How to Train Your Small Dog to Like a Crate
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Introduction
Have you watched a movie where a couple brings home an adorable new puppy. They settle that new puppy into his bed that first night, expecting him to fall peacefully to sleep, safe in his own little towel and pillow-lined crate. Do you remember the pitiful scene where the poor puppy cries its heart out until the new owners finally give in and bring the little puppy into the bed with them? Do you remember the scene that often followed that scene, where the dog--now a full grown adult--is still sleeping in the bed with them?
Nothing is more heart wrenching than listening to your lonely or bored puppy or dog cry inside of his crate. Having a dog that is crate trained is very important, but getting there can seem heart-wrenching. What if your dog could learn not only to tolerate his crate but perhaps even to like it?
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Defining Tasks
The crate is an amazing tool. It can be used to teach your puppy not to go to the bathroom inside of your house, it can prevent years of destructive chewing, it can allow your dog to travel with you, it can be used to teach your dog how to handle being alone, and it can give your dog a safe and calm place to go to when it is storming outside, when there are guests in your home, or when he just needs a break from your children.
Crating your dog when you cannot supervise him, while he is still learning proper house manners, can drastically increase the chances of your dog being trustworthy enough to be left alone in your home, outside of the crate, later on.
It is important to remember while training your dog to love his crate that you must go as slowly as your dog needs you to, for him to feel comfortable. While you are training this, it would be helpful to set up another enclosed area that you can place your dog in when you cannot watch him, until he is accustomed to his crate. If you are home often with your dog, you can also attach your dog to yourself with a leash to keep him from getting into trouble.
For all three methods, you will need a hollow chew-toy that you can stuff with kibble or treats. Something such as a Kong will work well for this. There are a couple of different ways to stuff a Kong or similar toy.
First, you can place dry dog food inside the toy, then cover the majority of the toy's opening. Do this by wedging a large treat in the opening, leaving just enough space in the opening for one to two pieces of kibble to fall out at a time.
Second, you can place your dog's food into a bowl and add water, then let the water absorb into the food over time. Once the water has absorbed into the food and the kibble is soft, loosely pack the food into the toy. When the food is packed inside, place the stuffed toy into a zipper bag and freeze the entire thing. Freezing the toy will create a time-released food dispenser that will keep your dog entertained for longer.
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Getting Started
To get started, you will need lots of treats and a hollow chew toy that can be stuffed with food. Something like the Kong chew-toy mentioned above will work well for this. If you are using the 'Feeding' method, you will also need your dog's food bowl and his kibble. If you are using the 'Fun and Games' method, You will also need a toy that can be tossed for your dog.
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The Feeding Method
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Feed in front of the crate
To begin, open the door to your dog's crate and leave it open. Place your dog's food bowl in front of the crate's entrance and feed him there. If you dog will not eat his food at this location, move the bowl away from the crate until you have reached a location that your dog will eat at. Once you have found that location, gradually move the bowl closer to the crate every time that your dog becomes completely relaxed at the current distance. Do this until the bowl is once again in front of the crate's entrance.
Place inside the crate
When your dog is comfortable eating by the crate's entrance, place the bowl of food right inside of the crate, so that your dog has to reach just his head inside to eat.
Place the bowl deeper
When your dog is comfortable with reaching into the crate to eat, gradually place the bowl deeper and deeper into the crate. Do this until the bowl is located at the very back of the crate. Go slowly enough for your dog to remain relaxed
Close the door
When your dog is comfortable with eating his entire meal in the back of the crate, begin to close the door behind him while he eats. Open the door again when he has finished his meal.
Increase closed door time
When your dog is comfortable with the door being closed while he eats, gradually increase the amount of time that you leave the door closed for after he is finished eating. While you do this, drop a piece of kibble into his crate every twenty seconds. Do this until he will remain calm inside of the crate for ten minutes.
Space out the treats
When your dog can remain calm in his crate for ten minutes, gradually increase the amount of time between food drops. Do this until you have reached ten minutes between drops.
Increase crate time
When you have reached ten minutes between kibble drops, gradually increase the amount of time that your dog remains in his crate for, until you have reached one hour. Continue to drop in kibble every ten minutes while you do this.
Replace treats
When you have reached one hour of crate time, replace the kibble drops with a kibble-stuffed toy, such as a stuffed Kong. Place the Kong into the crate at the beginning of the hour.
Continue to make it fun!
