CRATE TRAINING – Laura Anna See, DVM
For crate training to be successful, you need to go slow and teach the dog that whenever she is in the crate, good things happen and it does not mean she will be left in there for hours at time. Start out by purchasing a crate large enough for the dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down easily. If you get a huge crate for a puppy in expectation of a large adult, the puppy may take advantage of the room and use one end as a potty. Take the dog to the crate and play with it next to the crate. Throw treats into the crate and let the dog walk in and eat them. Do not close the door at this time. If at any time the dog seems hesitant, slow down – if you rush this, you will end up with a dog that hates going to her crate. Done properly, crate training is not cruel or inhumane, and gives the dog a safe area to go to and her own private place where she can relax.
Throw treats or fun toys into the crate repeatedly and after a few days, try shutting the door for a second. Now shut the door briefly most of the time the dog goes into the crate. (Still leave it open occasionally.) Gradually increase the amount of time the door is shut until you can throw a treat or toy into the crate, the dog goes into the crate and eats the treat or plays with a toy for several minutes without whining.
Now try putting a tasty treat, such as a stuffed Kong or other toy that will take the dog a while to work through, into the crate, letting the dog go in after it, and then shutting the door and walking away for a few minutes. Vary the amount of time the dog is in the crate, so that she never knows how long she will be inside, and always have some sort of enrichment device (such as a stuffed Kong) to occupy her. If at some point your dog starts barking or whining to be let out, do not let her out while she is making noise – this will only reinforce that if she whines, she gets let out. Rather, wait until she is quiet, even if it is only for a few seconds, and quickly let her out during the silence.
Do not praise your dog or get excited as you let her out of the crate, or else she will learn that it is a wonderful thing to be let out and not such a great thing to be put up. Once your dog will go into the crate voluntarily, pair up a command with the action by saying “crate up” or “go to bed” right before she enters the crate and then rewarding her after she enters the crate. Avoid separation anxiety by making your departures and arrivals as uninteresting as possible. When you come home, leave her in the crate for a minute or two and then let her out and say a calm, “hello.” When you leave, do not make a big fuss, but rather put her in her crate, say “goodbye” and walk away. Put her in her crate sometimes when you are home so that she knows the crate does not always mean you are leaving the house.
See dog training books, such as “Puppy Primer” by Patricia McConnell for more information on crate training.
If at any point, your dog seems to become excessively nervous before you put her in the crate or while she is in the crate, talk to your veterinarian. Signs of nervousness or anxiety include: drooling, urinating, defecating, yelping, whining, barking, or trembling.