Crate Training Your Puppy
Home 2.Socialize Your Puppy
3.Housetraining, Chewing, Digging and Jumping
4.Heel, Sit, Down, Stay, Come
Although many owners are reluctant to train their puppies to use a crate, doing so can ease the housebreaking period, help puppies to travel safely, and give them a comfortable place to retreat for peace and quiet.
Julius one day old, owned by Natalie O'Neil
Most puppies
quickly make their crate
into a den. If you do put a liner or pad in the crate, make sure your puppy does not try to eat the liner or padding in
your crate, if they do it is fine to not have any padding in the bottom of the
crate. And since, by nature, dogs do not like to soil their dens, using a crate
during housebreaking can help teach young puppies when and where it is
appropriate to "go".
It is important to purchase a well-ventilated crate that gives your dog plenty of room to comfortably stand up and turn around. You don't, however, want the crate to be too big for your puppy. We use a metal crate that is 39 inches wide, 48 inches long and 35 inches tall. You can partition it to fit your puppy and take it out as your dog grows, so you do not have to buy different size crates.
Timing is everything. Never leave your puppy in a crate too long. A crate is not a place for a puppy to live. Puppies must be taken outside very often to begin with. Every hour or so. Although older puppies should make it through the night, during the day they should only stay in for an hour or so at a time and should be given plenty of fresh water. At our home we make it a regular retinue: Crate an hour, go straight outside and potty, inside to play or cuddle for 30 minutes, then outside again, then crate. As your puppy gets older, you increase the length of time inside. It can be very difficult to get started, but once you do, your puppy will quickly start to understand where it should go and where it shouldn't. Getting that understanding to their bladder can take longer though. Swissys grow very fast and can take longer to be fully house trained than smaller dogs.
Although most puppies learn quickly, they cannot always control their urges. Should your puppy soil his crate, do not harshly reprimand him, but quickly take him outside and praise him for going where he is supposed to. Make sure to clean the crate thoroughly.
Crate training is also helpful for travel. A dog that is accustomed to a crate will be less traumatized by traveling in one. And is more comfortable in a new place when they are in a crate they are familiar with.
Despite the negative associations owners often have with crates, the fact is that most dogs, when properly taught, really learn to like their crate. A crate should never be used as a punishment, but should be encouraged as a place for your puppy to relax, sleep and, at times, get away from the world.
We feed our dogs in their crates, that way we can keep track of exactly how much they are eating. We put them in their crate 30 minutes before they eat to give them time to calm down and relax and leave them for 30 minutes after they eat to give their food time to digest before being able to run around and play. Always take your puppies outside after eating, as most have to relieve themselves shortly after eating.
Alex and Pearl
