Hi, I'm Kathy Santo for Iams with Howdini.
And today we're going to talk about how to
create train your puppy.
We'll begin with a general discussion on the philosophy
supporting the crate training method.
We'll review what you'll need, the steps involved in the
process itself, and some possible troubles you may
encounter along the way.
Before you begin crate training, it helps to
understand the philosophy behind this method.
If your dog is properly crate trained, he'll view his crate
as a private room with a view, a safe haven he can call his
own, and a quiet place he can relax in.
He won't see it as a rigid structure of confinement and
punishment.
In fact, it'll be just the opposite.
In nature, wild dogs seek out and use their den as a home
where they can hide from danger, sleep,
and raise their young.
In your home, the crate becomes your puppy's den, an
ideal spot to sleep and stay out of harm's way.
And for you, the benefits of crate training are--
house training, because your puppy won't like to soil the
area where he sleeps.
Limited access to the rest of the house where he learns the
house rules.
And transporting safely and easily in the car.
Start crate training a few days after your
puppy settles in.
Before you can start crate training, you and your family
members must understand that they create can never be used
for punishment.
Never leave your young puppy under six months in his crate
for more than three hours.
He'll get bored, have to go to the bathroom, and won't
understand why he's been left alone in discomfort.
As your dog gets older, he can be crated for longer periods
of time because his bladder isn't as small.
But keep in mind he still needs a healthy portion of
exercise and attention daily.
If you and your family are unable to accommodate your
puppy's exercise, feeding, and bathroom needs, consider
hiring a dog walker or asking a neighbor or friend for
assistance.
After that, the crate should be a place he goes into
voluntarily, with the door always open.
There are a variety of crates available for purchase these
days, each of which is designed for a different
lifestyle need.
When selecting a crate, you want to make sure it's just
large enough for your puppy to be able to stand up, turn
around, and lay down in comfortably.
Because your puppy will grow quickly, I often recommend
getting a crate that fits the size you expect your puppy to
grow to and simply block off the excess crate space so your
dog can't eliminate at one end and retreat to the other.
Now for the crate training process.
The two most important things to remember while crate
training are that it should be associated with something
pleasant and take place in a series of small steps.
The first step is to introduce your puppy to his crate.
This will serve as his new den.
Put bedding and chew toys in his crate and let him
investigate his area.
If he chews or urinates on his bedding,
permanently remove it.
Observe and interact with your puppy while he's acclimating
to his crate.
This will help forge a sense of pack and establish you as
the pack leader.
Encourage him to enter the crate with soft
words and some treats.
You can also pre-place some treats in the back corners and
under the blankets to help make it a pleasant experience.
Step two is to start feeding his puppy in his crate.
Begin with the bowls near the opening of the crate.
As your puppy becomes less reluctant to enter, slowly
inch the food back every feeding until you're placing
all the way in the back.
When you get to the point where your puppy happily
enters the crate and stands in the back to eat, begin gently
closing the crate door behind him while he's eating.
At first, opened the door immediately after he finishes.
But after that, begin leaving the door closed a bit longer
every time.
If your puppy cries, you may have increased the time too
fast. So decrease the length a bit and then slowly begin
increasing it again.
When he does cry, do not let him out until he stops or
he'll always do this to get his way.
Once you puppy is used to eating his meals and waiting
to be let out with no anxiety or crying, you can start
confining him longer when you're home.
To do so, call him over with a treat and give it
to him in his crate.
Associating a command such as "kennel" is important, so he
understands the reward is a result of going in the crate.
At first, you'll need to sit quietly next to him.
If he's fine after 10 minutes, go into the other for a bit.
And then come back and let him out only if he is
calm and not crying.
If he is crying, you'll have to wait until he's calm.
Once you can leave him for about 30 minutes at a time
without him getting upset, you can start
leaving him there longer.
Eventually decrease the amount of reward you give for
entering the crate so that saying the command word is
sufficient.
When you get home after being away for a long time, your
puppy will likely be very excited to see you.
It's important not to reward this behavior or anticipating
his arrival every day may be stressful for him.
And lastly, make sure to crate your dog for short periods of
time while your home or else he will associate crating with
being left alone.
I'm Kathy Santo for Iams with Howdini, and I hope that
you've found this helpful as you welcome your new addition
to your family.
For more information on puppy care and training, visit
iams.com/puppy.