Does your puppy hate their crate? In the video below, I break down exactly how to get your pup to LOVE their crate.
Step 1: Make sure you’re doing ALL fun things in the crate
Give them puzzle toys, dog-friendly Peanut Butter stuffed in a Kong (and frozen so it takes longer for them to get through), and all FUN things while leaving the crate door OPEN when you’re home. This will help break the association between crate meaning YOU leaving.
I think a lot of people do give fun things when they LEAVE in the crate, but not when they’re also HOME so that’s the main difference.
Step 2: Toss Treats into the crate with the door open
Don’t even touch the door- this will worry your pup and they won’t want to go in. You’re just going to toss treats into the crate, and let them run back out to help regain trust with you and the crate.
Step 3: Toss Treats into the crate and play around with the door
Don’t FULLY close the door yet, you’re just going to gently play around with it.
Step 4: Start using the cue “Crate”
Add the word CRATE. Give your pup a few seconds to go in, if they don’t toss a treat in, and then click/reward again in the crate.
Step 5: Have your pup go into the crate close, and reopen
In the next steps, you’re going to slowly increase the duration they’re in, and eventually be able to leave the room and come back. If you want a walk-thru of this, you can download my free “I Love My Crate” protocol.
Another one of my favorite options for training:
Use the Treat & Train automatic treat dispenser. Any time your pup is quiet, you click and dispense the treat. If you do get one, just make sure that you desensitize the noise of the treat & train before you begin using it or you might scare them more. I love the treat & train because you can train without you being in the room.
Be sure to download my “I Love My Crate” protocol – this is an awesome freebie it’s actually part of my puppy pre-school course. You can have a printed PDF version of how to train this step by step.
If you want to dive deeper into training, be sure to register for my free on-demand webinar: 5 Biggest Training Mistakes Pup Parents Make, and How to Avoid Them.