Yes! With enough time and perserverance most dogs can be successfully crate trained at any age. Because dogs are naturally den animals and like the safety and comfort of little, safe spaces, crates are a very positive thing in their lives. Remember that some dogs who've had a bad history with mistreatment and improper use of cages and confinement may not ever be able to be crated. The key is to begin slowly, do not force your dog into a crate unless completely necessary, and have patience. You will soon see whether your dog will take to its crate.
Start out by picking the right size of dog crate. You want a crate that is sizeable enough for your dog to stand, sit, stretch out and turn around. Anything smaller than this may be very uncomfortable for your pet and will make crate training difficult. Getting anything larger than this makes it tempting for your dog to use a corner of the crate for its toilet. Dogs don't like going to the toilet where they sleep, so they generally won't soil the correct sized crate.
Give your pet some incentive for spending time in its crate by giving it some amenities. Place some comfy bedding in there, some toys, treats and water. It is possible to get water bottles that clip on to the dog crate which are good as they can't be spilled over the floor of the crate. Is your dog a chewer? You should to avoid putting anything in the crate your dog may chew on and choke.
Get them used to the crate before keeping them confined there. It is essential to the success of crate training to establish the crate as a nice, positive place for your pet. Leave the door open and inspire your dog to enter by placing treats in the crate, or leading him to the crate with treats. It may take several attempts to get your dog to enter the cage on its own. This is ok - take it slow with this. Allowing your dog to enter on its own is the easiest way to start out crate training.
After a while your dog will enter readily and with luck will choose the crate as its favorite place to snooze. This is when you can begin closing the door on the crate for a couple of minutes at a time. It's vital that you start by confining for very brief periods at a time. If your dog's first experiences stuck in its crate are for longer periods, it'll lose trust and start seeing its dog crate as a distressing thing.
Once your dog can be confined for as much as half an hour without any problems you can begin to leave it in its cage for longer periods of time. Never leave your dog in its crate for more than a couple of hours at a time. It is best for you to be nearby when it is crated. Ideally, overnight the crate would be placed in your bedroom or very close by so you can be conscious of any problems instantly. This will also maintain trust with your pet.
During the day your pet should never be crated for more than 3-4 hours. If you can't come home to let out your dog during the day, find a pal or neighbor who can. If this isn't possible look for a substitute for crating, for example creating an indoor pen or cordoning off hazardous areas with baby or pet gates. Your dog should really only be crated until they can be trusted to wander the house on their own without safety risks or destruction.
Correctly crate training your dog has many positive outcomes for both you and your pet. Being able to keep calm in a crate can save your dog's life in an emergency situation. It'll also make recuperating from a medical procedure much easier. Good luck with your training and remember that crate training requires you to have patience and diligence and might not be suitable for all dogs.
Start out by picking the right size of dog crate. You want a crate that is sizeable enough for your dog to stand, sit, stretch out and turn around. Anything smaller than this may be very uncomfortable for your pet and will make crate training difficult. Getting anything larger than this makes it tempting for your dog to use a corner of the crate for its toilet. Dogs don't like going to the toilet where they sleep, so they generally won't soil the correct sized crate.
Give your pet some incentive for spending time in its crate by giving it some amenities. Place some comfy bedding in there, some toys, treats and water. It is possible to get water bottles that clip on to the dog crate which are good as they can't be spilled over the floor of the crate. Is your dog a chewer? You should to avoid putting anything in the crate your dog may chew on and choke.
Get them used to the crate before keeping them confined there. It is essential to the success of crate training to establish the crate as a nice, positive place for your pet. Leave the door open and inspire your dog to enter by placing treats in the crate, or leading him to the crate with treats. It may take several attempts to get your dog to enter the cage on its own. This is ok - take it slow with this. Allowing your dog to enter on its own is the easiest way to start out crate training.
After a while your dog will enter readily and with luck will choose the crate as its favorite place to snooze. This is when you can begin closing the door on the crate for a couple of minutes at a time. It's vital that you start by confining for very brief periods at a time. If your dog's first experiences stuck in its crate are for longer periods, it'll lose trust and start seeing its dog crate as a distressing thing.
Once your dog can be confined for as much as half an hour without any problems you can begin to leave it in its cage for longer periods of time. Never leave your dog in its crate for more than a couple of hours at a time. It is best for you to be nearby when it is crated. Ideally, overnight the crate would be placed in your bedroom or very close by so you can be conscious of any problems instantly. This will also maintain trust with your pet.
During the day your pet should never be crated for more than 3-4 hours. If you can't come home to let out your dog during the day, find a pal or neighbor who can. If this isn't possible look for a substitute for crating, for example creating an indoor pen or cordoning off hazardous areas with baby or pet gates. Your dog should really only be crated until they can be trusted to wander the house on their own without safety risks or destruction.
Correctly crate training your dog has many positive outcomes for both you and your pet. Being able to keep calm in a crate can save your dog's life in an emergency situation. It'll also make recuperating from a medical procedure much easier. Good luck with your training and remember that crate training requires you to have patience and diligence and might not be suitable for all dogs.
About the Author:
Pamela Noble writes articles on common pet topics for Dogfolks.com. You will find more info on dog crates and pet gates on the Dog Folks site.
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