Crate Training, Crate Housebreaking–Essential Potty Training Tips
In the next few seconds you will not only learn how to crate train puppies, but how to apply crate training to crate housebreaking. Believe it or not, you can accomplish this easily with patience and by following a few simple steps. The secret lies in sticking to an established routine.
Before we start, it is important to understand that successful crate training will require:
- dog crate
- feeding schedule
- exercise schedule
- toilet schedule
Dog Crate
In order to successfully crate train your puppy, the crate must be large enough for it to turn around and allow it lie down comfortably. It must not be so big that your pet has space for a separate toilet area.
Feeding Schedule
Establish strict feeding times and stick to your schedule.
Exercise schedule
Be sure to allow your pet plenty of exercise when out of the crate. If possible, regular times during the day for walks and playing. This is also essential for crate training your puppy.
Toilet Schedule
A young puppy may need to go outside once every one to two hours. Stick to this schedule and have your puppy outside at least every two hours. Take your puppy outside 10 to 15 minutes after feeding.
In order for crate housebreaking to be successful, you must stick to the feeding, toilet, and exercise schedules. By following the schedules, you will ensure that the puppy will be in the crate and have minimum need to go to the toilet, eat, or be restless due to lack of exercise.
The point of the crate in housebreaking is that it if used correctly, it is a space in which the puppy won’t want to eliminate. That’s why it must not be too big. If too large, the puppy may mark off a separate spot to use as a toilet. However crate housebreaking can only bgin after your puppy is crate trained.
How to Crate Train a Puppy
- Put the crate in an area where you and/or the family spends time
- Place bedding in a crate.
- Introduce your puppy to the crate.
- Let your puppy assume ownership of the crate.
- Feed puppy in crate.
In the beginning stages, don’t lock the puppy in the crate. Put the crate in an area where you spend time so your puppy isn’t alone. Leave the crate door open, but be sure to put the bedding, a few toys, and a water bowl in the crate. Let the puppy “discover” the crate by sniffing around it and entering the crate on its own. You may also want to put a few pieces of kibble in the crate as extra enticement. In this way, the puppy will quickly assume ownership of the crate, and it won’t be long before the puppy is entering to lay down, chew on its toys, and take naps.
At this point, you are now ready to begin locking the door. Once you lock the door, expect to encounter resistance in the way of whining and possibly barking. You may want to start off with an initial crate session of 15 to 20 minutes or even shorter or a little longer depending on your judgment. However, do not let the puppy out because it is whining. You must allow at least 5 minutes of silence before letting the puppy out. Your pet must never associate whining with being let out of the crate.
The next stage is to leave the puppy in the crate for up to 1 hour, and then up to 2 hours. And again, always allow at least 5 minutes of silence before letting the puppy out. When you do open the door, make sure to exercise your puppy well. Never leave your puppy in the crate for more than 4 hours at a time. I’ll repeat again the necessity of exercise, and this is expecially true if you have to leave your puppy crated for long periods of time on a regular basis.
Crate Housebreaking
When you are well on your way to having your puppy crate trained, you can use the crate for housebreaking, or in other words, as a potty training aid. Here is what you do. When you need to leave your puppy alone, take it outside to go to the bathroom. Once it has “gone,” take it inside and put it in the crate. Now that the puppy has assumed ownership, it won’t use it as a toilet. Provided you are not gone for more than 2 hours (if your puppy is approximately 8 weeks), you should be safe. When you return, let the puppy out of the crate and take it outside immediately. Be sure to give it lavish praise when it eliminates. If you are consistent in your training, your puppy will learn and expect to go to the bathroom outside, and the crate will reinforce this.
Discover step-by-step instructions how to potty train your puppy at Dog Talk Nation, and learn how to flawlessly handle almost all dog and puppy training techniques. Discover the amazing world of dog training and dog behavior broken down into tasty, understandable “snacks” that both you and your dog will relish and learn from.
