How To

How to Use a Crate to Manage Your Dog's Behavior

By Eric Letendre, eHow Member Rating

Using a crate can prevent a lot of problems.

Rate: (2 Ratings)

A young dog can get into big trouble if left unattended. As a former animal control officer I have seen plenty of dogs that were injured because they were allowed too much freedom when they were young. Properly managing your dog's behavior with a crate is the easiest way to train your dog. Using a crate will help you manage your dog's behavior, help speed up the housetraining process and most importantly prevent injury and even death. Besides, at some point in your dog's life there is a good chance that she will have to go in a crate to the vet' s office, pet groomer or traveling. In this article I will go over the steps for crate training your dog properly.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Crate
Treats

Step 1

Teach your dog to love her crate by putting toys and treats in the crate.
Step 2

Feed your dog meals in the crate.
Step 3

Start by using the crate for short periods of time and gradually teach your dog that the crate is a good place.

Tips & Warnings

As your dog matures and learns the rules of the house you won't have to use the crate as much.
Don't overuse the crate and leave your dog in for long periods of time.
Never use the crate as punishment.

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