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Articles Dog Training How to Train a Puppy Using the Crate Method | How to Train a Puppy Using the Crate Method |
| Written by William Preston | ||||||||
| Thursday, 18 December 2008 | ||||||||
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So, you've got a new puppy. Congratulations! Now comes the fun part -- house training. There are many misconceptions floating around about how to accomplish this, so in this article I am going to share what is probably the easiest and most effective way to house train your new puppy.
So, you've got a new puppy. Congratulations! Now comes the fun part -- house training. There are many misconceptions floating around about how to accomplish this, so in this article I am going to share what is probably the easiest and most effective way to house train your new puppy. I've had several dogs over the years, and have tried different methods of house training them. The one method, however, that stands out above all the rest is known as the crate method. Crate training refers to housing your puppy in a small crate, or indoor kennel, and keeping her in there when she is not out for walks with you, or when she's not being actively supervised while in your home. The whole premise behind this method of crate training is that all dogs have an inbuilt dislike of going to the bathroom in an area where they normally sleep. Therefore, because she's spending most of her time in her "sleeping quarters", she will naturally wait until put outside before relieving herself (assuming that you let her out at reasonable intervals). As a general guideline, it's more cost-effective for you to choose a crate that's big enough for her to grow into. It should be big enough for the adult dog to stand up comfortably without crouching, turn around in, and stretch out - but no bigger (so that she doesn't choose one part as her bed, and one part as her toilet!) One of the problems with the small puppy being in a large crate is that she can easily use a separate part of the crate for her bathroom area. To prevent this from happening, simply reduce the internal size of the crate by placing some kind of divider, such as a board or grill, inside the crate. You can simply remove it when your puppy grows enough to need the extra space. This is how the crate training process works: unless your puppy is outside, playing with you under active supervision, or sleeping, she will kept in the crate at all times. This can be tough on a new owner, but is essential to the house training process. If you are not determined to be consistent, you're basically giving her permission to go the bathroom somewhere in the house. And each time she does so increases the difficulty of getting her house trained. So, how long should your puppy be in the crate for any length of time? Use the following formula to determine this: how old is she, in months? Now, add one. Thus, if your puppy is only two months old, she should be in the crate for a maximum of three hours at a time. Ideally, however, it would be good to take her out to stretch her legs and to go to the bathroom every 2-3 hours. However, if she's sleeping, then just let her keep sleeping (especially if it's through the night!). As mentioned at the beginning of this article, crate training is one of the most effective methods of house training a puppy. But it doesn't happen overnight, and it needs you to be consistent. The whole process can take anywhere from one to two months, but in the long run, this will be considered one of the best time investments you will have ever made in the life of your pet. About the Author: Want more information on how to train your puppy? You'll find all the resources you need by visiting my Training a Puppy blog. You'll also discover some great info on puppy obedience training. Views: 230
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