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During puppy hood, a dog must learn to feel secure in his
environment. An insecure dog leads to problems with house training,
a dog that cowers, digs, chews and barks needlessly. Adult dog
behavior is shaped during the early stages of puppy hood. Many dogs
are placed in shelters or end up on the streets as a result of poor
training on the owner's part. Dogs need proper training and
direction. Most problems with dogs can be prevented if proper
direction is taken from the beginning. Invest a little of your time
now and it will result in a lifetime of enjoyment for you and your
canine companion.
Dogs are pack animals by nature and prefer a dark, small,
den-like atmosphere to a huge open room that we humans would
enjoy.
Dog crates are simply a rectangular structure just big enough
for the dog to lay down in. They should NOT be large enough for the
dog to play in. The natural tendency to stay clean is basic
instinct. The crate becomes the den that humans took away when we
domesticated dogs thousands of years ago.
Crates are primarily used for house breaking puppies. But may
also be used to train/re-train adult dogs as well. Crates are not
cruel by any stretch of the imagination. It's like an indoor den for
you companion.
Crates should NOT be used for long term confinement. More than
10 hours for any dog is too long to remain in a crate without being
able to relieve themselves. Once a schedule is set, dogs usually
have a admirable ability to "hold it". This must be gradually worked
up to through proper training from puppy hood.
THE FIRST STEP
When you bring your new pupster home, you should already have
his/her crate set up with newspapers or a soft rug or towel. If your
new pupster is younger than 10 weeks when you bring him home I
suggest placing an exercise pen around the crate. This will give him
the advantage of not being shut up in the crate at an early stage
for long periods of time. Puppies urinate immediately after waking
up from a nap and defecate after every meal. This is EVERY time!
Once they begin to mature, the length of time between urges "to go"
become longer in length. (Usually around 10-14 weeks). At this stage
they become ready to stay in their crates all day while you are at
work and all night while you sleep. I will keep a toy or two in the
crate but I don't keep food or water as this will create a huge
mess. As soon as they eat and drink they will need "to go" and if
you are not home to let them out you'll be real sorry and they will
be real upset. It will also inadvertently teach them "to go" in the
crate.
Puppies learn quickly not to relieve themselves in their
den/crate. I keep thick layers of newspapers in the crate for the
first month or so. Depending on how young the puppy is, it will more
than likely urinate in the crate because he just can't "hold it" as
long as an older dog. If the puppy is fed and watered and taken
outside before being crated you will have a much cleaner and happier
puppy when you return home. Puppies grow very fast and usually
within a month you can remove the papers from the crate and replace
it with a soft rug or towel.
I usually have two crates per new puppy. One in the family
room and one in my bedroom. Puppies should NOT be isolated just
because they are in a crate. During the day when you can't watch
every move the new puppy makes he can be in the crate in the family
room. But at night he will want to be with you for a secure feeling.
And when he awakes in the night and needs to go out you will hear
him if he's in your bedroom.
When you sleep, your puppy should be in his crate with the
door closed. He will wake you when the urge strikes. You need to
take him out right then and there to further the crate training
purpose. Your puppy will learn what you teach him. If you ignore the
persistent crying to go out to relieve himself you will defeat the
purpose of crating your puppy altogether. Puppies mature quickly and
he will not have to get up in the middle of the night forever.
NEVER scold your pupster for soiling his crate. Shame on you
for not getting him out when he asked!! Again, dogs are clean by
nature and left to their own devices would leave the den to relieve
themselves. Always, Always praise your puppy EVERY time he "goes"
outside. IF he does soil the crate, just get the puppy outside to
finish his business, give him LOTS of praise, clean the crate and go
back to sleep.
Once your puppy has matured and is past the house-breaking
period you may start to leave him out for longer periods. But you
will want to continue the crating when you are away or cannot watch
everything your puppy is doing for a while longer. Teething can be
dangerous as well as costly if the puppy is allowed to be loose all
the time. My new puppies are crated until they are totally
trustworthy and understand what is allowed and what is not. This
might be 6 months or it might be 2 years. Each dog is an individual
and requires individual training. Once I am SURE the dog is
trustworthy then I start leaving them out when I am away for short
periods at a time. As long as everything is in tact when I return
the next time will be a little longer. Eventually your dog will be
able to be loose in the house all the time if you so desire.
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