Crate training your dog has multiple purposes including helping with house training, protecting your pet from accidents, and helping to make them feel comfortable if they are ever boarded or transported. The crate should be comfortable and large enough to stand up and turn around. The crate should not be a punishment. You want the crate to feel like a home away from home.
The first step is having a crate set up when you first get your dog, plan to spend a lot of time the first two days to establish boundaries and set off on the right foot. Place the crate in an area of the house where the dog will feel as though it is still a part of the family while it is in there. I usually leave a small amount of water a toy, and a blanket in the kennel. Start out with giving a few treats and playing with toys around the crate. Talk to them in a playful happy voice and have them go in the kennel with a treat for a minute or two. Don’t force them to go into the crate, as this will cause them to fear being in the crate. The amount of time needed to successfully crate train will depend on your dog's age, nature and previous experiences. To help the process along, make sure that your dog associates the crate with something pleasant. And, like any learning process, make the training a series of small steps. This may take a day or two but it is important to be patient and rewarding. If your dog doesn’t respond to treats try using a favorite toy. As long as they do not bark or whine then let them out and continue play. Encourage them with praise and treats when they do as you would like. Five min later have another training session and extend the time in the kennel by 2-3 minutes. This should continue over the course of the next two days and should eventually allow you to leave them in the kennel for an hour period of time.
Remember never to let them out of the kennel while they are barking or whining. This will teach them that by crying they will be rewarded by being out of the crate. As your dog gets used to going in the crate use a command like “kennel up” and point and encourage them in. Reward them with a treat and some praise. Once they are comfortable being in the crate start out with a training session where you leave for a half hour to hour period of time. Once you return take them right outside and encourage them to go to the bathroom. When you return home, do not reward your dog for excited behavior by responding in an overly excited and enthusiastic way. Keep your entrances as low key as possible. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you are home to avoid any association your dog might make between crating and being left home alone. Be sure the toys you use are safe for them and if they are chewing on the blanket then you shouldn’t leave that in there. I like kongs with frozen chicken broth in it some nylabones and rope toys.
Once you have them crate trained you can use that as they sleep at night and when you are gone for periods of time. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or close by in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night, and you will want to be able to hear your puppy when he whines to be let outside. Older dogs should also initially be kept nearby so that crating does not become associated with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with the crate placed near you, you can begin to gradually move it to any location within the house that you prefer.
Make them earn your trust; you don’t want them to chew on electrical cords, or your nice wood furniture. As they earn your trust you can allow them to be outside the crate either at night or when you are gone. If they whine the whole time they are in there the training may be a little too fast for them or they may be dealing with separation anxiety and is nervous about being left alone. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but he may injure himself in an attempt to escape from the crate. If your dog whines while in the crate at night, you need to determine whether he's whining simply because he wants to be closer to you, or whether he needs to be let outside to go to the bathroom. If you have followed the guidelines outlined above, your dog will not have been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from his crate. Try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, he'll most likely stop whining soon. Punihing them by yelling at him or pounding on the crate will only make things worse. If the whining continues after you've ignored him for several minutes, use the phrase he associates with going outside to eliminate. If he responds and becomes excited, take him outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to go to the bathroom, the best response is to ignore him until he stops whining. Don't give in, otherwise you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what he wants. If you have gradually progressed through the training steps and have not done too much too soon, you will be less likely to encounter this problem.
It is never recommended that you crate your puppy or dog if he is too young to have sufficient bladder control; has diarrhea or is vomiting; has not eliminated shortly before being placed inside the crate; has not had sufficient exercise, companionship and socialization; or is experiencing severe separation anxiety when left alone. Also, do not crate a puppy or dog when temperatures reach an uncomfortable level. Never leave an unsupervised dog on a terrace, roof or inside a car during warm weather. Cold water should always be available to puppies, especially during warm weather.
If for any reason your has an accident in his crate while you are not home, do not discipline him upon your arrival. The crate may be too big or you may not have let your dog out soon enough. Try placing a box in the back of the crate in order to make it smaller. When cleaning up the crate, it is recommended that you use a pet odor neutralizer. You should not use an ammonia-based product as the scent bears a resemblance to urine and may induce your pet to relieve in the same spot.
Crate training should not be an unpleasant experience for your puppy. It will feel like a safe haven for him and should help with house training and protecting him while you are not home. Most crates allow for the removal of the door once it is no longer necessary for the purpose of training. Most dogs who have been introduced to the kennel crate while still young grow up to prefer their crate for sleeping or occasionally just spending time in.