The domestic dog, is descended from the wolf. Many thousands of years ago, wolves hung around caves, stealing morsels from man at the dawn of civilisation. Submissive wolves may have left their canine pack to take up residence at the periphery of human camps. In return for watchdog duty, these beasts probably received food, shelter, and companionship in the human pack. Genetic variability and mutations in wolves produced domestic dogs of an amazing variety of sizes, shapes, and colours, dogs that were further refined into breeds created for specific purposes. Although the terrier puppy has never seen the great north woods and the Samoyed down the street never hunted a moose with a silent pack of wolves, they have wolf habits in common with all other breeds of dogs. All puppies, in the manner of wolves, need a den. Pianos and tables make great dens, but furniture doesn’t have sides for confinement. Laundry rooms, spare bathrooms, and even playpens are too big for a puppy den; there’s enough room in these enclosures for the pup to defecate or urinate in one area and still have room to play or sleep without stepping in the mess.
Dog crates & beds
In the wolf den, the mother wolf cleans up the cubs feces until the youngsters are old enough to defecate away from the den. The cubs learn that the den is a place to keep clean as well as a place of safety and comfort.
A modern den can be a Fiberglass or wire crate that can be kept in any room in the house. It should be barely large enough for the pup to lie down comfortably. If your pup is one of the large breeds and you don’t want to buy several crates as he grows, buy an adult-size crate and partition it so it fits his current size.
How do I get my puppy used to a crate? I’ve tried putting him in it but he cries so much, I let him out after a few minutes. He doesn’t like it and I feel sorry for him.
If small children and puppies could have their way, they’d choose to run free all the time without any restrictions. Unfortunately, because they don’t have the maturity to handle that freedom and keep themselves out of trouble, they have to learn to accept periods of confinement. The key word is “accept” - it doesn’t mean they’ll like it right away. Most dogs bark and complain during the first few days. Once they begin to accept this new restriction on their freedom, they quiet down and learn to enjoy it.
Growing puppies alternate periods of activity and rest throughout the day. There’s no reason they can’t do their resting in a crate, like a baby taking a nap in a playpen or crib. By keeping the puppy on a regular schedule of feedings and exercise, you can control his natural rest periods. If you put the puppy in his crate when he’s already tired and ready to settle down, he’ll get used to his new “bedroom” faster.
In the beginning, he should only be expected to stay in the crate for 2 hours at a time and overnight. During his periods out of the crate, your puppy needs plenty of playtime and attention. I like to give puppies at least an hour between crating periods where they’re played with, loved, allowed to explore and romp. This burns off their boundless puppy energy and helps them understand that crating is only a temporary thing.
Special toys and treats help make his “room” a pleasant place to stay. Give the puppy a small treat every time he has to go into his crate. Better still, toss the treat into the crate so he can jump in after it. (If you want him to learn to go in the crate on command, say “Kennel” when you toss the treat. He won’t understand right away but before long he’ll put three important things together in his mind - “Kennel” + Crate = Treat!)
You’ve given him a reward for going into the crate, now you need to give him an incentive to stay in there quietly. Make his “room” comfortable. Get him a soft but hard to destroy blanket or bed. Get him a selection of toys but don’t give them all to him at once, just one or two at a time. Rotate the toys. Puppies get bored easily and switching the toys around makes them seem new and exciting. Teething puppies love chew toys and all dogs love a sterilized beef bone with peanut butter stuffed in the middle. They can spend hours trying to clean it all out.
Dogs learn quickly when their behavior is associated with a reward. Behavior that doesn’t result in a reward often disappears when there’s nothing in it for them. It’s normal for many puppies to bark, whine, howl or throw tantrums when first being crate-trained. If you let your puppy out of the crate while he’s upset, you’ll be rewarding him for bad behavior. The next time he’s supposed to go in his crate, he’ll cry and bark again because that’s what got him out the last time.
For many puppies, just ignoring their complaints is enough to make them stop. If it doesn’t get them anywhere, they soon give it up and find something better to do like sleep or play with a toy. Stubborn puppies might need a harsh-sounding “No!” and a rap on the top of the crate to help them get over their tantrums. Whatever you do, don’t take him out of the crate until he’s quieted down.
I’ve got an adult dog that’s never been in a crate before. Is it too late to train her?
No, it’s never too late! Older dogs can often learn faster than puppies. At first let her smell and investigate the crate with the door open. Feed her meals in it and have her jump in and out of it for treats. Just as you would with a puppy, you should make the crate a comfortable place to be and keep crating periods short in the beginning. Once accustomed to them, many dogs enjoy spending time in the crates even when they don’t have to. Crates are a favorite place to retreat with a new toy or get some relief from a rambunctious puppy or child. There are several crates around my house and at any given time, you can find dogs napping in them, the doors standing wide open. They even argue about who gets to use certain crates. Would they react this way to something they thought of as a cage? Not hardly!
Some people say that using a crate for discipline makes the dog afraid of the crate, but others recommend the crate for this purpose. Who is right?
