Crate Training
Puppy Chronicles
Chapter 1: Crate Training
It happened...we adopted a puppy! He’s a sweet 12 week old terrier mix who hates the crate and cries every time you put him in there. We named him Teddy, in memory of our 18 year old Bear who passed in September 2019.
I wanted to share some of our puppy growing pains with you in hopes to help current and future puppy parents get through this tiring, but rewarding phase.
There are some problems we encountered since Day 1 (Monday 4/6/20) but the main was his crate. Teddy does NOT like his crate. He sleeps in it at night, but wakes up often and whimpers. Teddy will not come anywhere near the crate during the day.
These issues sound all too familiar with many of my clients.
While it’s still work in progress, I’m happy to report that last night (night 3 at home), he slept from 10pm-7am without a single cry! He went into his crate like a champ and settled down. And just today, during the day, he went in there to hang out and relax! While it was only for 10 minutes, it was completely his decision. Woohoo for the small victories!
How did I get Teddy there? Below are some methods I quickly introduced to change his behaviors:
Try the toy/treat combo. I began working on crate training as soon as Teddy arrived. My first method was food-based. I used a Kong stuffed with his food and freeze dried liver treats. I also made sure to deliver lots of praise once he was inside the crate. After some time with the toy, Teddy would settle down and I closed the crate door. Fast forward to five minutes later, and he’s happily snoozing.
On day 2, I worked on the “Go To Your Crate” verbal cue. I started by throwing liver treats into the back of Teddy’s crate, so now he has to walk all the way in to get them. Once inside, I continued the praise with a few more treats from afar. Tip: Try it from a distance. Sit a few feet away from the crate and toss the treats inside. This will provide more incentive for your pup to stay in the crate or continue to venture in on his/her own.
Any time Teddy decided to come out of the crate, I would repeat the verbal cue of “Go To Your Crate” and continue step 2.
By day 3, I began putting Teddy in his crate not just for naps, but also for relaxation. My 2.5 year old daughter is such a big help, as she loves feeding Teddy liver treats through the slots of the crate. When he is eating, he can’t yelp and cry. Plus, I love that my daughter is involved. This helps with their bonding, as I know they will quickly become best friends!
Designate a high-value treat as the crate treat. I keep the liver treats as a crate-only special treat! Teddy does not get them outside of the crate. He also does not get the Kong outside of the crate either. This way, Teddy quickly learns to associate these two awesome and positive things with his crate.
Don’t forget to share some (quiet) praise when your puppy is relaxing in the crate. This gives him/her feedback and reassurance.
Day 4 was a lot easier! We’ve now created a routine for Teddy and he’s adapting well to the structure. For example, when my daughter goes down for her nap, Teddy knows to go to his crate for a snooze as well.
Day 5 and we nearly have a pro! Teddy decides to go into the crate on his own, not just for relaxation, but to also chew on a bone.
By the end of the week, we have created a safe and happy place for Teddy to retreat to. It’s no longer a scary metal box, but his own space. Let me know if you’ve had similar issues with crate training and please try some of these tips.
I look forward to sharing more puppy training tips with you as my family and I continue to welcome Teddy into our home. Stay healthy & safe!
Chief Editor: Lara Nicotra
