PUPPY CRATE TRAINING PROBLEMS – DOG POOPS IN HIS CRATE
What is Puppy Crate Training? Dogs are den-dwelling animals. That means they instinctively create lairs for themselves in order to feel safe. The rationale behind puppy crate training is that if we create a similar environment (like a lair) for puppies, they will see it as a safe place to go – as opposed to a place of punishment.
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR PUPPY CRATE TRAINING GUIDE
Why Do We Need Puppy Crate Training? Puppy crate training serves multiple purposes. One purpose is to teach your puppy his place in the home. By recreating a lair environment, the puppy associates the crate with a safe place to dwell. The second purpose is to train your puppy to know that his crate is a place to sleep, not poop. The third purpose is to keep your dog and your house protected when you’re away from home. By keeping your puppy in his crate until he is house proofed, you’ll avoid mishaps such as a chewed up pair of your favorite shoes or dog poop in the house. Puppy Crate Training Problems A common puppy crate training problem I hear is that the dog often associates punishment with going into the crate, so pet owners have difficulty coaxing their dog into their kennel. Never force your dog into his kennel. Your dog will see this as punishment and will be fearful of going into his kennel. Make a positive association with him going into the kennel – like providing a few treats or his favorite toys. Gently Coax Him In To His Kennel Gently coax him into his kennel and praise him lavishly for going in. Also, don’t close and lock the door to the kennel once he goes into his kennel. For the first several times, you want him to freely go into his kennel and not be afraid that he will be locked in as if he’s in jail. Once he is comfortable going in of his own volition (after coaxing him), then you can start to lock the door to the kennel (all the while praising him of course). What To Do When Puppy Poops in Crate Another common problem I hear from dog owners is that despite their best efforts, their puppies are still pooping in their crates. How do you deal with that issue and what puppy crate training techniques can you use to solve this problem? First, it’s best not to get puppies that are under the age of between 8-10 weeks old as they have very little bladder control. Build an Outdoor Kennel Run on Grass By building a kennel on grass or pea gravel, your dog will be re-conditioned to eliminate on this type of floor instead of on the floor of his crate. Once the dog is accustomed to eliminating on grass, then when it’s time to take him outside, he will instinctively know to poop and urinate on the grass. Make sure you give him lots of praise when he does. Get Your Puppy on a Schedule Part of puppy crate training is getting your puppy on a regular feeding schedule. This is crucial. Puppies usually need to go potty within minutes of having eaten. Stay alert after he has finished eating. The minute you see him sniffing around or pacing, scoop him up and take him outside. If He Takes Too Long to Poop… Sometimes it takes a puppy a little bit longer to poop after he’s just finished eating. What you can do is play with him for about 10-15 minutes. Jumping and playing will stimulate bowel movement. Last But Not Least If you build an outdoor kennel or if you have a yard that’s securely fenced in so that your puppy can’t escape, then let him have more play time outside of his crate. But more importantly, make sure to have him supervised in the house or out in his kennel. Use an Enzyme Cleaner If you want to get rid of urine or feces smell, I recommend using Nature’s Miracle to eliminate all traces of feces and urine. If your puppy smells his own urine, he will most likely come back and poop again in that area. By using these suggestions, puppy crate training is an easier task to manage than you think. |