Keep practicing until your dog can remain in his crate calmly for long periods of time. Continue to place food-stuffed toys and other interesting chew-toys into the crate with him. This will keep him from becoming bored. You can also continue to randomly drop treats into his crate anytime that he is lying down quietly inside. This will help him to continue to love his crate.
The Fun and Games Method
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Open the door
To begin, open the door of your dog's crate and leave it completely open.
Show your dog the toy
Show your dog the toy and get your dog excited about the toy. Toss the toy to your dog, let your dog tug on the toy, and move the toy across the ground in front of your dog.
Move in front of the crate
Now that your dog is excited, move to the area right in front of the crate's open door and continue your play. If your dog is nervous there, continue to play with him until he is relaxed in that area. If he is so nervous that he no longer wants to play, back away from the crate until he relaxes again. Gradually move slightly closer to the crate whenever your dog becomes relaxed at the current distance. Do this until you have reached the area in front of the crate's open door again.
Toss against crate
Once your dog is comfortable playing in the area right in front of the crate, occasionally toss your dog's toy against the crate's open door frame, so that he has to approach the crate to retrieve the toy.
Toss into the crate
If your dog remains relaxed and confident, occasionally toss the toy right inside of the crate's open door. Toss the toy deep enough that your dog has to reach his head inside to retrieve it, but shallow enough that he does not have to step all the way inside.
Toss deeper
Once your dog is comfortable putting his head into the crate, toss the toy deeper. First, toss the toy deep enough that your dog must place his front feet inside also, then toss the toy deep enough that your dog must place his entire body into the crate. Continue to increase the depth as your dog is comfortable. Do this until your dog has reached the very back of the crate.
Play only in the crate
Once your dog will retrieve the toy from the back of the crate, only play fetch into the crate. Do this until your dog really loves running into his crate.
Close the door
Once your dog loves being inside the crate while retrieving his toy, occasionally toss the toy into the crate and close the door, with your dog inside, for two seconds. After two seconds, open the door and praise your dog enthusiastically, then resume your normal fetch game.
Increase duration
As your dog becomes accustomed to having the door closed behind him, begin to toss a toy that is stuffed with food, such as a stuffed Kong, into the crate when you will be closing the door. Gradually close the door for longer and longer periods of time. Do this until you have reached thirty minutes. Only use the Kong during the times that you will be closing the door. Use another toy for the open door tosses.
Practice
Continue to practice until you can toss a Kong into the crate and your dog will willingly go inside and remain calm for long periods of time.
The Surprise Method
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Open the door
To begin, open the door of your dog's crate and leave it completely open.
Sprinkle treats
Using your dog's kibble or tiny treats, sprinkle lots of treats around the outside of your dog's crate with him watching you. Do this until he begins to sniff the area around the crate even when there are no treats.
Hide treats around the crate
Once he knows to expect treats when you approach the crate, begin to sprinkle lots of treats around the crate when your dog is not present. Do this until he begins to go to his crate often, in search of treats.
Hide treats in the crate
When your dog to going to his crate frequently to check for treats, begin to sprinkle the treats inside of the crate. Be sure to place treats right inside the door as well.
Close the door
When your dog is comfortable with being inside of his crate while he is eating the treats, begin to close the door behind him while he eats the treats. After he finishes eating, open the door again.
Increase closed door time
When your dog is comfortable with being inside of the closed crate while he eats his treats, gradually increase the amount of time that the door is left closed for. As you do this, sprinkle treats into the crate every ten seconds, until it is time for the door to be opened again.
Spread out the treats
When your dog is comfortable with being left in a closed crate for several minutes, gradually increase the amount of time between treat sprinkles. Do this until you have reached ten minutes between treats.
Increase crate time
When you have reached ten minutes between treat sprinkles, gradually increase the amount of time that your dog remains in his crate for, until you have reached one hour. Continue to add treats every ten minutes while you do this.
Replace the treats
When you have reached one hour of crate time, replace the treat sprinkles with a food-stuffed toy, such as a stuffed Kong. Place the Kong into the crate at the beginning of the hour.
Practice and continue
Keep practicing until your dog can remain in his crate calmly for long periods of time. Continue to place food-stuffed toys and other interesting chew-toys into the crate with him. This is to keep him from becoming bored. You can also continue to randomly drop treats into the crate anytime that he is lying down quietly inside. This will help him to continue to love his crate.
