Simple Steps to a Crate-trained Dog

So you think crate training is a good idea, but don't know where to start? I've put together some simple steps and guidelines to help make crate training as painless as possible for you and your dog.

First, you'll need to choose your crate size and style. See the previous post for details.

The next step is to acclimate your dog to the crate, SLOWLY.

This is a step that many people forget. Some think that having a crate and having a dog is enough. You want the dog to like its crate. The crate is supposed to be your dog's safe haven, not a source of stress. You'll need plenty of treats or your dog's favorite toy, a positive attitude, and patience.

Your dog may breeze through these steps very quickly, especially if he's confident and motivated. However, some dogs are more timid and it could take hours, days, or weeks to really see a change in attitude about the crate. I will explain the steps as if your dog is timid, but keep in mind that not all dogs have problems with the crate and you may not have to do such small steps. Notice that as we move up a level in criteria, the minimum threshold resets. You have to build each one individually before you can expect your dog to do it all at once.

1. The crate means good things- Place your dog near the crate and sit next to it. Allow your dog time to sniff and investigate on its own. The crate may seem scary at first, so give your dog a little understanding. When your dog goes near the entrance, praise with a "yes!" or a "good boy/girl!" and give a treat or play with their favorite toy for a little while. This will associate being near the crate as a good thing.

2. Getting inside the crate- Now that your dog is comfortable near the crate, especially near the entrance, you want to reward for each small step inside. First reward for sticking his/her head inside. Then one paw. Then two paws, etc. Allow the dog to come out of its own will if it feels uncomfortable. Never force the issue. You can toss treats or toys inside the crate to encourage him/her to enter. Now is also the time to build a word to associate with going inside the crate. I use the word "inside" to tell my dogs to go get in their crates. The word is up to you, but be sure to say it each time your dog crosses the threshold into the crate (AS it enters) and soon your dog will be able to associate the word with the crate. Then, you can say it before it enters and your dog will understand.

3. Staying inside the crate- Now that your dog goes in and out without a fuss, you want to build up the time that he/she is comfortable remaining in the crate. Get the dog to go in as practiced, but keep tossing in treats to the back of the crate while the dog remains inside. If you sense your dog is stressed, let them come out. You do not close the door during this step. Gradually, slow your delivery of the treats. At first, to get the dog to remain in the crate, you may have had to give a treat every two seconds. Stretch it to giving a treat every five seconds, every ten seconds, every thirty seconds, every minute, etc. When your dog can consistently (5+ times) wait patiently in the crate for two minutes or more without a reward, it's time to move to the next step. Use your judgement, depending on how well your dog is doing.

4. Closing the door- Your dog is now comfortable around the crate and inside the crate for a short length of time. Don't slam the door in surprise as this will startle your dog. Gently close the door without a fuss. Don't make a big deal of it. Just do the same as you've practiced up until this point, but add the step of closing the door. At first, only close the door for a few seconds, then open it, give your dog a treat and allow him/her to come out if they want. If they don't come out, that's a good sign! To reset the situation, leave the room and allow them to follow. Don't make a big deal of getting out of the crate or they might start to think that outside is better than inside and not want to go back in. Just as before, gradually increase the time that the door is closed. Each time, give a treat and open the door. With patience, your dog should be able to remain inside with the door closed for five minutes.

5. Leaving the room- Staying in the crate might be easy with you around, but once you leave the room and the dog can't see you, it gets harder. After your dog has no problem staying in the crate with the door closed and you in the room, it's time to leave. Follow the exact same procedures you did before only this time, get up and walk out of the room, out of sight. The first time you do this, return immediately, treat, and open the door. Take your time in building up the length of time you're gone. By doing this properly, you make coming and going not a big deal and your dog is more likely to wait patiently for your return with the understanding that "this happens all the time" and "I know they'll come back". Leave for a few seconds, a few minutes, and then several minutes. Soon, getting in the crate, closing the door and walking away will be a piece of cake.

Other tips

Step 5 is useful for dogs who have separation anxiety, even if you don't use a crate. The more accustomed your dog is to your coming and going, the less of a big deal it is when you leave and the less stressed they'll be.

