How to Crate Train Your Puppy

Crate training is a great way to give your puppy their own space, while establishing house rules for your pet.

Getting a puppy is an exciting time in anyone’s life. Not only are they adorable. But you will always have someone to greet you when you come home. And you can build a long friendship with your new furry companion.

After bringing your puppy home, you might realize that it’s going to be a little more work than you thought. Your pup may tinkle on the rug, chew your favorite pair of shoes, or even steal the delicious roast you cooked for dinner!

You may ask, “How will I ever survive training this puppy?” Teaching your puppy to use a crate can be a very successful training technique to help you maintain your sanity (and your dog’s), while beginning your journey with your new puppy.

Below, Blain’s Farm & Fleet has listed 10 starter steps to help you crate train your puppy.

1. Select the Right Crate

When you start crate training, you’ll find that dog crates come in different sizes and materials. Most indoor crates or kennels are wire or plastic.

A wire crate allows the dog to see all of its surroundings and is good for socialization. A plastic (or covered) crate serves more as a den and plays on your pup’s natural instincts.

Whichever type you choose, your dog will view its crate as a place of comfort, safety, and relaxation.

Size is going to depend on how much your dog weighs. Most crates are rated up to a certain number of pounds. A dog just needs enough space to stand up, turn around, and lay back down.

When potty and crate training, you want to make sure you don’t give your puppy any extra room. This is because a dog will not urinate where it sleeps.

Some dog crates come with dividers, so you can adjust the space your dog has as they grow.

2. Introduce Your Puppy to Their Crate

Start crate training by putting a towel or blanket in the crate, so the puppy will have something to cuddle. Fake furs and fake lamb’s wool also work well for crate training. If the kennel is big enough, you can even put in a dog bed.

A good tip is to sleep with the towel or blanket before bringing your puppy home. This allows your scent to absorb into the material. Most puppies find it calming. Watch for chewing behaviors as you do not want the puppy to ingest the material fibers.

Then, let your puppy explore their crate by having them wander in and out with the door open.

Encourage positive association by placing treats in the crate, and praise them when they go inside. You don’t want your puppy to become scared of their crate or associate it with any sort of negative feelings.

At this point, you should also start training them with a command word or phrase to get them to go into their crate. Crate training commands may include “Kennel,” “In your house,” or “In your crate.”

3. Start by Using the Crate While You’re Home

When you begin crate training, the crate should be within your view. If you place a crate in a completely secluded area, the puppy can get anxious and associate it with social isolation.

Start by locking your pup up for 20-30 minutes at a time while you do housework or cook. Make sure the puppy can see or hear you. This way, they won’t link being in their crate with you leaving them. Otherwise, they could develop separation anxiety.

Slowly build the puppy’s crate time over a period of time.

When potty training, a good rule of thumb is to only leave a puppy for one hour per the number of months they are.

For example, you should let out a two month old puppy every two hours. You should let a four month old puppy out every four hours.

4. Try Using the Crate When You Leave

It’s a good idea to start by running small errands and only leave for 30 minutes to an hour. Give your puppy their command, praise them, and give them a treat. Then, shut the door, and leave.

Do not make a big deal out of it if they start to whine or bark. In a calm voice, simply say “No” and leave. When you return, praise your puppy and let them outside to go potty.

By keeping the time short when you are away from home, you train the dog that you will always come back. This prevents anxiety or separation issues.

A quiet radio or a TV on low may help calm your puppy while they’re alone. You can build up leaving for longer periods of time over time.

5. Crate Your Puppy at Night

Having a dog sleep in your bed may sound warm and cozy. But it may not be the best idea until your dog is older and can be completely trusted.

When you’re crate training, move the crate into your bedroom. The puppy will be comforted and actually sleep if they know you are there.

Also, if you put the crate into another room or in another area of your home, you may not be able to hear the puppy whine if they have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. As the puppy grows, you can move the crate to a more desirable area.

We also suggest removing any toys from the crate at night. Most toys have squeakers in them, and that can make for a terrible night’s rest!

6. DO NOT Use the Crate for Punishment

Never yell or get mad at your dog and punish them by telling them to go in their kennel. Crates should only be associated with safety and positive reinforcement.

If you are angry at your dog, they might decide to hide out in their crate, and that is fine.

Never go to the crate and yell at your dog while they are inside or try to pull them out. Your puppy has taken a “time out” on their own, and that is enough.

7. Be Careful Using Toys

This depends on the dog. If your dog has a habit of tearing their toys to shreds, don’t leave toys in the kennel.

You should take away and dispose of any toys your puppy destroys immediately to prevent choking or the digestion of fibers.

Most dogs grow out of this stage. But it’s usually not a good idea to leave play things in a puppy’s crate unsupervised.

8. Crate Your Puppy While You’re Gone

As your puppy ages and matures, it is up to you whether you leave them in a crate throughout the night and while you’re gone. Crate training can help prevent accidents and keep your dog out of trouble.

If crate training is done correctly, a dog will view the crate as a safe space. It will keep them calmer than roaming a house when nobody is home. You will find most dogs that are left to roam will choose to retreat to their crates anyway.

9. Provide Food and Water as Needed

Along with crate training, you can train dogs to eat twice daily. Therefore, it is not necessary to leave a food bowl in your dog’s crate.

However, if your dog is going to be crated longer periods of time, a water bowl should be provided.

10. Don’t Leave Your Dog in the Crate for Too Long

Many dog owners have full time jobs and need to leave their dogs during work hours. Crate training is a great way to make sure your dog is comfortable with being in a crate while you’re away.

However, no matter the breed, size, and age, no dog should be left in a crate for more than eight hours at a time.

If your work schedule doesn’t allow you to let your dog out in eight hours or less, there are dog sitters, doggie day care, and dog walkers that can lend a helping hand.

With these tips, your puppy will be crate trained in no time.

For more dog tips and tricks, check out our Dog Blog.