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How to Introduce Your Puppy Dog to a Crate or Kennel

Yorkie TerrierCrate Introduction

I’ve met many people who did not take any special steps to introduce their pups to a crate and their pups learned to relax while crated.

Most people just place their puppy in the crate, give the pup a treat, and ignore any signs of protest. After a few days, the pup begin to relax while crated.  Assuming the puppy’s physical and emotional needs are being met, this method is okay by me.

Other pups require a more thoughtful approach.

The concepts for teaching a dog to remain calm in a crate can be adapted to teach a dog to relax when alone in other areas, such as the back porch, another room in the house or briefly tethered to a piece of furniture or door knob.

Before you lock your pup inside a crate and leave the house, introduce your pup to the crate in small doses.

This is best achieved over a long weekend. I like to remove the door at first, so the pup doesn’t get spooked by the swinging door. In some instances, I might even remove the top portion (airline type crates) and present the crate without the top or door attached. It depends on the dog.

Toss some treats inside the crate and let your dog find them without any input from you.

The idea is to form an association between the crate and good things, such as surprise treats.

Feed your dog in the crate. Place water bowl in the front of the crate.

If your dog is hesitant to enter the crate, start by placing the food bowl or treats inside the front edge of the crate so that your dog can eat without entering the crate.

Once he is comfortable eating with his head inside the crate, move the bowl just a bit farther inside the crate. Gradually move the food farther back inside the crate over the next few days. Always remove the bowl with any leftover food after 10-15 minutes.

Once the dog will readily enter the crate to eat, introduce him to the concept of the crate door. Here’s how to do it. With your dog outside of the crate, attach the door and let your dog investigate it. Swing it open and latch it shut several times. Tell him “this is door”.

Naming things that interest your dog is a great method to teach your dog about the environment.

Feed him inside the crate with the door attached. After a few meals, he’ll be accustomed to the door.

Now it’s time to introduce him to the closed door when he is inside. As soon as he is happily eating, tell him, “I’m closing the door” and swing the door shut and latch it. Wait a moment and immediately open the door.

Say nothing, just watch him eat and let him come out when he’s finished.

Repeat this sequence during the next few meals, but increase the amount of time the door remains closed.

As you progress through these steps, begin to walk a few steps away. Gradually increase your distance from the crate over several sessions.

In addition to introducing your pup to the crate during meals, start crating your pup late in the evening or mid-mornings. Assumedly he will be tired and ready to rest.

For this exercise I like to place the crate near my favorite chair, in the family room or in the kitchen.  This will teach your dog to relax in the crate when people are nearby. You can move the crate farther away in small increments during this introductory period.

Get a Kong®. Amazon stocks all the Kongs at great prices. If you have a puppy, get a puppy kong. They are softer and easier to compress.

Place a bit of wide, silver duct tape over the small opening to seal it off.

Place a few treats or pieces of dog food inside.

Pour some water and a bit of chicken broth inside the Kong®. Stand it upright in the freezer and let it freeze.

Remove the frozen Kong® from the freezer, remove the duct tape and give the Kong® to your crated pup. Once he is engrossed in the Kong®, tell him, “I’m closing the door” and then close the door. He’ll spend 15-25 minutes stimulating his mind and his body while he is foraging inside his crate.

If he has been well-exercised before this “Crate-Kong” sequence, he’ll probably fall asleep soon after he’s finished.

If, after several crate-Kong sessions, your pup is still anxious in the crate, ask your vet for the name of a qualified behavior counselor.

If your puppy just barks and doesn’t want the Kong®, try again later when he is hungry.

Happy Training!

Alan J Turner – Companion Animal Behavior Counselor and Trainer, Canine Specialization

How’s Bentley – Memphis, Collierville, Germantown TN

21st Century Canine Relationship Solutions

Group Dog Obedience Classes

Private Dog Training in Memphis TN

Reactive Dog Specialist


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Terrier Tested: Interactive Foraging Dog Toys, Free Range Bullie, Gentle Leader, Sure Fit Harness & Supplies (Not Balls)

IMG_1587I have these dog goodies linked on this site so my clients can find the best items at the best prices! I mention many of these items during group and private dog training sessions.

You can get these toys at many stores. I SHOP at AMAZON and SIT STAY for the best deals from reliable sources. My 10 year old Australian terrier,Bentley, loves each of these items (well, except for the head collar). Each item has been “terrier tested” for durability!

Here, you can find foraging /food dispensing toys, gentle leader head collars, squirrel dude, fire hose dog toy, and other How’s Bentley approved dog supplies and equipment. Just click the image to shop at Amazon. I get a small percentage of whatever you buy, but I’m not making a living at .40 cents per $10. 🙂

Here’s the Fire Hose toy for the Fire Hose Game. The Fire Hose Game is a simple solution for friendly dogs that get excited and jump on visitors. The toy floats and is great for games of water fetch. Fire hose is tough! But, this is not a chew toy, your dog can dismantle it by attacking the seams. The unique texture of the fire hose makes this a hit with all puppies and dogs.

You can use this free range bullie stick to condition your dog to “love” his dog bed. The free range bullies do not stink like the Merrick bullies stocked at local pet supply stores. CAUTION, This chew has the potential to turn Fluffy into Cujo! Read about Food related aggression by clicking anywhere in this sentence.
Click here for free instructions for teaching your dog to want to GO-TO-PLACE. .