Puppies cannot physically hold their bladders as long as adult dogs. Their bodies just can't hold it in. As their bladders grow, you can expect longer from your puppy without accidents. A good rule of thumb is to use their months in age plus one to equal the maximum number of hours they can hold it. For example, a three month old puppy can probably only wait four hours before he must empty his bladder. The maximum for most dogs under normal circumstances is 8 to 10 hours. Never set your puppy up for failure by leaving him/her in the crate so long that there is no other choice but to have an accident. Come home at lunch, hire a dog walker, or have a neighbor or friend check on your puppy. It will help a great deal with the housebreaking process if your dog is not forced to have accidents inside.

Always have water available to your dog inside the crate. I use stainless steel bowls to prevent chewing, but there are bowls specifically designed to latch onto the sides of the crate which may help prevent spilling.

When you're leaving, be sure to leave a crate safe toy to keep your dog entertained when you're gone. Crate safe toys are ones you feel confident that the dog cannot choke on or destroy while inside you are not there to supervise. Kong toys are a good option because they can be stuffed with all sorts of goodies. Your dog will be so busy trying to empty that last morsel of peanut butter stuck to the inside of the Kong that he/she won't care that your gone. If your dog is only a moderate chewer, a Nylabone may also be a good option, though if your dog can take large chunks out of one it should not be a trusted crate toy. If you don't give your dog something to do, it will find something to do, which may be tearing up the crate (or the plastic tray in the bottom of the crate), any bedding that was left inside the crate, or even their water bowl.

Practice getting into the crate even when you're not leaving. This keeps a negative association being built with the crate and makes it harder for your dog to anticipate your leaving if leaving makes them nervous.

Remember, crating is supposed to be rewarding for all parties involved. The dog will feel safe and secure and your house will be just as you left it. We never want to force our dogs to stay  in the crate with no rewards. I always give my dogs a reward for going in their crates. Every single time. Sometimes they have days where they don't want to go. This is normal (just like kids put up a bigger fuss about going to school some days more than others) but it might mean that you also need to do a refresher on these steps. Just because your dog is already crate trained doesn't mean that you can't go back and reinforce what they know.

Happy crating!

Crate Training- Choosing a Crate

What is Crate Training?

Crate training is the process of getting your dog accustomed to using a crate as his/her den. A crate is a place for the dogs to call their own and have some quiet time. It is not a place for punishment or isolation. Crate training a dog can help with house training dogs and puppies as well as preventing destruction of the home. When done properly, both dog and owner are happy.

How to Choose a Crate Type

When you decide to crate train a dog, the first thing you'll need is a crate. Choosing the right crate for your dog can seem a little daunting at first. There are two main types of crates,  wire ones and plastic ones. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. You should choose the crate based on your usage of it, your dog's personality, and your own personal preference. What works better for one dog and owner may not work best for you.

Wire Crates

Wire crates are collapsible, sturdy, and provide good visibility and air flow. However, some dogs find the openness of the wire crate to be unnerving. Dogs like their dens to feel cozy and they may not get that feeling of security in a wire crate. This is especially true of nervous dogs. Of course, not all dogs will mind and most will learn to like their crate regardless. If the wire crate makes your dog feel insecure, you can help this by buying a wire crate cover or draping a blanket or towel over the crate. A big plus to these crates are their ability to collapse and fold flat. If you have multiple dogs or a small car, this might be a good option for you when you travel. They are relatively easy to clean, with a bottom tray that slips out. Still, in the case your dog has a big accident or spills the water bowl (or both), the tray may not be able to hold it all and it can potentially spill outside the wire of the crate. In most cases, spillage would not be an issue and some versions are made with a tray with a "moat" to collect any spilled liquid.  If your dog is a die hard escape artist, you may have to reinforce the crate with something like zip ties, which will make it harder to move around. Wire crates are not approved for airline use.

Plastic Crates

Plastic crates are designed for safety. Plastic crates are the only way for medium or large dogs to travel in the cargo hold of airplanes. They come apart for cleaning and storage, however the pieces do not fold flat like wire crates, so they take up more room. Dogs may appreciate the closed-in, den-like feel of these crates, however they will feel warmer due to the limited ventilation. If you live in a hot climate, your dog may not appreciate the lack of air circulation and his body heat being trapped within the crate. If you have an SUV or truck, these crates are safe to strap into the backseat or cargo area for car rides. Just like some dogs will get nervous and feel unprotected in a wire crate, some dogs might feel too closed in and get nervous in a plastic crate. It depends on your dog's personality and preferences.

