If you want to give your dog a place for some privacy, you may want to provide him or her with a crate. It is like his den if he were in the wild. But this takes some training and it takes time. Here are a few tips to do it right.
- Getting him used to the crate.
The first thing you want to do is make the crate comfortable for the dog. You can do this by putting a soft towel or blanket in the crate. Leave the door to the crate open. Let your pet explore the crate on his own for a few days to get used to it.
You can also sit by the crate and talk to the dog. Then you can use treats to get the animal acclimated further to the crate. First, put the treats just outside the crate, then just by the door, then just inside the crate. If your pet doesn’t respond to food, you can try a favorite toy.
It is important to remember that you should never force the animal into the crate. If he or she is not responding, go back to the last step and begin from there. This process can take some time until the animal feels comfortable with the crate, so be patient.
- Closing the door.
After the dog has reached a point where he goes into and out of the crate on his own and feels comfortable with it, you can begin to close the door for just a few moments, while at the same time giving your dog praise and a treat. Then you can gradually expand the time that you keep the door closed.
- Feeding inside the
At this point, you can begin giving the dog his meals inside the crate. After the dog has entered the crate, close the door behind him, then open it again when he is finished. Gradually, you can extend the time between when he finishes his meal and you open the door.
- Leaving the room.
The next step is leaving the animal alone inside the crate. After the dog is inside, in a calm and friendly voice, tell your pet that you will be right back, and leave the room for just a few moments. When you come back, offer lots of praise and some treats.
Gradually, increase the time that you are out of the room, allowing the dog to get used to your absence while being in the crate. Try to get to the point where you can be away for about an hour.
Reward your dog for his great crate training skills with an afternoon running here at Barney’s Ranch running around in 4,000-square-foot dog run.
Give us a call at (469) 273-1661 for more information about our overnight and day boarding services.