Dog Service Network, LLC » House Training

How to Crate Train Your Puppy

Dog Service Network — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:19:11 +0000

One of the most difficult hurdles that any new puppy owner faces is housebreaking or as it is sometimes also referred to; potty training or doing business. Although there is no tactic that comes with a 100% guarantee, one of the most successful methods is crate training. Crate training can drastically reduce the amount of stress on the owner and the puppy that often comes with training the new four-legged member of your family.

So what is a crate? It is a cage that is usually made of plastic or wire. Wire ones are collapsible and the puppy has a great view of his surroundings. The plastic crates are lightweight and easy to clean and tend to be the most commonly used. Either can be purchased at a department or pet store. When purchasing a crate you must make sure there is enough room for the puppy to stretch right out and to stand erect. Make sure the crate is not too big though or all your potty training efforts in vain because the puppy will be able to do her business in one end and sleep in the other.

Crates can also be used for a variety of other things than just potty training. It provides the “den” security that can be traced back to their ancestors. It provides a place that is safe and cozy for the puppy. Putting the puppy in the crate when there is company or a lot of activity going on it saves her from all the reprimands from getting in the way. It is great for travelling. When you have to leave the puppy home putting her in her crate will save you from coming home to a disaster. It is also great for your puppy to sleep in through the night without the owner having to worry about her roaming around and possibly injuring herself. Puppies however, should NEVER be left alone in their crate for extended periods of time.

What makes the crate method of potty training so effective is because a puppy will not soil where it sleeps. However if you leave the puppy in the crate for too long it will have to do business and you will set your potty training efforts back to the beginning. The most important things you need to remember about crate training are consistency and routine and lots and lots of rewards. A crate is used differently to potty train then if you have to go out and you are leaving her home alone. When you are leaving your puppy home you have to put the crate in a small area, for example a bathroom and leave the crate door open with newspapers down for the puppy to do her business. Once the puppy is older and has good bladder and bowel control you can leave it in the crate but preferably not longer than 4 hours. However for potty training your puppy should stay in the crate then taken out frequently to the area that she is suppose to do her business. This can be either outside or on newspapers. For a very new puppy take her out to do her business every half-hour then after 8 weeks every hour. When the puppy goes potty where she is suppose to you can reward her with treats and lots of praise and maybe leave her out to play for awhile before putting her back in. If she does not go within around 10 minutes just put her back in her crate and try again later. If you keep a record of when your puppy goes, for instance how long after she eats or naps then you will know when to let her out and she can have more and more time left out to play. The crate will also help puppies learn bladder and bowel control.

A great idea is to either say something like “go potty” or “do your business” when you put her outside or on newspaper then when she hears those words she’ll know it is time to go out. Also if you have something for her to scratch or ring or push she will learn as she gets older that that is what she needs to do to let you know that she needs to go out. Puppies want very much to please you so training them, as puppies will make things much easier for you and her as she gets older.

Of course when the puppy is initially introduced into the crate there will be lots of whining. This is not the sort of behavior you want to encourage or reward with attention. When she quiets down then you can take her out for a little playtime but the whining should be ignored. The crate should be kept in an area where she will not be alone and can be part of the family then at night take her into the bedroom with you. Be sure to have a soft blanket and a snuggle toy in the crate with her. I often put a blanket over the crate to give the puppy a very secure feeling. In the beginning you will have to get up a few times during the night to let her out but take a deep breath (or a nap) because this really will not last forever. I have seen puppies sleep through the night at 8 weeks.

Successful crate training requires commitment on the part of you the owner and it definitely is work. However, the reward in the end will make it more than worth the effort.

Cass Hope has been a writer for over 5years. Cass regularly contributes to online and offline publications in a variety of areas. She also teaches classes in basic obedience for puppies. She is currently sponsoring this site: http://www.1st4dog-training.info

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Puppy House Training, 7 Easy Steps!