Other crate types

Soft crates are convenient for travel, however, they are not recommended for home use if your dog has any sort of desire to escape. These crates either pop up or fold to collapse and don't take up much space. Still, they are cloth sided and not as durable as their solid plastic or metal counterparts. Determined or bored dogs could easily split seams or chew through mesh. These crates should be used with supervision. They are useful as portable dog houses or beds, but probably not for crate training. The cloth, depending on brand, may be water resistant, but cleanup from these crates could be more difficult if liquid does in fact soak through.



A new craze for those with smaller dogs is to carry them around in "doggy duffel bags". These come in various styles, fashions and prints. Due to their size and weight, this type of dog carrier would not be useful for large breeds. Like soft crates, these should only be used with supervision as determined dogs could easily escape. These crates are designed to be carried with you, not for use as a den in the home, so they are not acceptable for crate training.
  
How to Choose a Crate Size

Sizing a crate can be somewhat difficult if your dog is not fully grown. If your dog is an adult, it is simple to pick a crate size that is both comfortable for your dog and serves its purpose.

Before you go to the store, measure your dog. Take measurements down the back, from tip of the nose to the base (not tip) of the tail. Also measure how tall your dog is both from the floor to its back and from the floor to the tops of his/her ears.

The measurements will come in handy when you're trying to judge crates by their dimensions. If there are demo crates set up in the pet store, it is really helpful to bring your pet (if allowed) and try them out. Not all stores do this, however, and eyeballing measurements can be tricky for some people. Crates are a fairly large investment and you want to make sure you pick the one that will fit your dog well. The crate should be big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down in comfortably. So, it should be taller than the height of your dog to its ears. You don't want your dog to be crouching all the time. It should also be longer than the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. If it's a little long, it's not a problem, it just can't be too short. Make sure that the crate is wider than the height of your dog to its back. This is a good indication of whether or not it can easily turn around and also ensures your dog can stretch out on its side to lay down in it. If a crate size meets or slightly exceeds all these minimum measurements, it should be the size for you.

You don't want a crate too small because obviously your dog won't be comfortable, however having a crate too large is also not a good thing, especially if you're using crate training as a house training tool. If the crate is too big, the dog can eliminate on one side and retreat to the other, learning that it's okay to go in the crate and it won't get dirty. Dogs don't like to soil where they sleep or get dirty like that, so if they can't escape their messes, they're more likely to hold it in. This is especially true of puppies. If you do have a large breed puppy, you will want to purchase a crate big enough for its approximate adult size and section off pieces of it. As your puppy grows, you expand the space available to it.

You want the crate to be your dog's cozy little safe place, not a tight squeeze or a giant pen. To be effective, proper sizing is very important.


See the next step: Simple Steps to a Crate-trained Dog

What kind of treats are best for training?

The best treats tend to be ones that are small and chewy/moist. I don't mean chewy like Starburst is chewy, so that it takes a long time, but something that is quick to bite into, chew, and swallow. Almost anything can be a dog treat, but for training, you want to use high value treats. Things your dog can't help but love.

Too often, crunchy treats or dog food just isn't tempting enough to hold our dogs' attention. So, you need to find what works best for your dog. This could be microwaved and sliced hot dog, torn up hamburger patties (cooked, of course), or things bought from a pet shop. My dogs really like the Pet Botanics training reward treats, as well as the Pet Botanics rolled dog food (which I cut into treat-sized pieces). Many trainers will use cooked fish or chicken. Dogs seem to really like grilled or poached chicken breast. They don't need any salt or seasoning though to like it.

The size of the treat itself should be fairly small. I would recommend pieces no larger than the size of a quarter, although they can be much smaller than that. If the treat is bigger than a quarter, the time it takes your dog to chew it up (and possibly gather pieces that fell out of its mouth) will slow down your training. The larger the treat, the higher its value will be, so if tiny treats don't pay off and you know it's a good type of treat for your dog, see if you can get a bigger size. This is why I like the two products I listed above. One comes in tiny bite sizes and the other, which is the same thing, lets me cut it into the sizes I want.

