Crate training your dog requires patience and time. The whole process can feel more frustrating than helpful at times, when adding in trying to get your dog to sleep in his crate all night long. Even if your dog is doing fine eating their food or taking regular naps in there, occasionally sleeping in there at night can seem like a whole new game! To keep him from getting tired of this routine, here are some dog training tips for crate training dogs.
It’s best to start crate training your dog from when they are young and can be trained to be responsive to their owner’s commands. Start by placing them in a dog crate and leaving them alone for an hour or so. Let them go play with other puppies or a dog, and then take them right back to their crate. When they respond to your command to go in there, give them a treat and praise. If they do not understand you, repeat the command and continue with the treats and praise until they do. You can also add in bathroom breaks here, but make sure you do not let them stay in there for too long!
When you are teaching your dog to be responsive to their owners, you need to establish that it is their own space, their own domain and that they should have complete control of it. This means making sure they have their water and bowl nearby, but it also means taking the dog out of the crate at least once an hour to give them a bathroom break. When dogs feel secure, they sleep better. When you are training them to be more responsive to your commands, they are less likely to become frustrated or aggressive while you are trying to train them.
Another helpful hint for crate training puppies is to never put the dog in his crate when you are taking a short nap. Doing so will stress him out and he may become irritated and start to bark. It’s also not a good idea to do this when you’re trying to get some exercise. As mentioned before, crates were intended to keep dogs comfortable and relieve them of their frustrations so leave them in there when you are working.
One mistake many people make when teaching dogs how to be responsive to their owners is having them go into their crates for nighttime potty training. There is nothing you can do to enforce this command if your dog is going to roll over or jump on you while you are asleep. This will teach him to demand barking instead.
During the daytime, there will be many opportunities for your dog to go potty on your rug, furniture, or floors. Do not make him pay for this with his “bath” either. He will learn that his only option is to roll on down or demand the bathroom until he has had a potty break. You should also not punish your pup for this. Simply ignore his barking until he obliges and then reward him with his special treat.
After your dog’s first night in his crate, you will want to take him out every couple of hours just to give him a snack and to eliminate any residual stress. During the night, when he is most anxious, you should take him to his crate so he can be alone. The goal is for him to associate going to the bathroom with a time apart from you, not with going to your bedroom. Once he is familiar with going to his bedtime spot whenever he wants to relax, you are now ready to teach him how to deal with his new home and the many challenges that come with it. Remember that dogs learn best by repetition and following a process rather than trying to do everything all at once.
If you are having any kind of problem in the house, such as excessive barking or digging, you should consider crate training your dog. Most dogs respond very well to crate training because it gives them a safe place away from their problems and gives them a place to go when they need to rest. This is much different than putting them into their kennels and giving them a quick escape if they decide to fight back. Crate training is a great alternative to a harsh punishment for dogs that are misbehaving.