Tracy — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:03:38 +0000

Puppy house training is really simple if you follow these 7 easy steps:

Crate train your pup: feed pup in crate and have special toy for crate this creates a pleasant experience with the crate. It also keeps the pup out of trouble and safe. It also prepares your pup to travel, or go to the vet, or be boarded and accept being confined.
Keep a schedule and write down when you take your pup outside and what he does. After a week you will know what times you can eliminate taking the pup out because he doesn’t go potty at that time most days.
Don’t leave food and water down for your pup. Give food and water at specific times. Once your pup can be trusted you may leave the water down. No water after 7pm at night unless really hot weather or you think the pup needs it, but don’t let the pup have a bowl full just enough to do the job.
Prime times to take your pup outside to go potty: first thing in the morning, 5-20 minutes after eating, after excitement or play time, waking up from a nap, just before going to bed at night, and at first once or twice during the night.
Confine the pup to the crate when you can’t watch him. Only give the pup one room in the house like kitchen, laundry room, with easy floors to clean if he has an accident. If you want the pup with you in other rooms after the pup is collar and leash trained, pin or tie the leash to your clothing so you can keep an eye on your pup and avoid accidents. Make sure your pup gets lots of good attention and exercise.
Learn your pups body language just before he starts to go potty, this will give you a heads up. Only stay outside with your pup for about five minutes. If he doesn’t go potty take the pup inside and confine him but watch him. I would put him back into his crate. In one to five minutes I would take him outside again. If he doesn’t go potty in five minutes bring him inside and put him back into the crate. When he does go potty outside bring him inside and let the pup have supervised free time. He will soon get the message. I suggest you use verbal and food rewards for the pup as he is going potty softly praise him and instantly give him a small food treat as a reward for going potty outside. Tell him what a good pup he is.
Be consistent, be patient, and don’t give your pup too much freedom too soon. Let the pup prove himself and earn the privilege of being allowed into another room. ALWAYS supervise your pup. If you let your pup have too much space too fast it could stress him and cause accidents.

TIPS:

Most pups can hold it for one hour for every month of age: four month old pup can usually hold it for four hours, give or take a little. This is just a guide.

If you use one word for going pee and another word for going poop and say the word softly as you pup is getting ready to relieve himself, during the process, and stop saying the word when he finishes, you will train him to go on command. He will associate the word with the action of the sphincter muscles.

Most pups go pee in one place and then move to another area to go poop. So give him a big enough area outside to be able to do this. If you only want the pup using the whole yard use tent stakes and white string to rope off the area that you want him to use. That will give your pup a visual of the spot. Always take him to that area to relieve himself. Down the road you will be able to remove the stakes and the string.

Next we will discuss basic obedience for your pup. Remember they start learning at three weeks of age. Repeated behavior becomes learned behavior. Shaping behavior is much easier then changing behavior.

To find out more about how to do puppy testing and get you’re free Puppy Testing PDF go to http://www.simpledogtrainingsecrets.com/puppy.html

Tracy Lenderink, “Master In Creating A Bridge of Knowledge Between The Animal and Human Spirit”
http:www.simpledogtrainingsecrets.com

I wish everyone a Blessed and Wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season!

What You Should Know About Crate Training – One Of The Most Effective Ways Of House Training Any Puppy Or Dog

Dog Service Network — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:17:51 +0000

By: Jonathan Cheong

Crate training is one of the most effective ways of house training any puppy or dog. Crate training is very efficient, and very effective, since it uses the natural instinct of the dog to achieve the desired result of a clean house and a well trained dog.

The concept behind crate training is that a dog naturally strives to avoid soiling the area where it eats and sleeps. By placing the dog in the crate, this instinct is enhanced. The dog will come to see the crate as its den, and it will try to avoid soiling its den.

The key to successful crate training for a puppy or an older dog, as with other forms of dog training, is to establish a good routine. This routine will enhance the ability of the dog to do its business in the right place, and avoid eliminating in the wrong place. It is important to shower the dog with praise each and every time it eliminates in the established toilet area, and not to express frustration or anger when the dog makes a mistake.

It is important to confine the dog or puppy to a small part of the house, generally one puppy proofed room, when you are not at home. The room should contain a soft bed, fresh water and some favorite toys to prevent the dog from becoming bored and frustrated.

Crate training is different from confining the dog to one room, however. With crate training, the puppy or dog is confined to a crate when unsupervised. The idea is that the dog will think of this crate as its home, and not want to soil is home.

When crate training, it is important to remove the dog from the crate as soon as possible after returning home, and to take the dog promptly to the previously established toilet area. When the dog does its business in this toilet area, be sure to provide lots of praise and treats. It is important that the dog learn to associate proper toilet procedures with good things like treats and toys.

It is important to never leave the dog in its crate for long periods of time, as this will confuse the dog and force it to soil its sleeping area. The crate is simply a tool, and it should not be abused by leaving the dog in it for extended periods of time. If the dog is left in the crate for too long, it could set back the training program by weeks if not months.

