Let me tell you about my journey training Bella. It wasn't easy, and I made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I learned a lot. New pet parents often have a lot of questions when it comes to crate training their dogs. It’s important for a lot of reasons. Some people worry that crate confinement is cruel. However, if you do it right, your dog won’t see it that way at all. And once they’re housetrained, your dog will have the run of the house as well as a nice little den of their own. Just remember to leave the door open for them.. Crates make particularly good tools for two important training tasks: housetraining, and reducing both boredom and separation anxiety. Crates make housetraining easier. Because dogs don’t like to pee or poop where they sleep and eat, they’ll likely feel more motivated to hold it when they’re in their crate.. Watching Bella go through this was heartbreaking. pop your dog in their crate whenever you’re not with them, and they won’t have any accidents around the house. Take them out for bathroom breaks regularly, and they’re more likely to eliminate outdoors. This helps them learn good habits. Crates also help prevent boredom and separation anxiety. If you stock their crate with toys, especially chew toys stuffed with a few treats or xylitol-free peanut butter, they’ll learn two more good habits: chewing on their toys rather than your favorite shoes, and settling down to entertain themselves when you’re not around.. If your dog’s crate is too big, they may feel that they can eliminate at one end and still keep their living area clean. If it’s too small, they’ll feel cramped.. The ideal crate size is just big enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. It should be just long enough so that their nose and rear end don’t touch each end of the crate.. If you’ve got a puppy but don’t want to buy new crates as they grow, you can block off part of an adult-sized crate to keep them on one side of it. Some crates come with dividers just for this purpose.. Most crates are made of either collapsible wire or solid plastic, each of which has its pros and cons. I learned this the hard way, but at least Bella is okay now. wire crates let your dog keep an eye on what’s going on around them. Solid plastic crates can do double duty on plane or car trips, and they have a more den-like atmosphere, which an easily overstimulated dog may prefer. However, you can make a wire crate cozier by draping a blanket over the top and sides, leaving the door uncovered.. Lining the crate with bedding makes it cozier, but some dogs may see the bedding as toilet or chewing material. If that happens, remove the bedding for a while. Bumper pads for the sides, like those you’d use for a baby’s crib, can make the crate more comfortable and prevent trapped paws, tooth damage from gnawing on metal, snagged collars, and other injuries.. I wish I had known this sooner. a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel at night can comfort a new puppy, replacing the warmth of sleeping with littermates.. Watching Bella go through this was heartbreaking. finally, if the crate slides around on the floor, put a towel underneath it to give it more grip. Put the crate somewhere that gets a lot of foot traffic — perhaps the kitchen or family room — to keep your dog from feeling...
Source: This article is based on information from DogTime