Slowly introduce your dog to his crate. Begin by placing the crate in the area in which you want to keep your dog. Make the crate comfortable with his favorite blanket or pillow. Do not put newspaper inside the crate if you are paper training, this would encourage him to soil his room. If you encounter difficulty with the dog chewing his bedding, leave it out of the crate. Provide the dog with an alternative by tossing a chew toy inside, such as a Gumabone® or Nylafloss®. Do not close the dog up inside the crate immediately. Leave the crate door open during the day so that the dog can go in and out of the crate at his leisure. The first few feedings, place this food and water bowl just in front of the door. Then gradually move the dishes inside the crate.
When the dog is comfortable walking in and out of the crate, begin to close the door while he eats and then immediately let him out once he has finished. Do not make a big deal about entering or leaving the crate. If you praise the dog for being good in the crate as you let him out, he will only anticipate leaving, and will long to exit in order to receive your affection.
Leave a radio or TV on while you are gone during the day. The sound of music or human voices will help comfort the dog while you are away. If the dog begins to bark continuously, do not release him from the crate. Stick to the schedule. Try ignoring the whining. When he realizes you are not affected by it he will usually stop. If you have no such luck, try using a shake can along with the verbal correction ”no.” This will usually startle the dog and stop the barking.
Any mistakes that are made in the crate will need to be cleaned up immediately. After the crate has been cleaned, wipe the floor of the crate down with an odor neutralizer. This will help prevent the dog from repeating the mistake.
