How to Housetrain Puppy with Dog Crate

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By Clairejoy
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Housetrain Puppy with Dog Crate

Dog crates are a great tool for housebreaking a puppy or dog. Pet supply stores as well as some hardware and department stores sell them for around $50. You may buy a crate to accommodate your puppy when full grown and use a divider or piece of wood to allow just enough room to sleep comfortably until housetrained. Dogs don't like to soil the area where they sleep.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Dog Crate

Step 1

Introduce the crate. Place the puppies favorite pillow and blanket in the crate with some toys and encourage the pup to lay inside without forcing it. A bone is a good way to get the dog to go in for the first time. If he doesn't object, shut him in and let him chew the bone and before you know it he will consider the crate his den.
Step 2

After the puppy is used to the crate start locking him in when you don't have time to watch him & at night. Puppies that whine are in the crate are either spoiled and have separation anxiety or they have to go to the bathroom. Any dog will hold it just as long as he can in a crate, so if he has an accident he was in there too long. Immediately when you allow him out of the crate say "outside?" and lead the puppy straight outdoors.
Step 3

Take the puppy to the same spot every time to relieve himself every time so that the puppy begins to understand the routine & purpose of going out. Give plenty of praise once mission is accomplished and go immediately back in the house as the reward.
Step 4

Keep the routine going and don't allow the puppy to roam freely out of your site until he is fully trained. It is very difficult to break poor habits of dogs that aren't housebroken because they leave their scent all over the house and it becomes like nature to them to squat anywhere they please. Punishing dogs for anything will not work unless caught in the act.

Comments

alltrails said

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on 11/20/2009 Excellent article for using a dog crate to house train a puppy. This information will come in very handy, since I'm planning on getting a pup soon. Thanks for the tips!