How to Crate Train Your Puppy in 8 Steps 

Crate training is an effective way to provide your puppy with a safe and comfortable place to rest. It also provides your puppy with many other benefits like potty training, preventing destructive behavior and separation anxiety, etc. 

Keep reading to learn how to crate train your puppy in 8 steps, but before that let us understand the benefits of crate training your puppy.

Benefits of Crate Training Your Puppy

Crate training your puppy is very essential. Some dog owners are concerned that crating their puppies would be harsh, but the fact is crating can satisfy your puppy’s need for a safe, den-like spot. 

If you use it properly, your puppy’s crate won’t feel like a cage, rather your puppy will enjoy spending time there. The key is to introduce your puppy into the crate without forcing them to get used to it. Here are some key benefits of crate training your puppy:

1. Gives your puppy a safe and peaceful place to hang out: Dogs are naturally den animals, which means they like to have a private place to go to in times of stress or fear. If you choose a suitable-sized crate and take your time introducing your puppy to it, it will see the crate as a pleasant place. Since dogs seek out safe and secure sleeping places, the crate can be a beneficial solution to meet this natural preference.

2. Helps in housetraining: Crate training offers a major advantage in simplifying the process of housetraining because puppies typically don’t like to soil the area where they sleep. With crate training, puppies can learn to control their bladder for extended periods of time, which can be incredibly helpful during the process of potty training.

3. Prevents harmful behaviors: Leaving your puppy to roam free can result in damage to your home while you’re away. But, crate training can prevent your puppy from damaging your couch, furniture, and other valuable possessions in your house.

4. Prevents separation anxiety: Using a crate can help your puppy cope with separation anxiety. Simply place your puppy in the crate in a separate room where they can’t see you. This gradual process will help them become more comfortable with being away from you. Furthermore, if your puppy develops a positive association with their crate, it will feel less anxious when you leave for an extended period of time. 

5. Makes traveling easier: When taking your puppy on a flight, it’s important to have a crate to ensure their safety during travel. A crate also makes transportation more convenient. For car trips, having your puppy securely confined in a crate can make the journey easier. Additionally, if you’re traveling with your puppy, the crate can provide a comfortable and familiar space for them to feel at home no matter where you are.

6. Makes veterinary visits less stressful: If your puppy falls ill and you need to take them to the vet for a check-up, it can be a stressful experience for both you and your furry friend. However, if your puppy is crate-trained, it can help reduce that stress. Additionally, if your puppy needs to stay overnight at the vet hospital, a crate can provide a sense of comfort and relaxation for them.

7. Provides a recovery area after surgery: If your puppy has an injury or undergoes a medical procedure, it may require rest. A crate can provide the necessary space for your puppy to recover and prevent further harm.

How to Crate Train Your Puppy in 9 Steps 

When it comes to crate training a puppy, it’s crucial to use the crate as a positive space and never as a form of punishment. A key factor in successfully crate training your puppy is to allow them ample time to get comfortable inside the crate before shutting the door and leaving them alone for the first time. 

Keep in mind that crate training can take several weeks or even months, depending on your puppy’s age, temperament, and past experiences. It’s important to take things slowly and avoid rushing the process. The steps listed below should not be attempted in a single day. Take as much time as necessary on each step to ensure that your puppy feels satisfied and stress-free.

Step 1: Choosing the Right Crate

Choosing the perfect crate for your puppy is crucial. You must go for a durable, comfortable, and adaptable one that matches your training requirements. For dogs that prefer sleeping in the dark, kennel or airline crates are better options as they are more enclosed, while wire crates are suitable for other dogs. 

Crates are available in various sizes, and you must select the appropriate one for your puppy. Choose a crate that allows your puppy to stand, move around, and lie down comfortably. Depending on how big your puppy is going to get, buy a crate that suits their adult size. You should also consider purchasing a crate divider to temporarily reduce the interior space of the crate.

Step 2: Place the Crate in the Right Place and Make it Comfortable

Make the crate feel like a safe and welcoming place for your puppy, consider placing their crate in an area where you or your family members frequently spend time, such as the living room. This is especially important at night, especially for young puppies who need to go out for a potty trip before morning. To ensure that you can hear your pup when they need to go out, it’s best to place their crate close to your bed. 

Adding soft blankets or a cozy dog bed can help make the crate feel more comfortable. You can also make the crate more inviting by placing your dog’s favorite chew toys inside to show them that it’s a fun and enjoyable place to be.