The dog should only be confined to the crate when you are at home. Except for nighttime, the dog should be given the opportunity to relieve itself every 45 minutes or so. Each time the dog is taken out, it should be put on a leash and immediately taken outside. Once outside the house, the dog should be given three to five minutes to do its business. If the dog does not eliminate in this time period, it should be immediately returned to the create.

If the dog does its business during the set time period, it should be rewarded with praise, food, play, affection and either an extended walk or a period of play inside or outside the home.

During the crate training period, it is important to keep a daily diary of when the dog does its business each day. If the dog is on a regular feeding schedule, the toilet schedule should be consistent as well. Having a good idea of when the dog needs to eliminate each day will be a big help during the house training process. After the dog has used his established toilet area, you will be able to give the dog free run of the house to play and enjoy himself.

Dealing with accidents during crate training

It is very important to not punish the puppy or dog when it makes a mistake or has an accident during the crate training process. If there has been an accident, simply clean it up. Accidents during house training mean that you have provided the dog with unsupervised access to the house too quickly.

The dog should not be allowed unsupervised access to the home until you can trust her bowel and bladder habits. If mistakes do occur, it is best to go back to crate training. Taking a couple of steps back will help move the house training process along, while moving too quickly could set things back.

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How To House Train Your Dog Effectively

Dog Service Network — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:13:17 +0000

By: Jonathan Cheong

House training is one of the most important parts of training any dog to be a valued part of the family. As with many other aspects of dog training, the best way to house train a dog is to use the dog’s own nature to your benefit.

The great thing about dogs, and the thing that can make house training much easier, is that dogs are instinctively very clean animals. Dogs would rather not soil the areas where they sleep and eat. In addition, dogs are very good at developing habits regarding where they like to urinate and defecate.

For example, dogs that are used to eliminating on concrete or gravel will prefer to eliminate there rather than on grass or dirt. It is possible to use these natural canine habits when house training your dog.

Setting up the training area

The first step in house training your dog is to set up your training area. A small, confined space such as a bathroom, or part of a kitchen or garage, works best as a training area. This method of training differs from crate training. Crate training is great for puppies and small dogs, but many larger dogs find a crate too confining.

It is important for the owner to spend as much time in the training area with his or her dog as possible. It is important for the owner to play with the dog in the training area, and to let the dog eat and sleep in that area. The dog should be provided with a special bed in the training area, anything from a store bought bed to a large towel to a large box. At first, the dog may eliminate in this area, but once the dog has recognized it as his or her own space, he or she will be reluctant to soil it.

After the dog has gotten used to sleeping in the bed, the owner can move it around the house, relocating it from room to room. When you are not with your dog, the dog should be confined to the training area.

Setting up the toilet area

The second part of house training is to set up the toilet area for the dog. It is important for the dog to have access to this place every time he or she needs to eliminate. It is also important for the owner to accompany the dog each time until he or she gets into the habit of eliminating in the toilet area. This will ensure that the dog uses only the established toilet area.

A set feeding schedule makes the house training process a lot easier for both the owner and the dog. Feeding the dog on a regular basis will also create a regular schedule for the dog’s toilet habits. Once you know when your dog is likely to need to eliminate, it will be simple to guide the dog to the established toilet area.

Once the dog has established a toilet area and is using it on a regular basis, it is very important to not confine the dog without access to the toilet area for long periods of time. That is because if the dog is unable to hold it, he or she may be forced to eliminate in the training area. This habit can make house training much more difficult.

Continuing the house training process

After the dog is consistently eliminating in the toilet area and not soiling the training area, it is time to extend that training area to the rest of the home. This process should be done slowly, starting with one room and slowly expanding to the rest of the house. The area should only be extended once you are sure of the dog’s ability to control its bladder and bowels.

When you first expand the training area to a single room, let the dog eat, play and sleep in that room, but only when supervised. When it is not possible to supervise the dog, place it back in the original training area. Then, after the dog has accepted the room as an extension of the original training area, the area can be extended.

Speeding up the process

If this process is too lengthy for your needs, it can be speeded up, but it is important to proceed cautiously. It is easier to take your time up front than to retrain a problem dog later. One way to successfully speed up house training is to praise and reward the dog each and every time it uses the established toilet area. It is also important not to punish the dog for mistakes. Punishment will only confuse the dog and slow down the house training process.

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Learn The Procedures Of Paper Training Your Dog For A Healthier And Cleaner Environment

Dog Service Network — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:12:05 +0000

By: Jonathan Cheong

House training is one of the most important elements of creating a well trained dog and trusted family member. Problems with house training and similar issues are the number one reason that dogs are surrendered to shelters, so properly house training your dog can literally save his or her life.

