Crate training a pet can be very difficult since your pet will think that they are being trapped. It can be hard to crate train your puppy, but I have talked to several dog owners and I have concluded the best way to crate train your puppy.
To crate train a puppy, the owner should give the puppy a treat after they have gone in the crate to reinforce the good behavior. At first, the owner is going to have to take the dog to the crate and put them in, but with time, the dog should go in the crate of their own accord.
There are a lot of things you should do to crate-train your puppy. It can be overwhelming when you first start, but you have got this. Read on to learn the best techniques and ways to avoid messy situations.
What kind of Crate Should You Get?
When you live in an apartment building, you live in small quarters, so you may not have room for a very large crate. This can pose a problem. The smaller the crate, the more claustrophobic your dog will likely be. This will take more time to convince your pet that they are safe within the cage.
You want to get the biggest cage that you can get without disrupting your living space. When you cage train your dog, you want the cage to be in your living space. This means that you are going to have to live with it. Therefore, you are going to need to find one that doesn't completely cover your living room but is large enough that your dog will be comfortable while laying inside.
The best thing to do is to measure out the space you want your dog crate to be. You can then search for well-priced crates that are strong, durable, and fit the measurements you took.
Where Should a Puppy Crate be in an Apartment?
You want your dog's crate to be in a place you spend a lot of time in. It might be nice to think of keeping the crate in the kitchen, where messes are easier to clean up, but if you don't spend a lot of time in the kitchen then it is a bad place to put the crate.
The entire point of crate training is to convince your pet that the crate is a great place to stay in. They should feel comfortable in the crate so you can travel with them in the crate without any difficulty. They are not going to feel comfortable in the crate if you are not showing them that it is a normal and comfortable place to be in. The best way to show that is in a place that is associated with peace calm and normality.
For most families, the living room is going to be the best place to keep the crate in.
How Do You Train a Puppy in an Apartment?
Crate training a puppy in an apartment is not very different from crate training a puppy in a regular house. The main difference is convenience, but there is still only one trick that works the best for crate training a pet, and that is to live with the crate.
When you are crate training a puppy, you want the crate to be in a room you stay in regularly so that whenever you see the puppy go in the crate, you can easily give them a treat or give them positive reinforcement. When you first start out, though, your pet will not go into the crate willingly. Crates are scary looking and unfamiliar to dogs, so they will not go in on their own accord. To fight this fear, put them in the crate and give them a treat. Don't leave them alone while they are in the crate until they get used to it.
Another way to help adjust your furry friend is to play with them while they are in the crate. This will bring fond and pleasant memories associated with the crate and make it less ominous. Use positive tones and act happy when they are using the crate to make them think of the crate as a good thing.
You also want to put your pet in the crate when it is time to go to bed. Make sure that they have their favorite toy and give them a treat before bed and after they wake up to reward them for staying in the crate. Put their favorite blanket inside the crate as well. These tricks should help your pup to adjust.
Where Should your Puppy Sleep while Crate Training?
Your dog should really sleep in the crate when it first starts crate training. The end goal is for the puppy to sleep in the crate all of the time, so it is important to get this habit started as early as possible.
You also want to make the crate as positive as possible. If you could talk to your pet and tell them you love them before leaving them for the night, that could help make them feel calmer while learning to sleep in the crate for the first night.
Also, make sure they have access to water. If they feel like they cannot get their basic needs met when they first start sleeping in the crate, they will likely not want to sleep in it again. They will be afraid of dehydration, which will cause many late-night battles.
If your pet has any favorite toys, put them in the crate with your dog. These toys will make them feel safe and comfortable. They can distract themselves with their toys if they are awake for longer than you are.
Also, the crate will be your pet's bed, so make sure it is comfy. Add in a few blankets and pillows you don't use anymore and make sure that it is soft for your furry friend. Just because they are a dog does not mean that their comfort does not matter.
Cindy is a prolific writer and online researcher who can't imagine life without dogs. There is scarcely a dog topic she has not researched or written about. Her love for dogs and helping dog parents is evident by the thousands of dogtemperament.com visitors who read her articles monthly. Most of all, each topic Cindy writes on helps forge a stronger bond and understanding between her and her happy Catahoula Leopard Dog Jossie.