Getting Puppy to Love His Crate

It's so hard, those first few nights with your puppy. You may have been cuddling him, playing with him, feeding him and loving him all day. This is all good, bonding behaviour and has distracted him from the fact that Mum's not around any more. Then it's bedtime, you turn off his lights, stick him in his crate all alone, and you wonder why he is howling the place down.

It is very difficult for the puppy owner to stay steadfast and leave the poor puppy to cry all alone. So many people snap and let the dog into their bed. Some choose to let the dog sleep with them forever, but it's not really ideal to have dogs in your own bed, however cute they seem at first. One option might be to have the crate in the bedroom to begin with - this is an ideal compromise as the dog is still with you, can see you, but you are making it clear that the crate is his home. Then perhaps you can move it further away from you stage by stage and night by night, so the pup learns that it is good to be in his crate and you do come to him in the morning when he needs a pee, so all is well.

The vital thing is to set up nothing but positive associations with the crate. With a totally new puppy, it's a great idea to have a towel, or bedding, which carries the scent of his mother. You can ask the breeder for this, maybe giving them a fabric item for the brood bitch to use as bedding for a week or so before you pick up your pup.

Toys should be given to him when he's in the crate. He should learn to chew his chews in the crate. And small training treats can be hidden or thrown into the crate, making it a wonderland of new tastes and games. The crate should never be seen as a bleak, pleasure-less prison by the dog.

You will be anxious that your dog will soon learn to love his or her crate, but you should not let that anxiety transmit to the dog. Don't be impatient with him, don't make it a big deal - keep the mood light and fun around it. And never ever banish him to his crate for bad behaviour. Put the dog in the crate for short periods of time, such as when you have to take out the garbage, then come back, open the door and let him out. Make it a natural part of the daily routine - but demonstrate to the dog that it isn't a gaol he's left in for hours on end. If you do leave him in it at night then a radio on a low level along with a night light might help him settle.