House training a puppy does not need to be difficult, but it is important to take the process seriously, plan ahead and take things slowly. Some dogs will be easier to house break than others, so it important to work with your dog. Rushing the process can be counterproductive and cause you to have to start all over again.

When it comes to house training a new puppy, it is important to know what to expect. Unless the owner is able to supervise the puppy round the clock, it is difficult to complete the house training process until the dog is at least six months old. It is important to know this ahead of time so you can be prepared.

Young puppies have bodies that are constantly changing and growing, and puppies younger than six months often have not developed the bowel and bladder control they will need to be properly house trained.

When the owner is not at home, the puppy should be confined to a small room and the entire floor should be covered with paper. Of course it is important to puppy-proof the room, that is removing any items on which the puppy could be injured. In the beginning, the puppy will most likely eliminate anywhere within the room. In addition, the puppy will probably play with the papers, chew them, etc.

This is perfectly normal and should not be grounds for punishment or distress. Cleaning up each day should simply be part of the routine of living with a new puppy. Simply clean up the soiled papers and put down new ones each day.

Time for paper training

During the time that the puppy is confined in its little den, it will begin to develop the habit of eliminating on paper. After a little time has passed, the puppy will begin to exhibit a preferred place to eliminate. After this preferred spot has been established, the area that is papered should be slowly diminished.

The first papers to be removed should be those that are furthest away from the “toilet”. Eventually, the owner will have to lay down only a few papers. If the puppy ever misses those papers, it means that the papered area has been reduced too much and too soon.

After the puppy is reliability doing its business only on the papers that have been left, the papers can be slowly and gradually moved to a location of your choice. The papers should be moved only gradually, as little as an inch a day. If the puppy misses the papers, again it means that they have been moved too soon and too far. In this case it will be necessary to go back a few steps and start over.

It is important not to become discouraged. The puppy will eventually understand the concept, and you will be able to choose your puppies toilet area and move on to the next step.

House training when the owner is home

Obviously the more time you can spend with your puppy the faster the house training will go. The objective should be to take the puppy to the toilet area every time he needs to do his business. In most cases this will be either every 45 minutes, right after each play session, after he first wakes up or right after he eats or drinks. It is important to provide effusive praise for the puppy when he eliminates in the established toilet area.

As the puppy becomes more used to using his toilet area, and as he develops improved bladder and bowel control, he will be able to begin spending more and more time outside his den with his owner in the rest of the home. It is important to begin this process by allowing the puppy access to one room at a time.

It is also important to allow the puppy in the extra room only when he can be supervised. When you must leave the room, be sure to put the puppy back in his den.

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Home Alone

Laura — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:07:28 +0000

In the wild, a lone dog has little chance of survival. It is in increased danger from other predators; it has little chance of success at the hunt. It’s a wonder that a species as dependent on the pack as the dog can adapt to being alone at all!

It has been observed in wild dogs that the mother dog will periodically move from one den to another. She will move the pups one at a time, choosing a different one each time to be left alone in the new den or in the previous den. In so doing, she is teaching her pups to have a tolerance to being alone.

Good breeders do the same thing, leaving puppies alone for short periods of time after their eyes have opened and they can respond to sounds. This way the pups will learn that they will be alone only for a short period before their human or canine parent returns. Without this early learning, a puppy can become too dependent on the presence of others.

Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety is a serious emotional state in which a dog becomes anxious and panicked when his owner is absent. The physical manifestations of it have been compared to a panic attack in humans.

Typical symptoms are vocalization, destructive behavior or self-mutilation, physical manifestations (panting, drooling, sweaty paw pads, dilated pupils, trembling), breaking of housetraining, and anorexic behavior. The anxiety begins to build during the owner’s departure ritual and the symptoms occur within the first minutes after departure.

Shelter dogs are at an increased risk for developing separation anxiety. They have had bonded relationships with humans in the past which have been severed and so they may likely bond more strongly in subsequent human relationships. In addition, it may have been the animal’s separation anxiety that brought about her surrender to the shelter in the first place. While any dog can conceivably develop separation anxiety, it occurs more frequently with dogs who are particularly affiliative toward humans – “soft”, bondy dogs.

Hyper-Attachment

Dog fanciers and trainers alike are guilty of over-diagnosing separation anxiety in dogs who express separation sensitivity. Separation anxiety is a clinical term that should be strictly reserved for the serious state of panic.

