Crate Training A Puppy

Crate Training Your New Puppy

Getting a new puppy is always exciting but training a young puppy can prove quite a challenge. Here are the suggestions that Daniel Stevens -an experienced dog trainer and author of SitStayFetch dog training e-book- gives to one of his customers about using a crate to train her new puppy.

Hi Daniel,

Last year, I had to put my 13 year old pet to sleep. I am now contemplating getting a new puppy and a different breed, which I want to train. It has been so long since I have had a puppy and I have lost a bit of touch and I have a couple of questions. When you get them home for the first night and put them in their new bed, should you ignore their crying if so for how long. I don't want to traumatize the little thing. Also, should obedience training start straight away and for how long each time?

Finally he will be coming to work with me, but naturally he won't sit still in his bed what should I do to get him use to the office environment and how should I keep him confined without being cruel? A cute new puppy

Regards,

Marie

SitStayFetch Reply

Hi Marie,

Thank you for your email.

I highly recommend that you get a crate for your new puppy. This will be excellent for all the training you have to do, but in particular if you are going to take him to work with you. I WOULD not have a new puppy without a crate, trust me you will feel the same once you bring your puppy home.

It pays to start as you mean to go on, so if you want to sleep through the whole night, as you usually would, then so should the puppy. If he whines and you wait and wait and wait, then go and see to the puppy, he will then have learnt, how long he has to whine in order to get what he wants, some company! Which is the worst thing you can do!

Ignore him totally, he will be upset and noisy to begin with, but no harm can come to him (especially if he is in a crate). He will learn after a couple of days that there is no point whining, because no one will hear so just have to wait until the morning and that's what you want!

It is a good idea to not give him any water at night, so that he doesn't drink and therefore urinate so much (unless he has diarrhea, in which case he will require the fluids so as to not dehydrate. Sometimes puppies have diarrhea when you first take them home because of the stress, as long as there is no blood in it this is quite normal).

You will probably find that the puppy will be quite happy at work with you, because you are there. If you don't want to get a crate then set up a bed and a toilet area, somewhere where you can tie him up. Always supervise a puppy that is tied up, as there is a potential strangle risk if you leave it to its own devices.

While you are toilet training, take the puppy out every hour on the hour so that he is not given the chance to ever go inside (unless there is no outside option for you). If he does have an accident inside, soak it up or pick it up with some newspaper and take it outside. Most puppies will not toilet in their crate unless they really have to because they do not like going near where they like to sleep.

I hope this helps, let me know how you go!

Daniel Stevens
Author of SitStayFetch

"SitStayFetch - STOP Your Dog's Behavior Problems!"

Marie's Response:

Thank you, I am going to get a smaller crate for work, but he won't be able to go to the toilet in it, I will have to take him outside regularly, but it will be big enough so that he can move about a little and play with some of his toys, but not too big (I have to keep him under control otherwise the others in the office will complain) and at home we have made an area for him underneath our laundry bench which is about 4 feet long and 2 feet wide and my husband has made a fence so that he cannot climb out, so basically he is underneath the laundry bench and fenced in. It should serve the same purpose as a crate; he is making the fence at least 2 feet high so my little Maltese cannot get out by climbing over the top.

The area underneath is going to have at one end his bed and at the other some newspaper, just in case and also for the days that I can't take him to work. Eventually, we will remove the fence and then eventually we will install a doggy door so that he can go outside. But while he is little I want to keep him enclosed. I thought as much, in relation to leaving him to cry when we first get him, I hate to hear them cry, but I will do the right thing, what if he cries all night - still leave him....?

I am going to be reading your book thoroughly in the next few days and I am looking forward to this.

Thank you for your help

Marie

SitStayFetch Response:

Hi Again Marie!

Sounds like an excellent plan, I think you need more confidence in yourself! Oh and yes ignore him all night long! There will be a few sleepless nights but it is the best thing you can do. (I recommend getting some quality earplugs!)

Good LUCK!

Yours For Great Success With Your Dog,

Daniel Stevens

P.S. If you're really serious about obedience training your dog then go to this page right away! You'll discover all of my most explosive dog training secrets, strategies and tips that took me over 14 years to test, fine-tune and perfect.

Would you like to have this dog trainer solve your dog problem once and for all? It's easy! Order his book, SitStayFetch and get free consultation! You can get the details here.

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