Kennel Training a Puppy

Crate training or kennel training a puppy is an effective way of puppy potty training. The kennel helps in confining your puppy to a limited area and keep him in control when you are not around. Many dogs and puppies are easy to kennel train, as it helps in fulfilling their need for a den-like enclosure. Dogs do not soil the area they sleep in and therefore kennel training a puppy helps it learn to control its bladder. It also makes him understand the need to eliminate in the proper allotted area or bathroom. In this article, you shall learn some tips for kennel training a puppy.

Advantages of Kennel Training a Puppy

There are many advantages of kennel training a puppy. Kennel training is not only an effective way of house training a puppy, but also helps in dog obedience and training. Kennel training helps in reducing separation anxiety in dogs and prevents bad dog behavior like chewing furniture, papers, etc. It also helps in keeping the puppy safe from dangerous items like electrical wire, poisons, etc. Once a puppy is kennel trained, its kennel can also serve as a travel cabin for the dog. This will make it easy for you to take your puppy along with you on trips. As the puppy grows, the crate becomes his little retreat zone or rest zone, that provides him with a bit of comfort. You should always keep in mind that kennel training is not a punishment tool, rather an effective dog training tool.

Preparing the Kennel for Your Puppy

When you bring in the kennel for training your puppy, you need to make it comfortable for your little pup. You should place a soft towel or blanket inside the crate. This will make a soft and comfy bed for your puppy. Many times, some puppies prefer sleeping on the hard floor and may push the bedding to one side. You should remove the bedding in this case. If the puppy eliminates on the bedding, remove the bedding from his kennel, until the puppy stops messing up his crate. You can read more on how to housebreak a puppy.

You need to place some of the favorite toys of your puppy along with some tempting dog treats inside the kennel. Make sure the toy is large enough and cannot be swallowed. Place a small water dispenser or bottle within the kennel, if your dog is supposed to stay there for more than 2 hours. Place the kennel in an area where the puppy is able to observe the family. Choose the hallway, living room or kitchen to place the kennel, as you do not want your puppy to feel isolated or left out. You should try to make kennel training a puppy a pleasurable experience for the puppy.

Tips for Kennel Training a Puppy

You need to follow some steps that will help in successfully kennel training a puppy. You can follow the tips for kennel training a puppy in the following paragraphs.

Introducing a Puppy to a Kennel
When you begin with kennel training a puppy, you need to first introduce your puppy to the kennel or crate. This step should be a very positive experience for the puppy. You should place some toys and treat inside and allow your puppy to explore the kennel. Do not force him to enter the kennel. When he does go in on his own, shower him with verbal praises and you can also give him some dog treats. You need to keep the door of the kennel open, to allow the puppy to go in whenever he wishes to do so.

Confinement of Puppy in Kennel
Once your puppy gets used to going in and out of the kennel, you need to begin confining him within the kennel. You should throw in some dog treats inside the kennel and when the puppy goes inside, close the kennel door. Wait for about 1 minute or more, and then let him out. Gradually, increase the amount of time the dog remains in the crate. You need to do this while you are in the house. This will make the puppy feel more comfortable in being confined in a kennel for more than an hour or so.

As your puppy gets used to remaining confined in a kennel, you need to train him to get used to being left alone. You need to place the puppy in the kennel and step out of the house for 5 to 10 minutes. Gradually, increase the duration till you feel your puppy is comfortable staying confined when alone.

Kennel Training a Puppy at Night
When kennel training a puppy at night, you need to use a regular command and give your puppy some dog treats. You need to place the kennel in your bedroom or the nearby hallway. You should take the puppy outdoors for elimination every 1 hour at night before going to bed. Take your puppy to the same allotted spot for defecation and wait a few minutes for the dog to eliminate. If he does not, you should take him back inside and again confine him in the kennel. You should continue to do this till you are able to understand his bathroom schedule. You should feed your dog at the same time everyday and take him for these toilet breaks to the same place at the same time. This will help the puppy develop his own bathroom schedule. Soon, he will learn to hold his bladder and relieve himself outdoors, thus, making your motive of kennel training a puppy a success.

Dos and Don'ts of Kennel Training a Puppy
In order to make kennel training a puppy a pleasurable and successful experience, you need to follow some rules. Never ever use the kennel for punishing your puppy. The kennel is supposed to be a safe place for the puppy and he should not associate it with anything negative. If you place your puppy in a kennel as a punishment, he will begin to feel scared of it.

Secondly, never let your puppy out when he is whining and barking. You should let him out only when he is calm. If you let him out while he is barking or whining, he will only learn to do it more. This is because you have taught him that whining and crying gets him out of the kennel. This will only make kennel training a puppy at night worse and give you many sleepless nights.

Remove all collars and belts from your puppy's neck, as they may get stuck in the wire mesh. If you need to keep his identification collar on, then you can use a safety break away collar, just in case it gets stuck. Always make sure the puppy has eliminated before entering the kennel. Also, the kennel should neither be too large nor too small for the pup.

Kennel training a pup is not an easy task. You may have to face many accidents while you train your pup. Never punish your pup for these accidents. The pup will not be able to understand and will only associate kennel training with negative emotions. You should not confine your puppy in the crate for more than 3 to 4 hours. Make sure you take your puppy immediately for elimination outdoors, once you have allowed him out of the kennel, as he may not be able to control his bladder. This was some information on kennel training a puppy. Kennel training a puppy requires a lot of dog care, patience and perseverance from the owner. Do not expect miracles overnight. Give your puppy some time, he will surely get the hang of being confined in the kennel.