Puppies – Crate Training:
Puppy crate for your new pup is a good idea. The sleeping, or non-sleeping habits of a new puppy can completely disrupt the family. It is not unusual for the whole family to be kept awake by a whining young puppy – enthusiasm for the new pup decreases and frustration sets in! Good Puppy Crate Training can help to avoid this distressing situation
Puppy Crate Training Tips
- Puppies tend to sleep for at least 14 hours per day
- Make the crate comfortable
- Make the crate a desirable place to be – give the puppy a small treat when he goes to the crate to sleep and you close the door
- For a new, young puppy, which has been moved from its mother and litter-mates, life can be very unsettling and strange. Try to obtain a familiar cloth or cover from the breeder in order to comfort the puppy
- Place the ‘comfort cloth’ in the puppy crate
- Place a selection of safe, soft chew toys in the crate
- Do not put a sleeping puppy in a puppy crate – it will wake up feeling frightened and ultimately will become scared of the crate
- The puppy crate should only be used for sleeping. If it is used as a place to send a puppy as a disciplinary measure the puppy will not view it as a safe and secure haven
- The puppy should not be disturbed whilst he is in the puppy crate – make sure the children are aware of this rule
- Do not succumb to the temptation of taking a whining puppy to bed with you
- Place the puppy crate next to your bed and soothe him by stroking him – the puppy will not feel frightened and alone and will understand sleeping from your own example
- Do not leave your puppy whining in the crate for long periods – he will come to believe that this is normal behavior when in his crate
- If your puppy needs to go to the toilet area at night then arrange for this as quickly and quietly as possible. It is definitely not to be used an excuse for an extra playtime!
- The puppy will only use the puppy crate for sleeping when he is young
- When you feel he is ready transfer him to a dog bed
- The Puppy crate will then only be put in use when you are traveling with the puppy or when your puppy is suffering from any form of anxiety