Crate Training – the Perfect Way to Housebreak a Dog

A common gift for the holidays is a brand new puppy. A cute bundle of fluff in a basket with a brightly colored ribbon its head is something few people can turn down, and generates smiles from anyone who sees it. With this new little member of the family, however, come a few responsibilities. The first thing to do when you have a new puppy, of course, is to potty train it – even the cutest puppy will soon stop being such a pleasure if you’re constantly having to clean up after it. Fortunately, potty training doesn’t have to be difficult, and there is one method that makes it exceedingly simple, called crate training. With crate training, you can cut down greatly on the amount of accidents that you have to clean up, and achieve a house-friendly puppy in no time.

For starters, you need to buy a crate for your puppy. This crate is going to serve as his den. Dogs naturally avoid using the bathroom in their dens, so this gives you a place where you can start potty training on an instinctive level. The size of the crate needs to be large enough for him to stand and turn around comfortably, but should not give him very much room to move around. If the crate is too large, your puppy will not have a problem using the bathroom in it, and its functionality is defeated. It is in the crate that you will keep him at nights while you sleep or when you are out of the house and can’t tend to him. This gets him used to being in a crate, keeps him safe and out of trouble while you are gone, and most importantly keeps him from using the bathroom unsupervised inside the house.

Now that he knows how to hold it in, your next task is to show him where you want him to go to the bathroom. This is, of course, outside, so as you let him out of his crate, take him directly outdoors. He’ll rush into the yard and immediately use the bathroom, and at this time you should give him plenty of positive attention and praise. Keep a few treats on hand – whatever it takes to show him that this is exactly where you want him to use the bathroom. Most puppy’s want to please you, and you can tap into that by showing them praise consistently, and he’ll grow accustom to going outside to do his business.

Most puppies will have at least a couple accidents in the house at some point, but fortunately for us, this can all be part of the learning process as well. Whenever your puppy isn’t in his crate, make sure you or another mature adult is around to supervise him. – If you ever notice him sniffing around, usher him quickly outside. But if you notice him in the middle of having an accident, harshly scold him and rush him outside. Once your puppy is outside, if he finishes his business out there, reward him lovingly. If you ever find an accident after it has happened, clean it up and don’t punish. – He’s not going to understand why you’re scolding him, his memory just isn’t that good! You want to make your actions and desires very easy to understand to your puppy!

Crate training is a very efficient way to potty-train the newest addition to your family. Remember that you need to praise often and keep treats on hand. Keeping him in a crate overnight will ensure that you aren’t met with any unwanted surprises in your floor in the morning, or any torn up shoes for that matter. It will also get him comfortable with a crate, which will help down the road should you ever have to transport him in one. Like people, your puppy is going to learn faster if he is positively reinforced when he does something good, so make sure to keep up the smiles and snacks, and before long you’ll have a dog who knows exactly where to do his business.

Related Posts

1. Boxer Dog Training: Using Crate Training for House Breaking
2. What You Should Know About Crate Training – One Of The Most Effective Ways Of House Training Any Puppy Or Dog
3. House Training Puppies – Crate Training Is The Most Effective Method
4. One of the Most Effective Dog Training Methods: Crate training
5. Crate Training Dogs And Crate Training Puppies… A Simple Guide