to another.

How Do I Crate Train My Dog?

How do you crate train your therapy dog? If you are slow, careful and kind you can quickly and easily crate train your dog. The first thing to do is make sure the crate door will not shut. Remove it or tie it back in such a way that the crate remains open. You can feed your dog in the crate but dogs are messy when they drink so don’t leave a water bowl in the crate. Pad the bottom with soft bedding or, for house training purposes, paper. Be sure to take your dog, especially a puppy, outside for elimination as soon as he has finished eating and as soon as he wakes up since puppies will eliminate soon after eating and waking.

Start to crate train your dog as soon as you get him. The first thing to do, after securing the door so it can’t close, is introduce him to the crate by tossing a tasty treat inside. When he goes in to get the treat, calmly praise him. Do this several times until the dog doesn’t hesitate to enter the crate. Once he is consistently willing, even eager to enter, close the door. Leave it closed for a few seconds and, as long as he isn’t whining or scratching at the door, open it and allow him to leave. Praise him. Repeat the entire process: entering, closing the door, waiting and then opening the door, gradually increasing the length of time the door is closed. At the same time you toss the treat into the crate you can tell your dog to ‘kennel’ or some other word that he will understand means to go into the crate.

Don’t abuse the use of the crate training, crate train your dog for his security and comfort, not to make him a prisoner.

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