How to Teach a Dog Crate Games
Crate games are taught to a dog as a foundation for agility training. You can also use crate games to strengthen your dog's overall training and teach him to love his crate.
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Instructions
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How to Teach a Dog Crate Games
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Add value to being in the crate by rewarding your pup for being in there, and for not rushing the door when you open it. Feed your dog meals in her crate. When you open the door to let her out, reach your arm in and give her a treat towards the back of the crate, while praising her for not rushing out. Have a release word for her coming out of the crate like OK or FREE. If your dog knows how to sit, ask her for a sit and reward him for sitting momentarily before being released.
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Play the "get in the crate" game with a clicker. Give your dog the command for going in her crate (I say CRATE UP) and the minute all four feet are in the crate, click and treat. If she sits or lies down without being asked, click and jackpot several treats while telling her how wonderful she is. To make it easy for her, throw the treats in instead of making her reach out of the crate to take them from your hand. You want her to understand that being fully inside the crate is the very best place she can be.
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Use the crate when playing with toys as well, If your dog likes to fetch, throw the toy or ball into the crate for her to retrieve. Use verbal praise every time she enters the crate after the toy. If she likes to play tug, wait until all four feet are inside the crate and enthusiastically play tug with her. The minute a foot leaves the crate, stop playing. Resume when she backs up into the crate again. She will soon get the idea that she only gets rewarded for being fully inside her crate. You can combine the tug play with step two above.
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Place a treat inside the crate, but don't let her go get it. Stand a little distance from the crate holding the dog's collar and get her excited about going in for the treat. Let go of the collar while you give your command and watch her fly into the crate. Gradually increase your distance so she will go in on command, even from another room.
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Vary the position of the crate relative to the dog, and vary your approaches to the crate. Once she understands that good things happen when she is in her crate, she will be very enthusiastic about going in there. If you have followed the steps above, by now you will have to restrain her from charging into her crate and waiting for reward. Approach the crate from either side, at different speeds and from behind with your dog. If you are taking agility classes, try to work in front and rear crosses as you and your dog head towards the crate.
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Don't forget to work in your OK or release command at every stage of these exercises. This will reinforce your dog's stay command. At first, she may only be able to stay in the crate for a few seconds. Some dogs get so enthusiastic about crate games they practically have to be bribed to come out of the crate. So if you need to reward her for coming out as well, do so but keep those rewards at a lesser level than those she gets for going and staying in her crate.
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Tips & Warnings
An inexpensive soft crate works well since it can be brought anywhere, including to your training classes.
Make sure you feed a little less at mealtime to make up for the treats your dog gets during training. You can use her regular food as treats if she really likes it.
Don't let your dog spend too much time locked in a crate. She should be out and being active and learning as much as possible.
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