How to Get a Puppy Crate Trained & Sleeping Through the Night

There are a number of benefits to crate training your dog.

There are a number of benefits to crate training your dog, and for this reason, all puppies should go through the crate training process. A crate keeps your dog protected and out of trouble while unsupervised. In addition, most dogs will not eliminate inside their crate, as they don't like to foul the place where they sleep. Dogs like a place to call their own, and a crate serves that purpose --- providing stability, comfort, and reducing destructive behavior and anxiety.

Things You'll Need

• Crate
• Blankets
• Treats
• Toys

Instructions

1. 

   An ideally sized crate is large enough for your puppy to be able to stand.

   Find a crate. Crate size needs to be large enough for your dog to be able to stand up and stretch his legs. A mistake that many dog owners make is purchasing an over-sized crate for a puppy --- thinking that their pup will fill the space when it grows. Never give your dog an over-sized crate if it is not fully grown. While dogs don't like to soil the place where they sleep, a large crate will enable them to use one side to "do their business," and the other to sleep and rest.

   If your only option is a larger crate, make sure one end of it is blocked off with blankets.

2. 

   Be sure to leave a chew toy inside the crate so that your dog will stay occupied.

   Make the crate comfortable for your dog by placing a pillow or several blankets at the bottom of it, along with a couple chew toys. Toss a treat inside, carry on with your everyday life and let your dog go into the crate and explore on its own. Leave the door open so that they can roam freely, but praise them once they go inside. This will make it much more appealing for them to use the crate, knowing that they have a comfortable little place of their own that their owner approves of.

3. 

   Once crate trained, dogs will sleep soundly through the night.

   Increase the amount of time that your puppy is inside his crate. Let your puppy warm up to the idea of staying in their crate for extended periods of time. Once they walk inside on their own, close the crate door and leave the room. Only do so for a short amount of time to begin with, then allow them to exit the crate. Wait a few hours, then try again, gradually increasing the amount of time that your puppy is in the crate. Your dog might whine to get taken out of their crate. Do not reward their cries. Otherwise, you will be teaching them that they can whine anytime they want to be taken out. Wait at least 5 minutes after they stop fussing to remove them.

Tips & Warnings

• If you need to leave your puppy confined in their crate for an extended period of time, make sure they have access to food and water.

• While you can leave your dog in the crate overnight, never leave them inside the crate more than 4 to 5 hours unattended during the day.

• Never put the dog in the crate as a method of punishment. This only teaches them to fear the crate.

• Make sure there are no sharp points or wires sticking out of the crate, as dogs with protruding eyes have been known to injure their eyes on such.

• Always remove any collars on your dog before confining them in the crate, or their collar could get stuck on the wires of the crate.

• Never leave your dog in the crate during warmer-than-usual weather. This can be unsafe for their health.

• When cleaning the crate, make sure you rinse it thoroughly so that your dog won't consume harmful chemicals.

• Do not leave your dog with chew toys that they can shred or break. They may consume bits of the toys and become sick.

References

• Dog Breed Info: How to Crate Train Your Dog or Puppy
• American Dog Trainers Network: How to Successfully Crate Train Your Puppy
• DDFL: Crate Training Your Dog