Teach Puppy to Love the Crate
Puppies aren’t born loving crates: you have to teach them to love them. Follow a gradual training plan with lots of treats as reinforcement to build positive associations and teach your puppy to view their crate as a safe haven.
Suzanne Bryner of Lucky Fido Dog Training in Friday Harbor, WA, says “We want puppies to feel really happy, not just so-so, about their crate, so it's important to take your puppy through crate training step by step and ensure that they are really happy at each step.”
First, make sure the crate is set up right. It should be sized so they have room to stand up, stretch, and turn around, but not too big. If you’ve got a large crate to accommodate growth, use the divider to make it the right size. Then add some cozy bedding.
Let your puppy play and when they’re tired, put them in their crate and they should happily nap. When they wake up, immediately let them out (before they start to cry) and take them out to potty.
Meghan D’Arcy, of Meghan D’Arcy Training and Behaviour in Toronto, Ontario, says “Make the crate comfortable with both a bed and blanket, since puppies like to burrow and need to stay warm, and your puppy will be napping in there in no time.”
Follow a gradual training plan that starts by allowing the puppy to come and go from the crate as they please. Use nice treats but make them small and be generous with them. Meghan says, “Begin by tossing some treats just inside the door and gradually toss further and further back. Throughout the day, sprinkle treats at the back of the crate for your puppy to discover.”
In addition to following a crate training plan, feed your puppy’s meals in the crate to help build positive associations. If you like, you can feed the meal via a rubber chew toy to make it last longer. Meghan says, “Initially, remain nearby while your puppy is eating and let your puppy out of the crate as soon as they're done. (Also remember most puppies will want to potty right after eating.) With comfort, you can increase the amount of time your puppy remains in the crate after they're done eating, dropping a treat in the crate every 10-15 seconds, and begin moving around the room or stepping away briefly.”
And remember, puppies and dogs of all ages shouldn’t be left in a crate all day. The crate is a refuge, a nap spot, and, for pups, a housetraining aid. It is not an area your dog should generally be restricted to.