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Crate Training Your Dog Or Puppy - Part 5

Introducing Your Dog To The Crate

Whether your dog is just a puppy or an older dog, the way you introduce your dog to the crate is critical to the success of crate training.  This is not something that you can force, you have to take your time and go at the dog's pace because if your dog and his crate get off to a bad start he's never going to want to go in there.

The first thing you need to do is make the crate an attractive place for your dog to explore.  Set it up in the corner that you intend to keep it in all the time.  This would ideally be some place in the normal living area of the house like the living room so your dog can feel like he is part of the family when he is in the crate.

Put his favorite dog bed in there and maybe a couple of toys.  Just set it up like this and then go about your normal business.  Your dog's natural curiosity will have him checking out the crate in no time.

Whether or not your dog actually goes in there at first is up to him, but you must not force him to go into the crate.  It's critical that he goes in on his own and in his own time.  What you need to do is just leave the crate in its corner for several days and see how your dog reacts.  This will get him used to the crate actually being in the house and eventually he might venture in to explore a little more.  If he doesn't seem interested, you might need to lure him in there with a little treat but never force him in  - this will just make him associate the crate with a bad experience.

You don't want a lock your dog in the crate when he first goes in there either.  He needs to be able to feel like he can come and go is he pleases - not that the crate is a prison.  In fact, a lot of people just have the crate out and leave it open all the time and the dog comes and goes as he wants.  If your dog is destructive during the day, and you intend to close them in the crate you'll need to give it a few weeks so that he is perfectly comfortable in there before you actually lock him in.

It's important to note, that you should never use the crate for punishment.  If you dog does something bad DO NOT send him to the crate.  If you do this he will associate the crate with punishment and who wants to spend time in a place that they associate with being punished? if you start on this bad habit, you will have a hard time getting your dog into the crate no matter what your intentions.

Part 6 - Crate Training Your Dog Or Puppy>>

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