Crate training your new puppy

With the puppies going home, I'm getting lots of questions about crate training.  Most people are "for" crate training but there are a few that are defintely against! 

As I was typing this, I noticed I had only one dog at my feet instead of three.  I snuck into the crate area and snapped this picture.  You'll notice that right outside his crate is a soft cedar bed.  Instead he chose to sleep inside the crate with the door open.  It gives them the feeling of security, not imprisonment.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to get people to change their mind.  What I am going to do is list all the positives about crates.  The people who are against crates seem to think of them as cages.  That is extremely far from the truth.  Dogs think of them more like dens!

l.          Housebreaking - an invaluable tool when the pup has to be left alone for a few hours.  Dogs will rarely soil their beds.

2.         Prevents chewing - supply your dog with a stuffed chew toy or equivalent while in his crate and you know that is all that will be devoured when you come back.  Not your couch.

3.         Safe transportation - a crate keeps your dog where he belongs in your vehicle.  Safe for you and him.  It also keeps most of the hair off the seats (which he won't be chewing).  It also prevents him from jumping into the front seat unexpectedly possibly cause an accident.

4.         Hotels - if you plan on taking your pet on holidays with you often hotels will accept dogs in crates but will not accept others.  Think of the damage one dog could do in a strange, unoccupied hotel room while you are out for dinner.

5.         Air travel - if you need to take you dog on an airplane (holidays, moving, breeding, shows) think how much happier he'll be in his familiar bed.

6.         Confinement - if necessary to restrict movement for veterinary purposes (eg. to allow a fracture to heal).  He is already used to his crate and won't fret.

Your puppy has been introduce to sleeping in a crate from the time he was 5 weeks old.  The only difference between your house and mine, is your pup is alone in the crate.  He had littermates here.

 I suggest introducing your puppy to a stuffed chew toy (e.g. kong) outside of the crate.  Make sure it is an especially good treat he's trying for.  Once he really catches on, show him the toy, throw it in the crate, and shut the door.  With your puppy on the OUTSIDE.  When he starts whining and digging at the door to get his treat, let him in.  Close the door behind him but stay near him.  After 20-30 seconds of him chewing his treat, open the door and take away the chew toy and let him come out.  Do this 2 or 3 times, then take the toy away for practice at a later time.  Each time you practice, give the puppy longer and longer to chew the toy inside the crate.  Pretty soon he will associate the crate with something incredibly delicious!  Save that favourite chew toy for times when you must contain him in the crate.  Pretty soon he'll be wishing you'd go somewhere so he can go in his crate!

Good luck!