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The introduction of a new puppy into a home is a wonderful and exciting experience that all too often can turn frustrating when owners find that their pets are much more destructive and energetic than they expected.
You can't blame the puppy, though. Chewing, barking and jumping are natural instincts. A puppy is learning his or her way and experimenting in a new world. A puppy needs helpful guidance and positive discipline to learn right from wrong. But providing that type of attention 24 hours a day is asking a lot from you and your family.
For owners wanting to limit the amount of damage that a puppy can do by soiling carpets or chewing on chair legs, crate training is an option that should be considered.
When taking into account the price of a dog crate (from twenty dollars to several hundred) and comparing that to the price of your belongings: furniture, rugs, shoes, and plants, a dog crate is a smart purchase to protect your other investments. For the puppy, a crate provides a place of safety and comfort. A "time-out" spot where he or she can rest from the rigors of acclimating to a new home and new faces, and in some cases, the boundless energy of children. For the owners, it gives them the opportunity to go about their daily lives and household activities without concern for puppy "accidents" or chewing.
One of the best training aspects of the crating relates to housetraining. Dogs don't wish to make their sleeping/resting area also their bathroom and will, in most cases, "hold" it while they're in the crate. By practicing this with the puppy and immediately taking the puppy outside to eliminate after exiting the crate, your puppy will soon learn to "hold" it until such time that they can be let outside. In time, they will learn to show you the warning signs by waiting or barking by the door rather than leaving the finished product on the floor.
Keep in mind, a crate should never be used as punishment since puppies will quickly associate the crate as a place they don't want to go. In addition, puppies and dogs should never be left in their crate for an extended period of time. A crate should be used to supervise and reinforce positive puppy behavior and not serve as a canine prison.
The best way to introduce to your puppy to his new crate is through positive reinforcement. This can be done with toys and treats. You can either coax the puppy into the crate or simply leaving treats and toys in and around the crate for the puppy to discover.
Also, leave the crate door open and allow the puppy to roam and investigate his new home before securing him inside for the first time. This will help decrease his sense of anxiety when first placed inside.
Start the crate training gradually, by placing your dog inside for short periods of time and working up to longer periods of time. Do the dishes, take a shower, and then build up to leaving the puppy in the crate while you go to the store or mow the yard.
Many new owners find a crate an invaluable tool at nighttime. Rather than letting the puppy roam the house or a room chewing and going to the bathroom, the crate provides a safe and secure haven for the puppy to sleep.
This works well but often can turn frustrating if a young puppy cries and barks through the night out of separation anxiety stemming from being away from you and/or from his mom and brothers and sisters. Some tips include placing a warm water bottle or a ticking alarm clock underneath a blanket in the crate. Both provide a familiar sensation for the puppy that will help remove the feelings of anxiety.
Crates are excellent for travelling with puppies and dogs. In addition to saving the car upholstery and carpet from chewing and urine, they also provide an enormous amount of safety. While humans have seatbelts, dogs do not have such safety measures in a car except by being kept inside a crate. There are countless pet deaths each year from dogs and puppies that are killed in car accidents because they were sitting in seats or travelling in the back of pickups.
It's important that before going on an extended car trip that you take several small trips, not just to the Vet, so your puppy can become accustomed to travelling in the car and in the crate.
It's also important to buy a crate that fits your dog's size. A crate should not be so big that a puppy can eliminate at one end and still sleep at the other. By being able to do this, the puppy never learns to "hold" it.
Also, keep in mind, how fast your dog will grow. A Labrador can gain as much as fifty pounds or more in six months. The crate should be able to accommodate this. Some pet owners put in foam padding or other materials to decrease the size of the crate and then remove the materials, as the puppy grows larger.
Crate training is an excellent behavior tool for housebreaking your dog and protecting your home from chewing and other puppy mischief. By using the crate as its intended, your puppy will develop positive habits that will make getting a puppy a rewarding and happy experience that will last for many years to come.
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