Instead, I like to use the term hyper-attachment to label a constellation of behaviors typified by: constant following in the home, exaggerated excitement upon return after even a short absence, heightened anxiety when separated from the human family in environments away from home, anxious behavior when the dog is positioned so she can able watch departure from the home, etc.

Often such dogs are perfectly fine when their lives are routinized but they get overly anxious with change. So, should there be a need to vary your dog’s routine, such as leaving her at another family member’s house on occasion, steps should be taken to increase her comfort in this new context. Separation anxiety treatment protocols can be employed to build tolerance to aloneness in different situations.

Be aware that hyper-attachment, left unresolved, can develop into the more serious condition of separation anxiety.

Building Separation

From day one with your dog, it’s crucial that you continue her education in tolerating aloneness: Do not spend every waking moment with her, as much as you might want to. Here are some ideas for how best to build your pup’s tolerance to separation:

Leave your dog in her crate or confinement area with a Kong® stuffed with something yummy, like peanut butter or liverwurst. Start with short absences, just a few seconds. Gradually increase the duration of your absences, making sure that your dog is still happily working away on her toy. Keep everything low-key, drifting in and out of the room.
When you return, pick up her toy. The yummy treats are hers only when you are not present. Pretty soon she’ll be looking forward to your absence!
Remember to randomize the duration of your absences, sometimes being away a little longer, sometimes a little shorter. You don’t want your pup to think that you’ll always be gone for long stretches. Sometimes it’s only a few seconds, right? Nothing to get upset about!
If your dog begins to get at all anxious, protesting from the crate, you may have increased the duration too quickly or the session may have been too long. Quit long before she’s had enough.
Practice low-key departures and arrivals. Emotional histrionics only serve to emotionally charge your comings and goings. When you take a trip out to the kitchen, do you bid a fond, emotional farewell to your dog? Probably not. So make the same sort of departures when you leave home.
Soft classical music can help as it is soothing and it can drown out the environmental cues of your presence and absence. However, it should not simply be turned on just before departure and turned off just after arrival or it will become another aloneness indicator.
Exercise is a great way to prepare your dog for time alone. A dog whose energy has been spent on a nice, brisk run will be more ready to settle down quietly for a little rest. So, before beginning exercises in enforced aloneness, exercise your dog to take the edge off his energy level.

Treating Separation Anxiety

For your dog, certain triggers may become associated with your departure. Putting your shoes and coat on, grabbing your purse or briefcase, jingling your keys may all be indicative of departure to your dog – even their ordering may become a chain of events that the dog recognizes. Work on decoupling these triggers by performing them randomly without their resulting in departure. So, for example, jingle your keys, then drop them back on the table, while you’re watching TV. Fiddle with the front door lock, even open the front door, then simply close and lock it again. Who says the door opening means you’re leaving?! This is called desensitizing the triggers.
Now try to teach your dog to feel differently about the triggers. Give her a Kong® stuffed with something yummy, and perform the trigger (like jingling the keys or opening the front door). Then, promptly take the Kong® away. You are counter-conditioning your dog, changing the way she feels about those triggers. Little by little, over the next days and weeks, increase the intensity of the triggers, like jingling the keys and opening the door, etc.
During the treatment phase, your dog should not be left alone. This is because you are working on lower intensity, below threshold sessions of aloneness. Exposing your dog to the full-blown 8-hour workday will be more than she can handle and will set back all the work you’ve done thus far. Find a pet sitter, a doggie day care, a friend, maybe take her to work, whatever it takes. It will be worth the effort in the long run.
Some dogs benefit from knowing that you have left, indicated by an exit cue such as “Be back soon!”, while others are more comfortable without clearly knowing whether you’re gone from home or just in another room. I would first attempt the latter strategy, graying the presence and absence of the family, before opting for the “Be back soon!” strategy.
Separation anxiety dogs often don’t tolerate crating well. It’s likely that they’ve been crated in the past and had bad experiences, compounding their anxiety. In their frantic attempts to escape, they run the risk of injuring themselves. Some dogs will bite and dig at the crate until their gums and paws bleed. You may have to investigate alternative forms of containment, like a puppy-proofed room, for your aloneness exercises.

The Use of Medication in Treating Separation Anxiety

For dogs who are extremely anxious, it may be necessary to get a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication such as Clomicalm from your vet. When used in tandem with behavior modification protocols, it can take the edge off the anxiety enough to allow the dog to actually accept the positive experiences she’s having during the treatment. Often the dog can be weaned off the medication after treatment is successful.

