If you would like to discover how to crate train a dog for potty training, keep reading as I have some insight tips to share with you! You have to be mindful on some “things” when crate training your dog as the trick is not always getting him to go in to the crate.
It’s true that the ultimate goal for crate training is to make your dog stays in his crate. But prior that, you would have to consider how to make your dog “like” his den (crate), is the crate comfortable for him (too small or too big in size), does he had any past poor experience with crating, how would you going to train him on potty while he is in the crate?
If your dog has an accident in his crate, you need to attend to it immediately. If you let it go until he have forgotten about it, it may be too late to correct him as he won’t be able to relate why he is being “punish” for?
You will need to coax him to go in the crate. Sometimes I will try to take a treat and place it into the crate so that he will go in to get the treat. Take the treat out of the crate after a short while.
It is important not to reward him each time he goes inside the crate. Do it only during the initial crate training. If you reward him each time he goes in to the crate, he would stop going in once you stop the treat. Certainly you would want your dog to go in and out of the crate on his own, not by using treat as a lure.
The key to crate training is to let your dog get used to it. You have to observe his behavior while he is inside the crate. If you let him out when he is crying, whining or barking, you are essentially rewarding him for crying. Always wait until he stops crying before letting him out. Also, never force your puppy inside the crate. If he makes a fuss, only open the door when he is going to be quiet for a couple of minutes.
You would need to “prepare “him for the crate. Your goal is for your dog to view his crate as a place of security. The crate will become his den and he will never want to leave. It is important to leave him in the crate for only a short time and not to often.
When you first place him in the crate, make sure it is appropriately big for him. The crate should be big enough for him to stand up and turn around but not too big in a way that he can allocated one end of the crate for his pee and poo. Does this makes sense?
Once outside, your dog may do what he normally do, which is circling around, sniffing here and there. This is to “look” for his last potty spot (dog had an amazing scent of smell and is able to find his last potty area from his urine smell).
When you finally giving him a treat after he had done his “business”, it helps to create an association. It is a reward that came along with doing a certain task (which is potty) and now he knows what he is supposed to do to get the reward.
What you must NEVER do is punish your dog for going to the bathroom in the house. And in the instance of him having an accident in the house, you must tell him “NO” and then take him outside. You MUST be patient with him.
Some puppies will learn within a week what is expected of them. When your puppy is being fully crate trained, he will know how and where to do his potty. Understand that a young puppy will have a very small bladder and cannot hold his urine for very long periods of time, you would need to schedule more frequent potty time for him (if he is less than 4 weeks old). As such, every two to four hours you should take him out to eliminate.
You should take your puppy out in the morning after waking up, after eating or drinking, after playing or training and also right before bedtime for his potty. Bring him to the potty area, let him sniff around and then encourage him to eliminate. When he does so, you must instantly reward him with positive reinforcement and possibly a treat. (I would suggest a small, yummy treat and lots of hugs and kisses. That is very important.)
Crate training your dog provides the channel for you to better known your dog, communicating with him, and teaching him what you want or don’t want him to do. When done correctly, you are creating a trust and affection that is unique between your pet and you. It is amazing to watch the difference in a dog that has proper crate training. Their personalities are bolder, more confident and happy.
Training is not always a smooth ride. You are not the only one who’s been frustrated. Sometimes your dog who couldn’t understand what you are requesting him to do is equally angry and frustrated.
You must establish yourself as the leader of the pack with clear commands. When your dog is finally able to follow your command and complete his crate training without making any mistake, you can proceed with more advanced training for him.