How to Train Puppies to Stay in Crates
- 1). Put your dog's crate in the living room or family room where your household spends the most time, according to the Dumb Friends League website. Line the crate with your dog's favorite blanket . Drop in one or two of her favorite treats and her favorite toy. Always show a happy demeanor when you encourage the puppy to go in her crate. Never use the crate as a form of punishment and never use an angry tone of voice when you put the puppy in her crate.
- 2). Feed your dog his regularly scheduled meals in his crate so he'll associate the crate with food. Put the bowl in the front of the crate if he approaches it skittishly, says the Dumb Friends League site. Each time you feed him, put the bowl incrementally further back until he enters willingly. Put his food bowl in the back of the crate thereafter. While your dog is in the crate eating his meal, close the door and then open it immediately after he finishes. Each time you feed him thereafter, leave the crate closed for about two minutes longer each time, until the puppy can stay in the crate for 10 minutes after he finishes his meal without incident.
- 3). After she's acclimated to 10 minutes in the crate, begin leaving her in the crate for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Sit at the crate for the first 10 minutes and leave the room for the next 10 minutes. Return to the crate for another 10 minutes and then give her a treat and let her out. Increase the time she spends in the crate until she can stay in it comfortably for 30 minutes. Then you can begin letting her sleep in it overnight or when you leave the house for a couple of hours at a time. Give her a treat when you arrive home and take her for her walk. By the time your dog reaches six months of age, she should be able to sleep comfortably in the crate while you're away.
- 4). Move the crate to your bedroom at night; puppies cannot yet control their bladders and so will need to be taken out frequently. Do not let him urinate in the crate because he will not want to stay in it if he's constantly sitting in his own "pee." Set your alarm clock every two hours for the first week you have him to take the puppy out at night. Gradually increase the time interval in the crate in succeeding weeks until the puppy is comfortable enough to stay in the crate all night. Some breeds housebreak more easily than others, so the time intervals can vary. Adjust them as necessary to keep your puppy comfortable and dry during the night.