Owner-Absent Misbehaviors

Owner-absent misbehaviors like barking or destruction are frequently attributed to separation anxiety, when it is really just that the dog isn’t getting enough exercise or hasn’t been properly educated in acceptable alternative outlets for normal dog behavior. It is important to accurately diagnose your dog’s problem before commencing treatment.

* The book “I’ll Be Home Soon” by Patricia McConnell is a great resource for the treatment of separation anxiety.

LAURA GARBER, CPDT, is a certified dog trainer and behavior counselor living in Hoboken, NJ. Her company WoofGang, LLC is committed to deepening the bonds between dogs and their people through positive training and behavior modification techniques, and it is these same topics that inspire her writing.
Parts of this article are excerpted from her coming book, Raising Canine: A Guide to Dog Rearing. Email her at Laura@myWoofGang.com if you’d like to order a copy or if you have questions.

Crate Training

Dog Service Network — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:11:47 +0000

A portable kennel or “crate” in your house is a great place for your dog to call his own. Crates are also convenient for traveling. Dogs like to hang their heads out the window in a car, but your dog is safer in his crate. On long trips or stays at a boarding kennel, it can be comforting for your dog to have his familiar “house” with him. A crate should be just large enough for your dog to stand up and turn around comfortably. Crates make housetraining easier, unless the crate is too large. Dogs naturally do not soil their sleeping area, but if the crate is too large, the dog will use a portion of the crate to relieve himself and never learn bowel and bladder control.

To train your dog to go into his crate, put a few treats in the back of it. When he goes in for the treats, praise him. Do not shut the door. If he will not go all the way in for the treats, put them just inside the door. After a few times of going in and coming out, shut the door with the dog inside for just a few seconds. Open the door and praise him. Let the dog get used to being confined by slowly increasing the time he is inside with the door closed. When he is comfortable going in and out of the crate, add a command like, “Crate” or “Go to bed” when he goes inside. Don’t use the crate to punish the dog. He should associate it only with comfortable things.

Crates are useful, but unfortunately, they are sometimes used as long-term confinement. Too often a dog is crated for life as a substitute for training. Crating any dog in a portable kennel, but especially a puppy, for eight hours per day and expecting him to be happy is unrealistic. If you must crate your dog, arrange for him to have out-of-crate-breaks with exercise and play, provide stimulating toys in the crate, and give him something to chew away any frustration. Crating should be temporary until your dog has learned enough manners to be trusted alone in the house. Then, unless you install a doggie door, or train your dog to paper or litter box, you still should arrange for your dog to relieve himself outdoors and have a brief playtime.

Why is confinement for eight hours too long? Simply put, eight hours in a crate is too long for a puppy for the same reason that eight hours in a crate would be too long for you. It is tedious, boring and lonely. Social isolation and sensory deprivation contribute to behavior problems. To a curious and active puppy, eight hours of being locked up can be frustrating and distressing. A common problem described by owners when a puppy is finally released from the crate is that “he goes nuts”. The puppy is so excited and hyperactive that the owner resorts to punishment (verbal or physical) to make the puppy settle down. It can become a vicious cycle of confinement, isolation, frustration, hyper-excitability, punishment, confinement, isolation. Both the dog and the owner are frustrated.

A puppy crated for eight hours is bored, no matter how many toys you put in the crate. Puppies need attention and a variety of stimulation. Dogs are social animals and need contact with other dogs or humans to be well-balanced, happy, good canine citizens. Unfortunately, many people don’t understand the needs of puppies before they acquire them. If you are unable to come home during the day to let the puppy out, do not have a trusted person who can do it for you, and cannot afford a puppy “day care”, then it is important that the remainder of the day be spent training, exercising and playing with the puppy. If the puppy is crated at night in addition to during the day, the total number of hours of confinement is well over eight hours.

Many dogs are left alone and crated for eight hours or more every day. That doesn’t mean it the best choice or in the best interest of the dogs. Locking your dog in a crate should be a temporary measure to keep your dog and your belongings safe in the house until he is trained and can be trusted alone.

Copyright 2005 by Kathie Compton
All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form, including electronic and mechanical information storage and retrieval systems, without express written permission from the author.

Kathie Compton the author of the book, “Dogs…Made Easy! A New Owner’s Manual”. She a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and Certified Pet Dog Trainer, independently certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, International Institute of Applied Companion Animal Behavior and the Animal Behavior Management Alliance. Kathie is the owner of mARFa Dog Training in Marfa, TX.

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How to Crate Train Your Puppy

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