Dog Crate Training: 4 Crate Training Tips

Make sure your puppy's or dog's collar is off while she is in a crate as this could be extremely dangerous.

Your puppy can get her collar caught in the crate, leading to a disastrous situation. And make sure the crate is never in direct sunlight, or placed too close to a vent or radiator. Your puppy needs to be as comfortable as possible in her crate for effective training and safety.

1. Toys in the Crate: Placing toys in the crate for your puppy's amusement is a good way to prevent her from getting bored or lonely. A Nylabone or other chew toy can give her immediate gratification.

2. Crating At Night: When you go to sleep, always crate your puppy. A puppy should not be wandering around your house unsupervised while you sleep. You may be surprised in the morning with the destruction she has done. Another helpful hint is to lay a tarp under the crate. If your puppy relieves herself in the crate, it may leak onto the floor. This saves your flooring or carpeting down the road, or security deposit if you are renting.

3. No Room for a Crate? If you have absolutely no room for a crate, you should then tether your pup to the bedpost or to an eye hook in the baseboard near your bed at night. Give her just enough lead to turn around and lie down. You don't want to give her too long of a lead where she can wander around your bedroom. If you are renting an apartment, make sure you get your landlords permission to screw an eye hook into the base-board. This will make your landlord feel good about renting to dog owners since many don't like dog owners as tenants. Also, lay comfortable bedding on the floor if she is to sleep tethered to your bed.

4. When Your Puppy Cries at Night: For the first couple of weeks, your puppy will not be able to sleep through the night. Most puppies cry in the middle of the night because they need to relieve themselves. When he does cry, take him out right away so that he can do his business. Afterwards, play with him for just a minute or so and put him back in the crate.

Your puppy needs to learn that he is being taken out of the crate at night to relieve himself and not to play. If he is crying after you have just taken him out and if you are sure he doesn't have diarrhea, resist the temptation of letting him out to play with you. If you do, you are setting a pattern in which the puppy is choosing when he can come out and you will live to regret this later.