Crate Training

Crate Training is very essential for your dog to be independent and have his own space at your house. It is his own private room and is a personal den that offers him comfort and peace and makes him feel secure from any lurking dangers. It is the one place that a dog takes refuge in during a thunderstorm or to just doze off cosily and generally, crates comes in handy when travelling with your dog and for housetraining purposes too!

Crate Training is a must for every dog and should be handled with the same care and attention that you would give to a member of your family with patience and sensitivity. You should start Crate Training for your dog, preferably when he is a puppy, so that he is quite adapted to it by the time he becomes an adult.

Coming to the question of Crate Training,there are a few factors that should be kept in mind : success depends a lot on the dogs age, temperament and past experiences and care should be taken to see that Crate Training is a pleasant experience for him.
Be patient and take it one step at a time do not rush your puppy or dog into Crate Training
As a first step, introduce your dog to his crate by placing them in your family room or a place where the whole family gathers together.Place a soft towel or blanket in the crate.Let him familiarize himself with the crate.
Ensure that the door is open so as not to harm him,
Place some food items just at the entrance and encourage your dog to eat them and then slowly induce him to go inside the crate for his food do not be in a hurry and let him learn this at his own pace,
You can also place his favorite toy inside the crate for Crate Training
Know when your dog is hesitant to step further inside the crate and stop at that point.
When your dog is comfortable enough to go inside the crate for eating the food, you can slowly try to close the door while he is eating.Begin by opening the door as soon as he is finished with his meal and then progress towards closing the door for 5 or 10 minutes and so on.

Gradually introduce your dog to Crate Training
On the first signs of your dog whining, open the door and next time try to cut down on the closing time till he gets used to it
Once he is comfortable in the crate, if he resorts to whining, do not let him out as this will encourage him to do the same in the future.
Teaching your dog to respond to commands is a very important aspect of Crate Training. On the word ìkennelî, your dog should be able to follow your instructions. Do it with a favorite food or toy of his and encourage him to go inside the crate
Appreciate him once he is inside and give him his treat. Words of praise can work wonders while Crate Training your pet!
Be close to him and sit quiety for a small amount of time, get up and go to the other room for a few minutes and then again sit near the crate. Continue this and remember to increase the length of your absence time so that the dog is comfortable in his crate without needing your constant presence. This is one very important ground rule of Crate Training.
Leave him in crate for half an hour or so on a regular basis and from time to time so as to let him get used to this and not associate crate Training with being left alone when you go out
Place the crate near your bedroom initially when you intend him to sleep in his crate and then make a transition to other room gradually so as not to cause him anxiety or make him feel isolated. Crate Training should teach your dog independence, not make him frightened or anxious !
Do not yell or shout at the dog and avoid pounding on the crate.

Learn to read the signals and know when you dog is whining to be let out for eliminating or for just grabbing your attention ñ be patient here!
Do not give in to his whining if you think it is deliberate
When you do need to go out, make it matter-of-fact and similarly, when you return, be cool and calm, so the dog will not associate your going out and coming back as unusual event.
It is always advisable to restrict the crating time to 4 hours at day time since dogs need to eliminate
Ensure that the dog is well exercised and kept healthy being caged up in a crate whole day is also not good for the dog
Crate Training is essential, but equally important are valuable time spend together with your dog and outdoor activities too, so take care here.

While Crate Training is good for your dog and for you, care should be taken to warn the children of the house to stop pestering the dog when in his crate or annoying him in any way. Ensure that the crate is equipped with a bowl of water and a clean blanket. can be a blessing for your dog when you are not around and can keep him from potential harm. Never use Crate Training as a form of punishment. It is the worst thing to do. Crate Training can also save your dog from consuming hazardous materials or skidding and are ideal for travelling or when staying at a hotel. You would be glad of your all that Crate Training when going on vacations, for sure!

Having looked through Crate Training, here are a few tips on crate buying. Made of molded plastic or wire, crates are a sure way to protect your dog when you are not around and they can be bought at pet stores or department stores. Ensure that the crate is spacious enough to enable the dog to stretch or stand. If you have a puppy, buy a crate that will accommodate him as he grows. For bedding purposes, going in for a washable crate pad can be considered.

would be a success only when your dog is happy and comfortable in his crate, so ensure you buy a quality and durable crate for your dog.

Crate Training