How to Train Your Dog to Use A Crate

Hello Anjali, Check out the Surprise method from the article linked below. This method will involve allowing her to bark some, and waiting until she takes breaks on her own, so she can make the connection between taking a break and you rewarding, without letting her out when she barks unless you know she needs to go potty. If she barks continuously without a break in the barking even for two seconds for 45 minutes straight, then you can interrupt the barking with a noise like an odd sound on your phone, and reward when she gets quiet to listen. After several attempts at this, after a repetitive rewards while quiet, don't interrupt, let her bark for longer and see if she eventually pauses on her own for you to reward that. Add the hint of noise as needed but give long spans of time to try to catch her being quiet on her own too as she progresses, so she can make that connection between quieting herself and the reward. Surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don't go too fast. Step 1: Introduce your dog to the crate Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Take the door off and let the dog explore the crate at their leisure. Some dogs will be naturally curious and start sleeping in the crate right away. If yours isn't one of them: Bring them over to the crate and talk to them in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won't hit your dog and frighten them. Encourage your dog to enter the crate by dropping some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If they refuse to go all the way in at first, that's OK; don't force them to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If they aren’t interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days. Step 2: Feed your dog meals in the crate After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding them their regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If they remain reluctant to enter, put the dish only as far inside as they will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed them, place the dish a little further back in the crate. Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat their meal, you can close the door while they’re eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as they finish their meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until they’re staying in the crate for 10 minutes or so after eating. If they begin to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving them in the crate for a shorter time period. If they do whine or cry in the crate, don’t let them out until they stop. Otherwise, they'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so they'll keep doing it. Step 3: Practice with longer crating periods After your dog is eating their regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine them there for short time periods while you're home. Call them over to the crate and give them a treat. Give them a command to enter, such as "crate." Encourage them by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise them, give them the treat and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to 10 minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time and then let them out. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave them in the crate and the length of time you're out of sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can begin leaving them crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting them sleep there at night. This may take several days or weeks. Step 4, Part A: Crate your dog when you leave After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving them crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put them in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave them with a few safe toys in the crate. Vary the moment during your "getting ready to leave" routine that you put your dog in the crate. Although they shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate them anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving. Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged—they should be matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give them a treat for entering the crate and then leave quietly. When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to them in an enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low-key to avoid increasing their anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so they don't associate crating with being left alone. Step 4, Part B: Crate your dog at night Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when they whine to be let outside. Older dogs should also initially be kept nearby so they don't associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with the crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet. Potential problems Whining: If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether they’re whining to be let out of the crate, or whether they need to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from their crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, they'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at them or pounding on the crate will only make things worse. If the whining continues after you've ignored them for several minutes, use the phrase they associate with going outside to eliminate. If they respond and become excited, take them outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore them until they stop whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what they want. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again. Separation anxiety: Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but they may get injured in an attempt to escape. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counterconditioning and desensitization procedures.

Hello! You have a rather unique situation. If I were in front of you, I would ask you a series of questions to get a better understanding. I will do my best with the info provided. And thank you for providing all of that information! Safety is crucial for travelling. And your concerns are very valid. Aside from adding extra security to the door (like zip ties which I am not sure an airline would approve) I think your safest bet is to talk to your veterinarian about a short acting sedative. I have had many clients give a sedative to their dog for safe travelling. I believe this may be one of few options for you. You are already taking advantage of training. And you feel exercise won't be enough. Your vet will know what type is best for her breed and how long you think the plane or car ride will be. Good luck to you and safe travels!

Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don't go too fast. Step 1: Introduce your dog to the crate Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Take the door off and let the dog explore the crate at their leisure. Some dogs will be naturally curious and start sleeping in the crate right away. If yours isn't one of them: Bring them over to the crate and talk to them in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won't hit your dog and frighten them. Encourage your dog to enter the crate by dropping some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If they refuse to go all the way in at first, that's OK; don't force them to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If they aren’t interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days. Step 2: Feed your dog meals in the crate After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding them their regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If they remain reluctant to enter, put the dish only as far inside as they will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed them, place the dish a little further back in the crate. Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat their meal, you can close the door while they’re eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as they finish their meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until they’re staying in the crate for 10 minutes or so after eating. If they begin to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving them in the crate for a shorter time period. If they do whine or cry in the crate, don’t let them out until they stop. Otherwise, they'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so they'll keep doing it. Step 3: Practice with longer crating periods After your dog is eating their regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine them there for short time periods while you're home. Call them over to the crate and give them a treat. Give them a command to enter, such as "crate." Encourage them by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise them, give them the treat and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to 10 minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time and then let them out. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave them in the crate and the length of time you're out of sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can begin leaving them crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting them sleep there at night. This may take several days or weeks. Step 4, Part A: Crate your dog when you leave After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving them crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put them in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave them with a few safe toys in the crate. Vary the moment during your "getting ready to leave" routine that you put your dog in the crate. Although they shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate them anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving. Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged—they should be matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give them a treat for entering the crate and then leave quietly. When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to them in an enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low-key to avoid increasing their anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so they don't associate crating with being left alone. Step 4, Part B: Crate your dog at night Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when they whine to be let outside. Older dogs should also initially be kept nearby so they don't associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with the crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet. Potential problems Whining: If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether they’re whining to be let out of the crate, or whether they need to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from their crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, they'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at them or pounding on the crate will only make things worse. If the whining continues after you've ignored them for several minutes, use the phrase they associate with going outside to eliminate. If they respond and become excited, take them outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore them until they stop whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what they want. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again. Separation anxiety: Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but they may get injured in an attempt to escape. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counterconditioning and desensitization procedures.

