Kennel Training
When you bring a new puppy home to join your family the first thing you have to do is teach it how to behave properly so it doesn’t disrupt the household. Dog kennel training is a great way to train your dog quickly and with as little aggravation, for both of you, as possible.
What is a kennel? Well for training purposes a kennel, crate or cage are used interchangeably. Basically it’s a small, cozy and comfortable home for your dog while you are training or housebreaking her.
Some people think that kennel training is cruel, but if done correctly it actually can make your dog feel safe and secure.
Dogs by nature are ‘den dwellers’. They like to live in small secure den’s. Adding soft blankets, toys and a water bowl to their kennel will make them feel like it’s their home.
Here are a few steps to make kennel training a little easier on you and your dog:
1) Size matters. Make sure you get the right size kennel for your puppy. Take into account how big she’ll be when she’s full grown. A properly sized kennel will be big enough for your full grown dog to stand all the way up, turn around, and will have enough room for a nice bed and some toys.
2) Partition off unused portions while your puppy is still small. The trick to effective kennel training is to not allow the dog too much room. Dogs don’t like to soil their den, if you keep their area fairly small it will seem like their den and they won’t want to make a mess.
If, on the other hand, they have a lot of room away from their bedding area they will be more likely to relieve themselves since it’s far enough away from their bedding.
Use a piece of cardboard to partition off the back of the crate while your puppy is still small. Just move the partition back to allow more room as your puppy grows. When your puppy is all grown up take the cardboard partition out completely.
3) Don’t use the kennel for punishment. You want your dog to feel safe and protected when she’s in her kennel. You don’t want her to be reluctant to go in the kennel because she associates it with a punishment.
4) Don’t keep her in the kennel for too long. Ultimately your dog needs to spend as much time with the family as possible. This not only makes her happy it also allows her to bond with you and you with her. Only use the kennel when you are away or sleeping and can’t keep an eye on her.
5) Make sure to take your puppy out often to relieve herself. It’s not fair to her if you get busy and forget and she has an accident. When you take her out wait until she’s gone potty then praise her and pet her. Take some time to play with her, but only after she’s gone potty. You don’t want to distract her from the real purpose of going outside.
Always remember that dogs are very smart and can easily learn as long as you take the time to teach them. For housebreaking, dog kennel training is proven to be a quick and effective method to train your dog.
