Whether you are bringing home a new puppy, adult dog or need help with poor potty habits from your current pooch, housebreaking and crate training go hand in hand in developing reliable, life long correct elimination routines. Even if you have no intentions of using a crate, or don’t know how to, prevention, consistency and a schedule are the things that teach your dog the proper place and time to eliminate. Crating is simply a tool that helps you, the owner, prevent your dog from going potty in places he shouldn’t so that you can control when he does go in the places he should. If he’s not going potty where she shouldn’t, then that leaves more room for success and rewards when he does the right thing!
Getting Comfy in the Crate
Before you can even begin to use the crate, you must first introduce it to your canine companion and help him associate it with safety, comfort and other positive emotions. This is done by first providing a blanket or soft bed inside along with a safe chew toy or two. Then, with a handful of high value treats, toss one directly in front of the open door. Every time your pup goes toward the treat to get it, mark the behavior either with your clicker or with a quick “Yep!” and let him eat the treat. After a few times of doing this, toss the treat on the inside of the crate door. He should only need to poke his head inside to get the treat. As he does, mark the behavior again as he reaches to grab the tasty morsel. Only move ahead if your dog is comfortable with the current task, and toss the treat halfway into the crate so that he must put his front paws in to reach it. Eventually, you will be able to toss it all the way into the crate so he must put his whole body in for the reward. Only then can you work on closing the door.