Hello Aimee, You will have to make some accommodations for pup that you wouldn't normally do because of his giardia. That shouldn't effect the end training goals and what pup learns in the end, but it does mean you will have to spend some additional time making a slow transition to the end goal, instead of starting that way. Since you need to know when pup has to go out and pup does have to potty more frequently, I suggest keeping him next to your bed and continuing to take pup out frequently throughout the night to go potty; do that until pup's number of poops and the consistency of the poops are normal again - keep in touch with your vet about anything medical (I am not a vet). Once pup is well based on symptoms and your vet's expertise, then you can start transitioning pup to more independence. You can either move pup out of your room and use an audio baby monitor to listen out for when pup wakes up needing to potty, or you can leave pup in your room but place the crate in an area where pup isn't so close to you - like the spot you would later want a dog bed to go. Both setups have benefits. Keeping pup in your room makes it easier to hear them when they wake for potty trips - which will be 1-2 times per night for a few more weeks once pup's digestive system has improved. Moving pup out of your room now makes gets pup used to sleeping in a separate room from you - which is good for future travel and a good idea if you prefer pup not to sleep in your room long term. You can choose whichever option you prefer - just know that if pup stays in your room, you will need to practice pup being crated in a room by themselves some during the day so they are used to being alone at times and don't develop separation anxiety later from the lack of alone-time while growing up. Getting used to time alone during the day happens naturally for many puppies when their pet parents leave for work during the day and they are crated while they are away. When pup is well, take pup potty right before bedtime, and anytime they wake after it has been at least 2 hours since they last went potty. Pup will be able to hold it for 3-5 hours normally if they stay asleep that whole time. They will have to go out sooner if they wake up sooner though - the bladder tends to "shut down" while a dog sleeps, allowing them to hold it longer while asleep than while awake. When pup is well, wait until pup wakes up to take them, instead of waking pup up to help pup learn to sleep through the night sooner. When pup wakes up, take pup potty on a leash, keeping the trip boring and quiet, with no treats, food, or play. Place pup back into the crate right after the potty trip, and go back to bed - ignoring any crying that happens at that point - knowing that pup doesn't need to go potty, but simply wants attention and needs the opportunity to learn how to go back to sleep. Keeping the potty trip boring, waiting for pup to wake on their own, and ignoring any crying after crating pup again are the quickest ways to get pup to sleep through the night sooner - as soon as their bladder is able. I generally don't recommend putting anything absorbent in the crate because it can encourage pottying in the crate and be a choking hazard if pup discovers they want to chew the item; however, a pup will occasionally do fine with something snuggly in there. You can either take the item out now as a preventative, or if you keep it in there, just keep a very close eye on it and if pup starts a bit of chewing on it (even a little gnawing - that's usually how it begins) or has even one accident on it - remove it right away - don't wait for pup to have multiple accidents on it or chew it a bunch. Delaying removing it will create the most issues. Check out www.primopads.com for an example of a non-absorbent bed you can put in there, and a durable chew toy like a Kong is fine in the crate normally. It's normal for it to take pup up to 2 weeks to adjust to the crate, and with pup having stomach issues, the process could be a bit harder honestly. Keep ignoring the crying at times when pup doesn't have to go potty (I know that's a bit harder to tell right now, but hopefully will get easier since pup is recovering). Once pup is well, as a general rule, while awake, a puppy can hold it for a maximum time of the number of months they are in age plus one. At 9 weeks - that is a 3 hour maximum. When asleep that number sometimes doubles (if pup stays asleep that long), making that number 5-6 hours for pup at this age. When pup is 3 months old, the number while awake will be 4 hours, ect... I like to give an hour wiggle room because some pup's naturally have less mature bladders. Once pup is well, ignore any crying that happens sooner than 2 hours since the last potty trip. If it's been at least 2 hours and pup wakes up after having been asleep (or cried for the whole 2 hours - which isn't unheard of but shouldn't last more than 3 nights going for that long, if you are consistent), then take pup potty. If pup doesn't wake up to go potty - let them sleep until they wake up on their own at night unless that is leading to accidents in the crate. If accidents are happening in the crate because pup isn't waking you up when they need to go, then you may need to remove the clothes - that could be the cause. Check out the Surprise method from the article linked below for more details on what to practice in the crate during the day. https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden