Link: http://www.margsanimals.com

I have used a crate for a couple of my dogs and they work very nicely both for the dog and the human.

I had a puppy that I was taking care of so it could eventually become a guide dog for the blind. The people that were in charge of the training of the guide dogs, insisted that we use a crate. And it worked very nicely. It kept the puppy from chewing everything up at night, and it learned that night time was the time to go to sleep.

A crate is also a very safe was to transport your dog to different places. Some people keep the crate in the back of their car, like an SUV, and the dog just jumps into the crate when it is time to go.

Crates can be plastic like flight kennels or collapsible metal pens. They do come in different sizes and can be purchased at many places like pet supply stores or even the Walmart.

When you get the crate, be sure to place it in a room where the family spends a lot of time. You can put a rug or blanket in the crate to make it a little more comfortable.. To get your dog into the crate the first time, take some treats and throw them into the crate, making sure the dog sees you do this. The dog may not go all the way into the crate the first time, but not to worry, just take your time and be patient. The last thing you want to do is to have the dog become afraid of the crate.

This part of the training may take a couple of days. Try putting some of his toys in there too. And when it is time to feed him, feed him right beside the crate so he gets used to it being there. Then gradually put his feed dish inside the door of the crate and day by day move a little further back until he is all the way inside the crate. When the dog is no longer nervous about the crate, then close the door for a few minutes but stay close to the crate to keep the dog company.

Gradually lengthen the time you shut the dog in the crate and then start calling the dog over to the crate and give him some command like ‘kennel’ and offer him a treat in the crate. Do this several times a day. And increase the time that he is closed in the crate unless he seems to be getting nervous. Then just back off for a little while and shorten the time closed in, until he looks comfortable again.

Eventually leave the room for maybe five minutes and come back and let him out. And then lengthen that time period.

If you are training a puppy to a crate, then you should try to put the crate somewhere close to your bedroom at night so you can hear him cry if he or she needs to go outside.