Crate Training

  • by Tash Clark
  • 06 May, 2019

Should I crate train my puppy?

Crate training Dos and Don’ts

 

I am a big fan of crate training (training being the key word!)! Some of the benefits of crate training a puppy (or an adult dog) are:

 

·    It helps with the errorless toilet training - for those short periods of time when you cannot watch your puppy, having them content and resting in the crate really helps;

·    It gives your puppy a portable “safe place”, that you can take with you when you go anywhere: try staying with a teething puppy in a hotel room/in a tent/at the in-laws (where every piece of furniture is antique/has sentimental value);

·    Getting your puppy/dog used to the crate means that if they have to stay at the vets, they will be less stressed (as they will be staying in a kennel there);

·     If your dog has to be on rest following an operation/veterinary procedure, that will make their (and your!) life a lot less stressful!

 

So what is Crate Training?

 

Crate Training is gradually getting your puppy (or dog) used to spending more time in the crate, by creating positive associations with it. You will need to work at your puppy’s pace (not yours), so some puppies/dogs will take longer than others.

Crate training is not shutting your puppy in a crate and letting them “cry it out” – if your puppy is unhappy in the crate, you are moving too fast…

 

Mabel is having an operation in a few days (and will have to rest to recover). We are working on the refresher (she has been crate trained as a puppy), as we want her to be a stress free as possible! 

 

If you need help with crate training or any other training or behaviour related issues, please get in touch info@dogsbedogs.co.uk

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Please feel free to share your essentials or ask any questions! 

My essentials (I am getting these before puppy arrives):

🐾 Puppy playpen (so I can set up a safe area for the puppy downstairs - in the room where we will hang out the most)
🐾 Crates x2 (I prefer to have a crate downstairs for sleeping during daytime and one for upstairs for nighttime sleeping - next to my bed, so should the puppy wake up during the night, she is right next to me)
🐾 Light collar
🐾 Harness (my favourites are Perfect Fit and TTouch harnesses), I will buy them as close to the “coming home” date as possible and will ask the Breeder for guidance on the size
🐾 Lead - a flat (non extendable lead) at least 2 metres long - most leads sold in pet shops are way too short!
🐾 Food and water bowl (several water bowls in fact)
🐾 Toys - different textures and sizes - several long toys are a must to prevent puppy biting - I am hoping not to go crazy, as I have 4 dogs and bags and bags of toys, but I am not making any promises! 
🐾 Baby gates (I already have them on most doors), especially if you have a children’s play room where little Lego pieces live!
🐾 Dog training books - here are some suggestions: Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy,   Perfect Puppy
🐾 Food - a good breeder will send you home with some good food. Here is a good resource to find the food with the best nutritional value that suits your budget: All About Dog Food
🐾 Puppy classes! Very important to book sooner rather than later - good classes get booked up weeks if not months in advance (we only have a couple of spots left for September start). Click here to book your puppy class with us Dogs Be Dogs Puppy Classes.
🐾 Vet - get your puppy registered with your vet of choice (asking friends/family who have dogs for a recommendations is a great starting point), as some of the amazing vets in your area may not be taking on new clients due to high demand

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