Written by Caitlin Crittenden
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 01/15/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
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Training Questions and Answers
Mabel
Cocker Spaniel
Three Months
Question
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With two 15min walks a day and a good amount of training and evening play I had a couple of sleeps of her waking twice in the night. First for toilet and needing her pad cleaned (as won't go on command at bed). Second seems for soothing... wrong advice I followed her to come out of the crate and settle with me but after 10/15 she would herself back off to bed and will settle for another 2/3/4 hours. But I see that this is wrong?! is it?! 2 nights of nights of sitting outside her crate (when no loo), leaving once calm again and her barking and upset is worse than ever! Waking hourly! Help!!
Nov. 5, 2023
Mabel's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello, Often new puppies are so worn out when they go to a new home it can be hard to tell what their usual routine is in the first couple of days, so it might be that what you were doing worked well for her, or she was just too exhausted to show you how persistent she could be. It sounds like you recently brought pup home. If that's the case, then know that pup is getting used to sleeping alone and that's an adjustment and its normal. Usually the first five days are the worst. It typically takes about two weeks for most pups to adjust completely; however, you can help that adjustment be as smooth as possible by doing the following. 1. When pup cries but doesn't have to go potty (like after you return them to the crate when they just went potty outside) be consistent about ignoring the crying until they go back to sleep. The more consistent you are the quicker the overall process tends to take even if it's hard to do for the first couple weeks. Ignoring includes not sitting by the crate in this case. 2. When pup does truly need to go potty (when it's been at least 2 hours since pup last peed and they wake crying), take pup to go potty outside on a leash to keep pup focused and things calmer. Don't give treats, food, play, or much attention during these trips - boring and sleepy is the goal, then right back to bed after. This helps pup learn to only wake when they truly need to go potty and be able to put themselves back to sleep - helping them start sleeping longer stretches sooner and not ask to go out unless they actually need to potty. Pup will generally need 1-2 potty trips at night even after trained for a couple months though due to a small bladder. 3. Wait until pup asks to go potty by crying in the crate at night before you take them - opposed to setting an alarm clock, unless pup is having accidents in the crate and not asking to go out. This gives pup the chance to learn to start falling back to sleep when they wake in light sleep if they don't really need to go potty, instead of being woken up all the way when they could have held it a bit longer. 4. Practice the Surprise method from the article I have linked below to help pup get used to crate time during the day too - so that there is less crying at night due to pup adjusting to being alone. Surprise method - only give treats during daytime practice, not at night though: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate It sounds like you are doing many of the above suggestions and doing a good job of wearing pup out during the day. The main changes I would make would be not to go over to the crate where she can see you when she cries (this one is hard on our emotions) and especially practicing the surprise method during the day to help her gain some confidence with the crate at a night when everyone isn't so tired. Only give the treats for being quiet during daytime practice, not at night though, since they can wake pup up more. Puppies will generally go from deep to light sleep several times throughout the night, you want pup to learn how to settle themselves so that they can more easily transition from back to deep sleep when they go into light sleep and sometimes briefly wake up. When puppies can do that they can get used to connecting sleep and only waking fully when they actually need to go potty or something is wrong. If they need you to sooth them back too much, they can get dependent on that to transition sleep cycles and will then wake every hour. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Nov. 29, 2023
Cooper
Bernedoodle
11 weeks
Question
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Hello, for my dog, we noticed that if we wait until he is about 10-15 minutes into his sleep, it is easier to just move him to his kennel. He went from crying every 2 hours, to only needing to let him out to potty once a night. I wanted to see if this was a good process to continue to do, even for naps?? I know we are not directly teaching the word "kennel" and making him go in and cry it out, but just wanted some direction or reassurance. We do a few rounds during the day of making him go in there awake and rewarding, but we just get such better sleep the other way for nighttime.
Dec. 16, 2022
Cooper's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello, He will still need to learn to settle himself, which moving him doesn't teach; however, since that's working to allow everyone to sleep, I would proactively work on teaching him how to go from crying to settling during the daytime, and once he is good during the day then practice in having him go into the kennel on his own during the evening, continuing moving him until he is good at settling during the day, to save sleep while he is in the process of learning still. Check out the Surprise method from the article I have linked below to intentionally work on teaching him how to settle himself in the crate while awake during the day. Surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate During evening practice once you transition, you won't give treats; you will just let him cry until he settles, but he should know how to settle himself by then from daytime practice, and it will just be a matter of pup seeing that you are consistent and stay firm about it being bedtime. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Dec. 19, 2022