One of the most common ways to train dogs is called crate training. “Crates” are usually made from plastic or steel wire and come in different sizes. Crate training is considered to be one of the best forms of dog training.

Crate training is based around the fact that dogs don’t like to use there den’s as a toilet. As dogs spend a lot of time inside a crate during crate training, they learn to resist the urge to pee until they are out of the crate – this building up their ability to control when and where they pee.

During crate training, a puppy will spend almost all its time inside its crate. The puppy will only be allowed out of the crate during feeding time and when it is being supervised. Whenever the puppy is let out of its den (crate) it should be taken to the designated toilet area immediately.

When choosing a crate make sure its large enough so that your dog can move comfortably inside. A crate that is 1.5 times your dog’s length and has a few inches of head room when your dog’s in the standing position is about right. If the crate is too long the puppy may use the addition area to pee in. In the case that your crate is too big for you dog, block off one end of the crate to make it smaller. Plastic crates with wire doors are the easiest to clean and transport so we recommend getting one of these where possible.

When crate training your puppy; best results are achieved when toilet breaks are frequent and at consistent intervals. This will minimize the number of accidents. Little by little you can extend the time your puppy is inside the crate without a break as the puppy will slowly build up bladder control.

You should endeavour to set the crate up as a welcoming and nice place for your puppy to be. Putting your puppy’s toys inside the crate and lining the crate with a blanket will help with this. Feed the dog close to the crate, and give your puppy rewards for good behaviour inside the crate. Doing these small things will help build up your dog’s positive image of the crate.

Never use the crate as a prison or place of punishment ? this will seriously set you back in your crate training efforts. Try not to leave your dog in the crate for long periods of time as this may cause you dog to eventually fear the crate.

While crate training has been proven to be a highly effective way of house training puppies, it is not universally accepted. Some experts claim that puppies can become too attached to the crate after being locked inside it for such a long time.

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