Step 3: Introduce Your Puppy to the Crate

Introducing your puppy to the crate can take a short time or a few days. It’s essential to be patient and not rush the pup into the crate. If your puppy doesn’t like the crate, you can make it enjoyable. The first thing is to get your pup comfortable with the crate by letting them sniff and check out the crate. You can start placing treats or dog-safe human foods near the door to entice your pup to explore around it. Check out this article to learn about 40 human foods dogs can eat safely.

As your pup gets comfortable being near the crate, throw a treat inside the crate and praise your puppy when it goes in to eat it, but don’t close the door. Give them another treat while they’re in the crate. Make sure to give lots of praise when they go inside it. Repeat this positive reinforcement with treats until your pup is comfortable walking in and out of the crate. If your puppy refuses to go inside initially, don’t force them. It’s crucial that your pup never feels forced to use the crate.

Step 4: Feed Your Puppy Meals in the Crate

Once you have introduced your puppy to its crate, start feeding it regular meals inside it. This will help your puppy develop a positive association with the crate. For puppies that are already comfortable being inside the crate, you can place the food bowl towards the back of the crate. If your puppy is still hesitant about going inside the crate, place their food bowl right at the entrance and then move it slightly further inside during each mealtime.

Step 5: Close the Door

After your puppy has become comfortable being inside the crate, it’s time to begin closing the crate door during mealtime. For the first time, only keep the door closed until your puppy finishes eating. Gradually increase the amount of time that the door is closed after each meal. 

It’s possible that your puppy may whine to be let out, but it’s important to only open the door once they have stopped whining. If you give in and let your dog out while they’re still whining, they will learn that whining is the way to get out of the crate.

Step 6: Leave Your Puppy Alone

If your puppy appears comfortable inside the crate and regularly eats meals there, you can begin to crate them for short periods while you are at home. Use a treat to attract your puppy to enter the crate. Whenever your puppy enters the crate, give it praise and a treat, and then close the door. 

Always give multiple chews and toys, whenever your puppy is inside the crate. Sit quietly near the crate for a few minutes as your puppy plays with toys and chews and then you can leave. When you return, sit near the crate again for a minute or two, then release your puppy and repeat this procedure. Once your puppy is okay with you leaving briefly, try increasing the length of time to two minutes, then five, and then 10.

Step 7: Crate Your Puppy When You Go Out

Once your puppy is comfortable staying in the crate for extended periods of time without you in the room, you can start leaving your puppy in the crate when you leave the house. Once you get ready to leave, crate your puppy, give it praise, and multiple treats and toys to keep it entertained. 

Leave quietly to avoid making it seem like a big deal. When you return home, try to stay calm and avoid getting too excited if your puppy is showing signs of excitement. This will help your puppy feel less anxious about your return and prevent separation anxiety.

Step 8: Crate Your Puppy at Night

Once your puppy feels comfortable in the crate, you can begin putting it in there at night. But always take your puppy for a potty break before putting them in the crate at night. Since puppies can’t hold onto their bladders for very long, you must keep the crate close enough to your bedroom so that you can hear your puppy whining when it needs to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. 

As your puppy grows older, it could be able to spend longer nights in the crate, and you could potentially be able to relocate it to a different location in your home eventually.

Here Are Some Important Tips To Crate Train Your Puppy

• Giving your puppy a potty break before putting it in the crate is a must, and taking your puppy out for a potty break as soon as it comes out of the crate encourages good potty habits.
• Avoid keeping your puppy in the crate for too long; they require regular exercise and socializing.
• You should never use the crate as a form of punishment. The crate should always be associated with positive experiences.
• If your puppy whines or barks while in the crate, avoid letting them out immediately. Responding to their noise might reinforce the behavior. Wait for a moment of quiet before letting them out.
• Crate training is a gradual process. Never force your puppy into the crate or rush the training. Take it step-by-step, and gradually increase the time your puppy spends inside the crate. Forcing them may lead to fear and anxiety associated with the crate.

Remember, every puppy is unique, and some may take longer to adjust to crate training. Stay patient, be consistent, and provide a lot of positive reinforcement. Crate training should be a positive experience for your puppy, helping them feel safe and comfortable in their crate.

This is a guest post.

About The Author

Preetham Charles is an experienced web publisher and the owner of a dog nutrition site called Dog Food Galaxy. He has a beautiful golden retriever named Zuzu and he spends half of his day playing with his dog.