The tug a jug is a commercial version of water bottle toy. This thing is tough! Bentley will carry it in his mouth, jump up into a patio chair and drop the jug on the rock patio. I keep waiting for it to break, but no cracks yet! This is better for medium or large dogs. Bentley is about 20 lbs., and the toy is on the large size for him.

The Gentle Leader Head Collar offers the most control among head collars. It does take a bit of learning to use, and is not for all dogs or people. It will not fit dogs with flat faces. I refer to the Gentle Leader head collar as a nylon valium. It has a natural calming effect on some dogs. If you are fitting and using without a trainer’s help, CLICK the image to order from Sit Stay which includes a dvd video. Gentle Leader, Medium w/ DVD

Not all harnesses are created equal. The Premier Sure Fit Harness is the best harness out there! You do not have to slide your dog’s leg through a loop or buckle it on the belly. Other brands are a nightmare to fit and the dog can slide out of the harness. In addition, many of the harnesses do not distribute the force of the leash to the dog’s body, as a good harness should. If you have a small dog, I recommend a small, Premier Sure Fit Harness. Sit Stay has a great price. CLICK the image to visit Sit Stay and shop for Premier Sure Fit Harness.
Sure-Fit Harness, X-Small, 1/2

Say, regardless of the equipment you like, you’ll need a 6 foot, leather training leash to teach Basic Obedience COMMANDS.

Here’s a link to Amazon, who has the best price for a braided, 6 foot, 1/2″ leather leash.

The Busy Buddy Squirrel is one of my favorite hollow rubber foraging toys. I like this design; the opening has rubber fingers that keep the dog kibble from falling out. Your puppy will have to work for the food! The squirrel design is cute, but Bentley keeps running to my patio door when I ask him to find the squirrel. It’s one of our favorites!

Kong- Hmm. . . what can I say? Everyone should have 2 or 3 of these! The kong is an all time favorite and tough foraging toy for any dog or puppy. Amazon has excellent prices on these famous Kong toys. You an get a large kong for under $8. Order two or three and follow my frozen chicken broth recipe for crate training help. The kong provides excellent foraging and entertainment value. If your dog is an aggressive chewer, order the ultimate black kong!

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Frozen Kong for Dogs and Puppies Provides Stimulation, Exercise, and can Aid in Crate Training

BentleyFanFrozen Kong®

Sometimes the weather or my schedule prohibit outside adventures. Sometimes I’m too lazy or tired to exercise. I’ve found ways to entertain Bentley without walking or playing fetch.

Here’s how you can exercise your dog when you are busy.

Get a Kong®. Amazon has excellent prices on these famous Kong toys. You an get a large kong for under $8. Order two or three and keep them loaded in your freezer. The frozen kong provides excellent foraging and entertainment value. If your dog is an aggressive chewer, order the ultimate black kong!

Place a bit of wide, silver duct tape over the small opening to seal it off. Place some dog food and a few treats inside. Pour some water and a bit of low sodium chicken broth inside the Kong®. Don’t fill it all the way to the top with broth, leave some space so you can add wet dog food or peanut butter after it’s frozen. Stand it upright in a cup or glass in the freezer and let it freeze.

Now you are prepared to exercise your dog without leaving your chair! Remove the frozen Kong® from the freezer, remove the duct tape, add a bit of peanut butter or wet dog food in the large opening and give it to your pup. He’ll spend 15-25 minutes stimulating his mind and his body while he is foraging.

You can use the frozen delight to teach your puppy to relax in the crate, laundry room, or in the back yard, alone.  To change your puppy’s perception of being isolated from people, give the frozen kong only when the puppy is alone. After several pairings. the  puppy will begin to enjoy the alone time!

If your dog won’t eat the kong when you leave, try this. Place the dog in the kennel with you sitting in front of the open door. Extend your hand holding the frozen kong into the kennel. Just hold it in your hand as he eats the wet food or peanut butter. If he gets into it, release the kong, stay seated, talk softly while he is eating it. Tell him, “lock up” or whatever phrase you like and close the door. Remain seated in front of the kennel. Talk softly as he eats the goodies inside the kong.

Wait 2- 3 minutes (assuming he’s still involved with the kong. If he stops eating., this won’t work. You’ll need a more detailed plan.) and then tell him, “Free” or whatever word you like. Open the door and immediately take the kong away. (this won’t work if he is aggressive with food items, you’ll need a more detailed plan.) Walk a few steps from the kennel, if he’s hungry and wants the kong, he will come out and follow you, Perfect! Walk back to the kennel and extend your hand with the kong inside. When he grabs the kong and starts eating again, tell him, “lock up” and close the door. Stand next to the kennel and talk to him softly as he eats the goodies in the kong.

Wait 2-3 minutes and then tell him “free”, open the door and take the kong away from him. Walk a few steps away and then return to the kennel. Tell him “kennel up” and toss the kong inside. Tell him “lock up” and close the door. Repeat the sequence but instead of standing nearby and talking softly, walk a few steps away.   Wait 2-3 minutes, repeat the steps of coming back, opening door, and taking the kong. Repeat but walk a bit farther away, until you are out of sight. Once he will still eat the kong when you are out of sight start increasing the time you stay away. Once this exercise is complete, always give him a frozen kong when you leave.

The idea is for him to think, “yay I get a great treat when you leave, and “boo” I lose the treat when you return. Over time he will gladly go in the kennel and will not bark when you leave. Happy training!!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Training!