When it comes to crate training puppies, some people just dont have a clue. I just finished reading a report about one sad individual who decided it was a good idea to keep his puppy in a crate that was only just big enough for the puppy to fit into. The obvious consequence was that the puppy became very unhappy and cried. On top of that, he wasnt allowed out to urinate of have a bowel movement. The end result was an enraged owner, dirty, unhappy, and abused puppy ending with a visit from the SPCA.
Can you imagine the stupidity of someone who is so clueless that they cant follow some easy rules on how to crate train their puppies. When you train a puppy, you want him to have fun and learn quickly. Compare them to small children. My children learn far faster when they are playing a game than when I make them sit down and sternly tell them what to do.
First off: Have a pair of shoes or slippers handy when potty training a puppy overnight, youll be glad you dont have to look for them when you need to get the puppy outside quickly. Yes he will have accidents, but within a week or so you should have a fully house trained puppy and be getting a peaceful nights sleep. When a puppy needs to go, he really needs to go, so make sure that you act quickly when he wakes up or starts to whine. A good sign that he needs the toilet is when he runs around in a circle with his nose to the ground.
Never leave your puppy in his crate for too long. Make sure that he has sufficient space to move around in and that he has some water nearby. Its cruel to leave a puppy in a confined space all day long when you are at work. Apart from him getting the idea that its OK to wee in his crate (which is defeating the purpose) but he will try to hold his wee in and this can have serious consequences for his health. Come home from work at midday to let him out or have someone do it for you
The crate should be left open when you dont absolutely need him to be in confinement. This allows the puppy to go into his crate whenever he feels like it and is a safe space for him. Never use the crate as a punishment for being naughty. Dogs will generally try their best to please you, so being "naughty" is usually a lapse of concentration or an act of desperation or boredom. Give him the benefit of the doubt. A firmly spoken "No!" is usually all that a young puppy will need to understand he has done something wrong.
By the same token, be sure to lavish praise on him when he gets something right. You will achieve far more with this approach than being negative. There are lots of things you can do to make training your puppy fun and easy. A short article like this cant cover them all.
The author has been breeding and training puppies for years. Visit his blog for more easy-to-use tips on how to train puppies. For the latest news on puppy training methods as well as the best courses on puppy training check out http://www.all-about-dogs.blogspot.com now.
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