 

The basic idea behind any effective dog treat is that it is quick to eat and that your dog wants to eat it. So, the more smelly or flavorful it is, the better. And, if it's chewy, your dog will eat it faster and the training will go faster. Experiment. Find out what works best for your dog and your training style.

Trivia Tuesday!

True or False

In some states it is illegal to sell or adopt out puppies before they reach a certain age.

Dog Collars- What do you use?

Today's discussion is about collars. Please see the description of each photo to learn more about these types of collars. If there's another you'd like to see, please tell me in the comments. Feel free to share your own knowledge and experiences with these as well. 

To see this post on facebook, please click here.

This is a traditional buckle flat collar. Flat collars are also seen with quick snaps. These collars are great for holding the dog's tags and identification. If you have a dog that pulls, flat collars can put pressure on their trachea, causing problems for the dog. These are the most widely used and accepted collars. Even if you don't use them for walking your dog, I suggest keeping one on all the time just to hold the tags.

 
This is a traditional snap flat collar. Flat collars are also made with buckles. These collars are great for holding the dog's tags and identification. If you have a dog that pulls, flat collars can put pressure on their trachea, causing problems for the dog. These are the most widely used and accepted collars. Even if you don't use them for walking your dog, I suggest keeping one on all the time just to hold the tags.

This is a martingale collar, sometimes referred to as a check choke collar. This one has a cloth extender, though some are made with chain. It tightens if the dog pulls, but only to a certain extent. For this reason, it is considered safer than traditional choke collars. It is also used for dogs who have small heads for their neck size to prevent their escape in the event that they pull backwards. Breeds such as Greyhounds often need martingale collars.

This is a martingale collar, sometimes referred to as a check choke collar. This one has a chain, but they are available with all nylon too. It tightens if the dog pulls, but only to a certain extent. For this reason, it is considered safer than traditional choke collars. It is also used for dogs who have small heads for their neck size to prevent their escape in the event that they pull backwards. Breeds such as Greyhounds often need martingale collars.

This is a traditional dog harness. Harnesses are used for little dogs or for dogs who don't tolerate pressure on their necks. Keep in mind when using a harness that they can sometimes promote pulling, as it works with the pulling power of their bodies rather than against it. Think of sled dogs. They use harnesses to pull the sled because it's the most efficient way to capture their pulling power. There are some "no pull" harnesses, however, if a dog really wants to pull, it will, no matter what harness or collar it is wearing. Training is really the only way to deal with severe pulling.


This is a head collar. The most popular kind is known as the Gentle Leader. It works on the same principle as a horse halter, being that if you control the head you can control the body. They work for the most part, unless your dog is very determined. However, keep in mind that these collars do not teach your dog not to pull but merely prevent it from doing so. Iif you put on another type of collar for walks, the pulling would probably resume.

This is a choke collar. These collars are thought to help deter pulling, however, some dogs will pull through the pain and cut off their air supply. There's a reason they are called choke collars. They choke! Some trainers still believe they can be effective tools, however, you must know how to properly use them and put them on. Dogs should never be left unattended with choke chains on because if they get caught on something, the dog could potentially strangle itself trying to get free.

This is a prong or pinch collar. They usually made in the martingale style but feature "teeth" that put pressure on the dog's neck when they pull or you pull back on them. Although some trainers swear that they are effective and do not cause harm, I prefer to teach my dog with non-confrontational methods which do not rely on intimidation. Some people get these because they want their dog to look tough. Some use them as a crutch to contain unruly dogs. Very few know how to use these properly and effectively and they are not for the average dog owner or they can be seriously misused. I personally do not recommend this type of collar but everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. If you are thinking about getting a choke collar, please do research or consult with a veterinarian or professional dog trainer.

Welcome

I'm just getting started here on Dog Talk. I hope to have a regular following of readers (and viewers) in the near future.

What is Dog Talk all about?

Well, it's a place for me to share dog information and have discussions on popular dog topics. I hope to share a wealth of dog-related information through pictures, trivia, and videos.