For rescue dogs, a crate provides a safe space to adjust to their new surroundings as well as the luxury of not having to fight for their own space. Crates provide comfort to rescue dogs, since some are fearful around certain people or environments. This is particularly true for dogs with a traumatic past of neglect or abuse. Crates allow rescue dogs to know they have their own territory and no one will hurt them in it.
Crate training will improve their confidence and curtail problematic behavior. Crate training benefits hunting dogs , keeping them comfortable during hunts and on the road. Many hunting dogs have spent most of their lives outside and have had little interaction with humans. Kroh advises crate training them the same way you would a puppy. Since dogs feel responsible for their own territory, insecure dogs need less space to protect.
A crate rather than the entire house means less territory to patrol, making it easier for them to relax. The first and most important step in crate training is making it a positive experience. Try feeding them meals or treats in their crate so crate time feels like a reward.
Never leave dogs in their crate all day. Limit crate time based on how long they spend in their crate daily, their age, and level of house training. Understanding the need for crate training is just the first step, but the training itself is another matter entirely. Make sure to do extensive research on how to crate train your dog , and be sure to stick to your plan to ensure the greatest chance of success.
Compare Breeds Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side. Dog Name Finder Browse our extensive library of dog names for inspiration. Find out the best and worst foods for your dog and which to avoid. The crates is also a terrific tool for the overall management of dogs. Trainers will often divide the plan for fixing a behaviour problem into two components, training and management.
Training is where you actively work on correcting a problem—like teaching Lola to sit to greet guests at the door instead of jumping up or goosing them.
Management is where you avoid the situation altogether—like crating her with a stuffed chewtoy when the doorbell rings so that she is physically unable to jump on the pizza delivery man—because you are not ready for a training session at that particular moment. With young puppies we use the crate to manage a whole raft of anticipated problems, such as destructive chewing, nipping at young children, and housesoiling, when unable to supervise them properly.
A good rule of thumb is that a dog can be crated overnight and for up to half the day, provided his social and physical needs are being met while not in the crate. A good estimate of how long a pup can wait before needing to relieve himself is as many hours as he is months old, plus one.
So a three-month-old pup can manage for about four hours. Overnight he can usually hold a bit longer, usually about 1. But don't forget that puppies need to be thoroughly socialized before they are five months old—so those hours awake and out of the crate are very precious for socialization!
Puppies are introduced to crates quite easily by tossing food-stuffed chewtoys inside when they are hungry and letting them work away while someone familiar is nearby. Gradually they can be left on their own with the door closed, and many will readily go to their crate voluntarily for naps or in the hopes that a stuffed chewtoy will miraculously appear. Adult dogs without any crate experience can be trained to like a crate in the same manner, but it may take longer; and the guidance of a pet behaviour counsellor is sometimes required if the dog is anxious about entering.
A great trick for dogs of all ages is to lock dinner inside the crate until poochie is throwing a major tantrum wanting to go inside… then you can open the door and let him in for a yummy meal. The only whining that should successfully elicit crate door-opening services with a puppy is if puppy needs to pee.
If you aren't sure, take puppy out of the crate very matter-of-factly and place him outside. Carry the puppy instead of allowing him to meander at his own speed. If he produces, it was legitimate. If he doesn't, he goes back in the crate for half an hour… he was just whining to come out, and needs to learn another way of asking like sitting quietly.
The other exception is if the puppy or dog has an anxiety problem such as fear of crates, separation anxiety, or fear of noise in the environment. If this is the case, seek the help of a professional trainer or behaviour counsellor. Otherwise, the rule of thumb for crate whiners or barkers is that they need to be quiet for at least three minutes straight before they get let out.
Otherwise, they are learning that whining and barking works—and then who is training whom? Thank you for your support! Login or Register Get Free Newsletter. Love Cats? Visit Modern Cat! Email this page. A Trainer's Truth About Crates. Choosing a crate Crates come in a variety of sizes and materials. The crate as chewtoy habit facilitator Chewtoy not shoetoy fixations are good. The crate as management tool The crates is also a terrific tool for the overall management of dogs.
How long is too long? How to introduce a dog to a crate Puppies are introduced to crates quite easily by tossing food-stuffed chewtoys inside when they are hungry and letting them work away while someone familiar is nearby. What if he is whining to come out? Dog Training , truth about crates , should dogs be in crates. This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Comments 40 Anonymous said:. I feel this article fails to address "how long is too long" adequately. It states a rule of a pup's age in months plus one is the hours it can stay in the cage PROVIDED his social and physical needs are being met while not in the crate. This does not tell the novice dog owner what the needs are, how to tell if they are not met dog is going stir crazy! I should think not. Crates should IMHO be used to train and guide the dogs.
Once they are potty trained, the cage should have an open door pretty much all the time, with perhaps the exception of when the family is having dinner if the dog is inclined to beg , or there is a reason to keep the dog safe and out of the way from something. Cheryl Aisoff said:. The article was referring to the length of time a puppy can go before needing to pee.
When training I think Gating is far better, just having the pup gated in a safe puppy proofed area when not able to observe them. Cheryl A said:. Linda Reynolds said:. Thank you!!!! Nkosul said:. Now I have read over and over that all these techniques work, and in the past they have for all my puppies.
However, my 6 month old pitbull puppy still hates his crate after all the different ways of trying to get him used to it. What should I do in this case?!? Emily said:. Why do you need a crate for this puppy? He's six months old- and really shouldn't need to be put in a cage. Dogs are happiest when they can move around.
Too many trainers have pushed them on people- that now it's supposedly normal. It's NOT normal or ok. People say, well dogs like dens, but the fact is that dens don't have doors. You sound like a good guy- once you read this you won't want to cage your little angels again. Good luck! Nicnicnic said:. Emily you do understand that PETA is a worldwide joke and kills more dogs than any organization in the history of the planet right?
Just because they write an article tugging at your simple heart strings doesn't make a single thing they say valid. No PETA does not kill more dogs on the planet and they are not a joke. They do euthanize dogs Is that a good life? Also millions of dogs and cats are euthanized with awful methods; at least PETA does it humanely. They also advocate and alleviate suffering for many other animals.
The people that bash PETA are funded by right wing organizations and industries that feel their profits threatened by animal rights advocacy. Some dogs destroy furniture etc. Most people do have jobs, not all dogs can be left to roam in the home. Vbird said:. Jesus, relax. A person a lot of happy birthday greeting cards but you open the charming ones first.
This can be more difficult in smaller boutiques. Eyl said:. My 6 mos. Can she sleep in our room at night? She is house trained. My rescue uses her crate for naptimes or when she hears the word "bath".
She sleeps in the bedroom at night crate stays in living room in between the couch and wall. We have crazy neighbors so we heard fireworks the 2nd-5th. Dill would not settle down and would pace with all the noise. We brought the kennel in and she slept soundly every night. Kennels are also excellent for the times that no one can be home to supervise your new puppy. Some people like to keep their kennels in their bedroom, especially if you have a pooch who gets lonely or anxious easily.
From the start, teaching a puppy that a crate is their safe place will also help them find comfort and solitude in it during their adulthood. Since your canine companion will associate their crate with safety, it will be great for when you have to take them to their veterinarian or the groomers. Plus, when traveling on a plane or long distance in a car or RV, a crate will be necessary to keep Fido safe. When staying in a hotel room or somewhere new, the kennel will again hopefully provide them with a sense of comfort and safety.
However, our canine companions are not that devious and actually just enjoy being close to you and using your body heat to keep themselves warm. However, there are a few downsides to letting Fido sleep in your bed with you that should not be overlooked:.
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