puppy&dog PROOFING

Training your puppy to use a crate can save your relationship. The goal is for the crate to become a pleasant, private place for your puppy to relax, whether he is napping, sleeping or playing with his own toys.

You need a plastic airline travel crate or sturdy wire kennel. It should be large enough for your puppy to stand and stretch and turn.

Put your puppy in the crate in a room in which there are often people. This way, your puppy will not feel abandoned.

After your puppy has eaten, has had some play time and exercise and has had a chance to eliminate, it’s time for a little nap or some alone time to play with his favourite toys. This is your best opportunity to begin crate training.

Give your puppy a chew toy and treats. Start with short periods in the crate with the door open. Then, try closing the door for longer periods. If your puppy cries, wait for a quiet moment. Then, try opening the door and giving him a treat. This way, you reward the quiet behaviour, not the whining.

If you try to keep your puppy in a crate overnight, do not put the crate in a place where you can't hear him. If your puppy cries for hours and you don’t respond, he will feel that the world is a cruel place and no one is going to help him. Instead, you want him to learn that the crate is a safe place where good things happen.

One option is to move the crate or to set up a second crate in your bedroom.

Another option for the first couple of nights is to set up a sleeping bag next to the crate so that your puppy can see and smell you.

Remember that puppies can't hold their bladders for very long. Your puppy may need to be let out to eliminate at night for the first few weeks.

If you’re at home during the day but you can’t supervise your puppy at all times, you can use his crate.

Work to develop a regular daily routine so that you can schedule these crate times after play, feeding and elimination, and when it’s time for your puppy to nap or play with his own toys.

Try to avoid your puppy spending excessive amounts of time in the crate with limited human interaction. Your puppy is going through an important development period and he needs to socialize.

You can restrict your puppy to part of a particular room (such as the kitchen or another room that’s easy to clean and where you spend a lot of time). Use baby gates or an exercise pen to keep him out of the rooms you don’t want him in. (Make sure your puppy can't jump the baby gate and get injured.)

An even better idea may be an indoor tether. You can secure your dog on a lead in one corner of the kitchen so that he can get to his toys, food, water and a comfortable bed. (Just make sure the area is free from hazards.) This way, your puppy gets lots of attention, and learns that when you leave the room, he can’t always follow you everywhere. Most important, he will learn that when you leave, you are coming back.

Tethering is only appropriate when you are at home keeping an eye on your puppy, and you are only out-of-sight for short periods of time. A tether can also be used to attach your puppy to your belt when you are busy so that he does not sneak away to eliminate or chew on something dangerous. Never leave your pet tethered, indoors or out, when you are away from home.

Another option is to place a long, light line on your puppy’s body harness or collar (make sure it can't choke) and allow it to drag behind the puppy so that you can grab or step on it to keep him from sneaking off – or to stop undesirable behaviour, such as chewing.