Dog Crate Training: The Basics
Kevin Simmons
Dog crate training is one of the most effective ways of modifying
your pet’s elimination habits. If your puppy or new pet has
decided that they want to leave puddles or other unsightly messes
around your house, then taking a closer look at this method may
be in order.
Dog crate training is based around the premises that most dogs
will not eliminate where they sleep or rest, provided that they
are given options to release elsewhere. Therefore, owners will
temporarily confine their pet to a cage of some sorts, in order
to change negative behaviors. However, the confinement is only
one aspect of dog crate training; the other, more important
aspect occurs when the dog is released from it’s cage, is brought
outside to go to the bathroom, and is instantly praised.
It is important to note that this method is used only to
temporarily confine your dog when you are crate training him, or
when you are away from your home for shorter periods of time
(i.e. going to work). This method is meant to teach your dog
bladder control, helping them to learn when and where it is, and
is not appropriate to do the deed.
However, dog crate training is not meant as a stopgap measure for
a difficult dog; at no point should your dog EVER be locked up
for an extended period of time, or the problem will only
intensify.
Your pet should, at first, only be confined to his crate when you
are within close range (i.e. at home, or going for a walk around
the block). Other than when you go to sleep, you should allow
your dog to initially take a break from the crate every hour to
go to the bathroom. As soon as you open the cage, guide them
outside and give them a couple of minutes to take care of
themselves. If within five minutes they haven’t, gently guide
them back to their cage. If your dog, however, does take care of
himself outside, IMMEDIATELY provide some sort of positive
reinforcement that your dog already associates with being good,
such as a toy, treat, affection, long walk or something along
those lines.
When starting the dog crate training, make sure to keep a diary
of when your dog eats, sleeps and requires a bathroom break.
Soon, you’ll see patterns to his behavior, and you can slowly
stretch out the times to allow him outside of the crate for a
break. For instance, if your dog needs a potty break every day
when they wake up, and then again during the lunch hour, allow
him to run free outside of these times, except for ONE HOUR
before that time occurs. Then, put your dog back in the crate so
that an accident doesn’t happen, and continue positively
reinforcing the behavior. Bit by bit you’ll be able to stretch
this out until after a couple of weeks, you should no longer need
the crate at all.
Note however that accidents do happen. If they do, just clean it
up, and don’t do anything to your dog. Just note the accident,
and make sure the next day to put him in his crate an hour before
the same corresponding time, and use the same methods again,
until the problem is corrected.
(c) 2005 dog-training-info.com.
Kevin Simmons is the webmaster of
http://www.dog-training-info.com
Please visit the site for more free dog training articles.
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