Why Should I Get My Dog Used to a Dog Crate?
“When Crate Training Is Done Correctly It can Be Very Useful”
Why Should I Get My Dog Used to a Dog Crate?
QUESTION:
Why Should I Get My Dog Used to a Dog Crate?
ANSWER.
Crate training is probably not for you if you don’t mind coming home to find that your dog decided to “go” on the carpet. It’s probably not for you if you don’t mind coming home to a trashed house either.
Most people feel that when used properly, crate training is time well spent. Proper crate training will take some time and effort. However it is a proven way to help train puppies or dogs who act inappropriately in certain instances.
A crate can be used to limit a new dog or puppy’s access to the house. This will come in handy until it learns all of the house rules. It can also serve as a “safe place” for your dog until it gets used to its new surroundings.
A dog crate can also come in handy if you go places where dogs may not be welcome to run. Your dog will regard the crate as a safe place to wait for you if it’s properly trained. He will regard it as a den and be happy to spend time there when it is needed.
If you plan to travel with your dog a crate is a necessity. Also, when traveling with a commercial carrier your dog must be in a dog crate. When traveling in the family car the crate offers more safety in case of an accident.
Important Reminder:
Healthy dogs will not eliminate where they sleep. This makes the crate a great tool for potty training. However, when leaving your puppy in a crate, limit it to a short period of time. Even older puppies cannot hold themselves for more than a few hours. So make sure when you let it out of the crate you take it outside as soon as possible. The puppy will probably need to eliminate. As a result, this will be a great time to give it a reward in order to reinforce any house training.
Check the table below to help determine how long you can leave a healthy dog in the crate. The numbers are based on the age of the dog.
| Dog’s age | Maximum time in a crate |
| 8-10 weeks | 30-90 minutes |
| 11-14 weeks | 1-3 hours |
| 15-16 weeks | 3-4 hours |
| 17+ weeks | 4-5 hours |
| Adult dogs | 8 hours |
Learn how to Crate train your Dog Here.
Need Help?
Contact A Better Dog4U if you have any questions or if you need any help with your training. We will be glad to set up a personal consultation in order to help you any way that we can.
