START OUT HOW YOU INTEND TO FINISH

Many dog owners ask on dog community forums ‘How do I crate train my pup?

So here at 2Royalhounds we have put together some crate training tips to help get you started and explain how the resident Royal Hounds were crate trained with remarkable success.

As the title suggests ‘Start out how you intend to finish’ was the motto we followed to set up crate training with success.

WHAT YOU NEED

Metal crate -Any size but metal is necessary as pups cannot chew it. Canvas crates are suitable once your pup has graduated and accepted crate training. At 2Royalhounds we graduated to the canvas crate around the ages of three.

Mattress – Any sort that fits your crate

Snuggle Sack – Ensures your pup feels safe, secure and warm – Created here @2Royalhounds to help the transition of your pups into their new home.

A ticking heart beat cuddle toy or ticking clock.  Any cuddle toy that can be used as a comforter. 

Something that smells of you. T-Shirt or a small blanket you have slept with before pup arrives.  But something with your scent on it. 

Snuggle Safe heat pad for pets.

Water bowl – For hydration

Crate cover or blanket – to cover over the crate during sleeping times.

From Day One when your pup comes home, introduce them to their crate as a positive place. A positive place to sleep, eat and play. Make it a safe den for them to take some time out in whenever they wish. The transition from leaving their litter mates and moving into their new home can be quite a stressful time for new pups and they need to feel secure as soon as possible. A crate environment provides this by confining them to a safe area they then can feel secure in very quickly if implemented in the right way. Pups don’t need a lot of space, in fact lots of space can actually make them more anxious.

HOW TO MAKE A CRATE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT

 1) Feed your pup in their crate – Food is a positive reward for them so feeding them in it makes it a positive place.

 2) Play – Place their toys within the crate so they can play within the crate. Play is rewarding and helps make the crate a positive place.

 3) Warm and cosy – A nice soft mattress with a snuggle sack so they can hibernate and stay nice and warm and feel safe and cosy warm. Dachshunds instinctively love to burrow so the snuggle sack is the perfect addition to your pet bedding.

 4) Place the crate during the day where you spend most of your time and where you can always watch them. They love knowing you are right there and love to see you and hear you.

Keep the door crate open during daylight hours so they are free to go in and out of it. We recommend only closing the crate door when they sleep to begin with as this is the period they are most settled.

5) When starting out its important to train them in short intervals with the door ajar while they take naps until you slowly build it up to closing. The best time to start doing this is when they are sleeping. Once trained, then closure of the door can be for longer extended periods. The crate should not be a place where they feel locked in until they learn to accept the crate. This takes time and patience and a gentle leader. Trust is key.

6)  At night we highly recommend keeping the crate near you so they know you are there.  Cover it over with either a crate cover or a blanket. This provides a dark environment for night sleep.

We recommend closing the crate door at night to prevent roaming around the home. If you are house breaking a pup during the night when it wakes, then take them outside to do their business and then pop them back in their crate thereafter. If you keep reinforcing this and stay consistent, they will soon learn night time is sleep time with toilet breaks.  Keep in mind puppies are unable to hold their bladders for longer intervals due to their small bladders so you will get woken during the night. Routine is key.

Once your dog is crate trained then you can move your crate wherever you like in your home as they will know they are safe in their den.

BENEFITS OF CRATE TRAINING

Provides a safe environment for your pup. Pups don’t need a lot of space, they love to feel secure and the small but comfortable space provides this for them. 

  • Provides a den for time out for them any time of day. A Safe place when visitors pop over.
  • Helps with house breaking.
  • Helps with seperation anxiety as your pup also learns independence.
  • If your dog needs extended periods of crate rest due to illness or injury, they already know this space. Dachshunds can need extended periods of crate rest should they sadly be affected by IVDD.
  • if they require a day at the vets they will be crated at the vets. Crate training will ensure they are familiar with the crate space and ease any distress.
  • To ensure they cannot become destructive during your period of absence and risk injury to themselves or property. 
  • Going away on holidays the crate is mobile and can be taken away with you and they know where their crate is so it is their safe space.
  • Going to the dogsitters the crate is once again mobile and goes with them. Again, they know it’s their safe place and den.
  • Crates are also perfect for car travel which is what we also do here at 2Royalhounds as this assists with safety in the event of a car accident and preventing a flying missile on impact. Sadly, it’s not unheard off that dogs can also flee the scene of an accident and run due to fear.
  • For domestic or international air travel. All animals are crated for flights so once again they know the crate is their safe place.

We hope the above helps you with some tips on crate training which we feel is beneficial for all new pup owners. The key is to create a routine with positive reinforcement and stick to it to ensure success. There will be some nights where pups will test and try us with whining and crying but if you stick to the routine and not give in to their whims you will eventually successfully crate train.  Giving in to them only sets you back on the journey to successfully crate training your pup.

Warning: If you are owned by a dachshund this can also come with extreme stubborn and manipulative behaviour.  They are highly intelligent dogs who know very quickly to how to wrap themselves around your little finger. 😊

As our motto states ‘Start out how you intend to finish.’  You will achieve successfully crate trained dogs if that is your intention.  And the best time to start is when they are pups! Good luck!  You can do it!

Sweet dreams from the 2Royalhounds 😊

Comments

  • Belinda Cale said:

    Thank you I can see I have a lot to do and wish I had everything when I got her but it was not expecting to go to the horse races and comming home with a dog but when I heard about her and how is was treated I just had to get her. So it’s been 10 days and her crate turned up today due to floods. So hope I can undo some of the things I have been doing with her.
    Why do ppl have pets if they are going to miss treat them . I am happy she has taken to me after what she has been through.
    Thanks so much

    November 02, 2023


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