Easy Tips For Crate Training
Your Puppy
Let's Look At Some Tips For Crate Training
One of the best tips for crate training your puppy is to use a crate.
It's an excellent, useful tool for housetraining and preventing unwanted and inappropriate behavior.
It's also great home for your dog to retreat for a nap, get away from the family, or play quietly by himself. Dogs enjoy the secure feeling that enclosed crates provide.
To help your puppy develop a positive association with his crate, toss a few treats
 and a toy
 inside, and let him explore and play on his own.
Traveling by car and air in their own crate is less stressful to dogs. And local trips to the vets and groomers is often more comforting
to a dog while in his own carrier.
Tips For Successful Crate Training
- Don't overfill the crate with toys or items-one or two toys are plenty.
- Don't punish your dog while he's in the crate.
- Add partitions or divider panels
 if necessary to reduce the puppy's sleeping area in a
larger crate.
- Always remove your puppy's collar before leaving him in his crate.
- During crate training, start with short amounts of time with
the door closed.
- When not training, leave the crate door open-your puppy can enter and
leave on his own.
- To teach appropriate chewing behavior, put your dog in his crate with stuffed Kong Toys-rubber chew toys
 .
Crate Sizes
- Crates are available in sizes
ranging from small to extra large. That means there's an appropriate crate size to accomodate the small toy breeds as well as the very large breeds weighing over 100 pounds.
- When it comes to crating your puppy, choosing the proper size crate is important.
Crate Features
- A crate is a box that can be made of plastic, metal,
and heavy-duty nylon. Today's crates are lightweight and portable, almost looking like a tent crate
 , and many
wire cages can be set up and folded away easily. Crates have a door that
can be closed and locked to securely keep your dog inside.
- Plastic Crates
 have walls that offer
more privacy than wire cages/crates.
- A crate needs to be large enough so that your dog can easily stand up, sit up, turn
around, and lie down.
- A washable blanket or crate pad
 can make a comfortable
sleeping environment for your dog.
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Canine Corner
Crate pads make a comfortable sleeping environment for your dog.
Crate Pad
Partitions, or
divider panels
are useful in crate training. They will reduce your puppy's sleeping area
in a crate that's too big. Dog's won't soil the area in which they sleep. Adjust the size of the crate as your puppy grows. Panels can either be made from wire, or even wood.
divider panels
Stuffed Kong Toys
make great crate training aids. They teach appropriate chewing behavior,
and keep your puppy busily occupied and quiet.
When filling the Kong, add apple or carrot pieces, hard cheese,
peanut butter, and even small dog biscuits.
To your puppy, this will certainly seem more appealing than chewing on a chair rung.
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