Thursday, June 19, 2014

Using A Crate For Training

By Garrett McMahan


Some people are hesitant to use a dog crate with their pet and view this object as a punishment rather than a helpful training tool. While crates can be negative if not used properly, a dog also can be trained to view the crate in a more pleasant light. For dogs, who instinctively like small, closed in den-like spaces, this can be a safe and cozy spot for them to stay.

Crate training can be used to support house breaking, and that is often the initial use of the crate when you first bring home your dog. It's a good place to keep your dog temporarily during the early days of training if you need to accomplish some tasks around the home and don't want to have to clean up messes or deal with behavior issues. Many people will keep their puppies in the crate overnight to prevent accidents. Dogs rarely relieve themselves in their bed, so this can keep the house clean. Just limit the overnight time for puppies to about six or seven hours and then immediately take them outside to relieve themselves.

A crate should be just big enough so that your dog can turn in a circle and also lie down. If it's too small, they will be uncomfortable and if the crate is too large, then they might just use one corner of it to go to the bathroom, which you do not want. Your goal should be to make the crate time a positive experience for your animal and never used as a punishment.

Introduce the crate slowly rather than just placing them in the crate and shutting the door. A treat can be placed inside and the dog can munch on it and begin to associate the crate with something positive. Be sure to also spend time petting your dog inside the crate. For the first few times inside, don't shut the door and when the door does get closed and locked, do this gently as the noise can startled your new pet. You can even leave a special toy inside the crate that is just for crate time, which also can increase interest in the crate.

The crate is definitely not just useful for housebreaking; there are many other situations that warrant use of the crate. Some owners prefer to keep the dog in the crate while they are away from home. Not only does this prevent accidents, it also prevents a dog from chewing on your furniture, scratching at your doors or damaging other items. You can also prevent this type of behavior by completing a dog obedience training program. Dog training also keeps a dog from running off and prevents other hazardous behavior.

While training takes time and requires patience, if you use a system like The Dog's Way, it's not difficult at all to transform your rascally dog into a perfectly behaved companion. The Dog's Way is a set of dog training DVDs that includes a dozen lessons that cover crucial topics such as staying, sitting, staying down and staying quiet when you give a command. Your dog will learn how to walk right next to you in a controlled way, as well as when to stay quiet and even to respect boundaries. This includes commanding them to stop from entering a room on command, such as perhaps when there is broken glass or another danger in the room, as well as permanently understanding that they aren't allowed to run out the door or leave your property.




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