A crate or dog cage can be a wonderful training tool when used correctly. Used incorrectly, or over used, it can be an instrument of fear and torture. Every dog, especially new puppies, should have a crate. Dogs are descended from wild canines that used dens for shelter. Most wild canines dig the den, a small, cozy, and safe haven to sleep and rear puppies. In our homes, domesticated dogs appreciate such a haven or den that should become the dog’s ‘room,’ a refuge where the dog can rest and feel safe.
A crate is probably one’s best tool when it comes to the discipline of housetraining. The “discipline” aspect comes from a dog’s innate urges not to urinate or defecate in its den or bed. Even young puppies prefer to move as far away from their sleeping quarters as possible to relieve themselves. Usually, a puppy or dog who has an elimination accident in his crate was sick or couldn’t wait any longer.
Crating a puppy or dog over night, or when the family is away during the day, also administers a passive form of discipline by preventing an energetic, curious dog from chewing up human belongings or electric cords. A crate keeps the dog safe, and out of trouble and is handy at times when it is necessary to have repairmen in or during holidays when the house is full of company.
Bad crate discipline occurs when the crate is over used, or misused. Yes, a crate does get the dog out of the way occasionally, but some people misuse it to get the dog out of the way, most of the time. One study about dog surrenders to shelters found that dogs crated for long periods were more at risk for surrender because people used the crate to put the dog “out of sight, out of mind.” Crating a dog for eight hours overnight or while you are at work is not cruel, especially if the dog is taken for a long walk or jog prior to crating. People who continuously crate a dog for longer periods should question why they wanted a dog in the first place.
It is common to punish a human child by sending him to his room. Dogs are not children in fur coats, and this method is futile in teaching Fido a lesson. An all too common scenario is:
1. Fido chews up a shoe (messes in the house, digs a hole, or commits some other serious transgression).
2. Owner yells “no,” grabs the dog, and puts him in his crate.
Let’s analyse this from Fido’s point of view. Whether caught in the act or punished minutes or hours later, Fido was probably not aware that the act he was committing was that horrible in human terms. He understands only that his owners are upset and that he came when he was called only to be punished for something he didn’t even know was bad.
When disciplining a dog for committing bad behavior, it is important to catch him in the act of doing the deed. Dogs live in the moment and do not associate something they did five minutes or a half hour ago with the present. Often, an owner finds the mess and punishes the dog, not knowing whether the ‘sin’ was committed five minutes, a half hour, or longer ago. All the dog associates with being called over, punished, then shoved in a crate is that, “I came, I got punished for it, and I certainly won’t make the mistake of coming when called again.” He also learns that the crate is a negative, scary place.
Used for the discipline of keeping the dog safe until trustworthy, and housebreaking, a crate is a wonderful training tool. Used inappropriately, it can cause distress and hamper training progress. Used correctly, it may look like a crate to you, but to a dog, it’s his private room.
Some hints for crate use:
- When telling the dog to go into his crate, use a command such as “kennel.”
- To get the dog accustomed to staying in the crate, give him meals or treats in the crate with the door open.
- Put some washable bedding and a toy in the crate for comfort.
- When using the crate for discipline or to interrupt unacceptable behavior patterns, limit the “sentance” to 10-15 minutes.
- If the pup or dog soils the crate, don’t scold. Instead, make arrangements so he’s not left alone for such long periods.
The crate is a multi-purpose piece of dog paraphernelia. It can be used for:
Housetraining
Simply take the pup outside after each nap or meal. Do not play with him until he has done his business. If he hasn’t relieved himself in about 10 minutes, take him back inside and put him in the crate. Repeat the routine in 10-15 minutes. Remember, no play until the pup does hid business and lots of praise when he gets the idea.
Protection from excited toddlers.
Children need to learn that the pup needs some quiet time. A blanket over a wire crate will help a child understand that it’s time for Ranger to rest.
Playpen for puppies when you’re not home.
If you need to take the kids to school or go to the shop, the pup that’s crated will not chew the furniture or wet the carpet while you’re gone. If he has already wet the carpet or chewed the furnitue, you can put him in the crate and issue a stern warning that there’ll be no more of that going on.
Sanctuary for the over-excited pup.
Don’t let Rambo run amok through the house, terrorising the cat, the kids, and the furniture, and don’t feel guilty about restricting his freedom. Sending the pup to his crate is somewhat akin to sending a child to his room: he feels comfortable there and he knows you are angry, and you have a chance to recover from his outburst.
After the pup is housebroken, leave the crate open during the day. You’ll find that the pup will nap in the crate by choice. You can continue to put the pup in the crate when you’ll be away from the house as long as you don’t leave puppies and young dogs confined too long and make sure they have plenty of exercise when you are home. People often cringe at the thought of putting their beloved Star in a box or cage. They think confinement is cruel. After all, people don’t want to be enclosed in a space they can barely turn around in. But puppies aren’t people. Their wolf ancestors found comfort, safety, and shelter in their dens, and modern dogs find solace and satisfaction in their own space as well.