Although crate training dogs is something that I recommend when your dog is still quite young, you may find yourself in possession of a full-grown dog that is not crate trained. This could be because you did not crate train your puppy, and yes, there are many instances where that may not have happened, or it could be that you adopted an older dog that was not properly crate trained.
For whatever reason, you are now stuck with a dog that will have absolutely nothing to do with their crate. While it can be frustrating, especially if he is getting into trouble when you are away, it is not hopeless. Many dogs, despite never having been properly crate trained, can become so very easily. All it takes is a little patience on your part.
And with that patience should come the knowledge that you should never rush a dog with this training. Since crate training dogs involves a level of trust between your dog, and that trust is the simple fact that you will let him out again, it needs to be done properly so you don’t damage the bond that you have with your dog.
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Before you begin training your dog, it is important to choose a crate that will fit him. Since he is an adult, there is no reason to purchase a crate that he will grow into but it is still important to choose a crate that he will be comfortable in. When you are choosing a crate, take the following into consideration.
Height: Height is probably going to be the first thing you look at and what you want to purchase is a crate where your dog can stand up on all fours in. If he can’t, or he is hunched in any way, then you should choose the next size up.
Width and Length: Many people who purchase a new dog crate, often don’t take width and length into account. If the dog can lay down in it, then they feel it is big enough, however, you will want to find a crate where the dog can turn around in without too much difficulty.
Durability: I have had both metal crates and plastic and I have found that the metal crate is really the way to go. I find them much easier to clean and they often seem more durable. That isn’t to say that you can’t find a very good plastic crate but I haven’t used one myself since I came home to find a dog running through the house because the cat had painstakingly unscrewed (and misplaced) every fancy bolt that secured the top half of the crate with the bottom. If you don’t have a cat, then the plastic can be very durable.
Destructibility: Lastly, look for a crate that is indestructible. If your dog can chew through it, or your cat can unscrew bolts, then it isn’t the best crate for you to purchase. Remember that mesh crates are used more for travel and a dog that is left alone in one all day, may destroy it before you get home.
When you are purchasing a crate, you will often hear the term, “collapsible”. While this is an excellent feature, I have only ever used it once and that was when we were bringing the dog and his crate for a visit with family. The rest of the time, the crate is a safe place from him to relax, much like a bedroom is for a teen, and it shouldn’t be taken down every time he isn’t in it. For that reason, don’t spend extra if the main price increase is simply because it is collapsible.
Before you start crate training dogs, there are a number of things that you should try to avoid, these are:
Using the crate for punishment: If you do this, your dog will begin to view the crate as a bad thing and may not want to go into it. This can completely undermine all the progress made when crate training dogs.
Don’t leave him in there all the time: Keep the time in his crate relatively short when you are at home and primarily use it only when you are away from the house. If you find that he is crated during the day and at night, you are using it too much and you need to try other ways to let him out more often. The rule should really be, if you are at home, your dog is out of the crate because he is a companion animal after all.
Don’t give in to whining: When a dog is first being crate trained, you may find that he begins whining or barking in an effort to be let out. If he does, simply ignore him and don’t let him out of the crate. Once you do, he will learn that it works and you will never be able to correct the problem.
Lastly, one of the most important things you need to remember when crate training dogs, is that you need to make it something that he does, not something you want him to do. If you force him before he is ready, he will be upset and there will be problems related to the training.
Now that we have gone over a few things, in our next article we will show you the actual steps for crate training dogs: Tips for Crate Training Dogs Easily – Part Two
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