Crate Training
(This stage can usually start as young as 14-16 weeks old. Most puppies bladder is able to hold it all night at this age)
Step 2: The Move into the Crate
After your puppy has been sleeping in the Paper & Bedding setup (like the bathtub), When you see that the paper is dry about 3 mornings in a row, that's when you know that your puppy's bladder is able to hold it all night, and can begin introducing the crate.
We recommend going ahead & crate training your dog so that he/she is comfortable being in a crate whenever it may be needed throughout those many years down the road. Many families choose to have their dog sleep in a crate at night, while others may decide to designate a bed for their beagle, or a spot in their own bed! (Already home-trained, Our Grace is happy to do all 3 of these options)
Whatever your plan may be, its nice to know that your dog is happy to go in their crate on your command, especially if a friend comes over with her newborn baby crawling around on your carpet, or grandma with her cane, perhaps you're traveling, etc, so its always handy to have the option to secure your beloved pet & know that they are perfectly content to be in there, their own little space to relax.
Over the years we have developed best method to Introduce the Crate is to..
We suggest always going out the same door & using the same area so that eventually he will begin to go to that door to let you know when he needs to go out. One customer who had us board their dog asked to place a ribbon on our doorknob with a bell attached to the end of it. They had trained her to ring the bell with her paw when she wanted to go out! They started out by placing her paw on the bell every time they took her outside, so she learned to do this when she wanted to go out. Many other customers have written to tell us this worked for them too!
It's also nice to teach your dog a command to get into his/her crate. Whenever we say "Get in yo bed" Grace goes right to her crate and gets in, tail a waggin! It makes it so much easier, especially on the dewy mornings when you want your beagle to come in and go straight into the crate for his/her paws to dry before being loose in the house. We would simply always say Get in your bed to Grace when she came in from outside, and have a treat waiting for her in her crate, or throw one in. This gave her positive motivation as she heard the words, and willingly went into the crate herself while hearing them. Now she doesn't need a treat each time she goes in, but she knows Get in your bed means we want her to go to her crate, and does so willingly. (and mom still tosses one in every once in awhile to let her know we are still impressed by & appreciative of her good behavior!)
Crate training is always a good idea. If you need to leave him unattended for a short while, you can crate him and not have to worry about his safety while you are gone. A crate can be a secure den that your dog will enjoy sleeping in, and feel safe in.
After your puppy has been sleeping in the Paper & Bedding setup (like the bathtub), When you see that the paper is dry about 3 mornings in a row, that's when you know that your puppy's bladder is able to hold it all night, and can begin introducing the crate.
We recommend going ahead & crate training your dog so that he/she is comfortable being in a crate whenever it may be needed throughout those many years down the road. Many families choose to have their dog sleep in a crate at night, while others may decide to designate a bed for their beagle, or a spot in their own bed! (Already home-trained, Our Grace is happy to do all 3 of these options)
Whatever your plan may be, its nice to know that your dog is happy to go in their crate on your command, especially if a friend comes over with her newborn baby crawling around on your carpet, or grandma with her cane, perhaps you're traveling, etc, so its always handy to have the option to secure your beloved pet & know that they are perfectly content to be in there, their own little space to relax.
Over the years we have developed best method to Introduce the Crate is to..
- Begin with the crate's door taken off, and put it in a confined area, such as a big playpen, the bathroom floor, laundry room, or kitchen with a child gate & some paper outside of the crate. (If your tub seems big enough for that crate, you could even put it in the tub replacing where the bed was for that first night in the new arrangement, if he/she seems to like that idea much better.)
- Starting with the door off is a good way to introduce the idea of liking this little den to your puppy, as he most likely thinks to himself "hmm, its still my same comfy bed, that I can choose to go lay on, but now there's just something surrounding it, okay". It also helps keep you from accidently letting your puppy make the mistake of going hurry-up in the crate those first nights if he or she feels they aren't quite ready to hold it, but have no other choice according this new setup!
- Still give the option of newspaper by placing some outside of the crate on your vinyl floor, that way they don't feel like everything has completely changed & they still have the option to go use the paper if needed that first little while.
- Keep in mind to Never put newspaper inside the crate!
They have learned that paper is okay to go on, and you don't want to confuse your puppy and start the habit of thinking it is okay to pee inside the crate, which is made for comfy resting.
- After a few nights in this new setup, we suggest sneaking in after he's asleep and closing the crate door. This makes for an even easier transition for puppy, as he's already been gettin used to sleeping in the crate, now there's just another step to security.
- Wake up early the next morning and immediately take the puppy outside to an area you've already established as being okay for 'hurry up'. Because you know he's going to need to go right away (having just woken up), walk slowly around the area; as he follows your feet he will pass over an area where he has previously gone and be triggered by the scent to go again.
- As the puppy squats to go, use a happy praise voice and say "good hurry up" several times. ("hurry-up" is just our word of choice)
He is learning "hurry up" means go to the bathroom, which makes traveling and walks much easier.
We suggest always going out the same door & using the same area so that eventually he will begin to go to that door to let you know when he needs to go out. One customer who had us board their dog asked to place a ribbon on our doorknob with a bell attached to the end of it. They had trained her to ring the bell with her paw when she wanted to go out! They started out by placing her paw on the bell every time they took her outside, so she learned to do this when she wanted to go out. Many other customers have written to tell us this worked for them too!
It's also nice to teach your dog a command to get into his/her crate. Whenever we say "Get in yo bed" Grace goes right to her crate and gets in, tail a waggin! It makes it so much easier, especially on the dewy mornings when you want your beagle to come in and go straight into the crate for his/her paws to dry before being loose in the house. We would simply always say Get in your bed to Grace when she came in from outside, and have a treat waiting for her in her crate, or throw one in. This gave her positive motivation as she heard the words, and willingly went into the crate herself while hearing them. Now she doesn't need a treat each time she goes in, but she knows Get in your bed means we want her to go to her crate, and does so willingly. (and mom still tosses one in every once in awhile to let her know we are still impressed by & appreciative of her good behavior!)
Crate training is always a good idea. If you need to leave him unattended for a short while, you can crate him and not have to worry about his safety while you are gone. A crate can be a secure den that your dog will enjoy sleeping in, and feel safe in.