Meet The Needs
GETTING COMFURTABLE PAWnotes
CRATE EXPECTATIONS: PART 1
DID YOU KNOW?
Our dogs need to learn to be ok with being left on their own and being
confined to a specific area. Teaching your dog to use a crate as their ‘safe
haven’ where they can seek comfort or solitude, provides so many benefits.
BENEFITS OF CRATE TRAINING:
Safety for you and your dog while travelling.
Helps with future clinic stays or long trips.
Enables your dog to be a part of your family or group, when he may otherwise
be put outside, shut in a room, or excluded.
HOW TO CRATE TRAIN YOUR DOG:
1
When you have practiced the initial steps of crate training and your dog is happy in the crate,
encourage her to stay for longer periods of time by placing a toy, stuffed with food, inside.
2 When your dog is happy to stay in the crate for a short time, shut the door while he is chewing
or eating, and open it again before he is finished.
3 Leave the door shut for a slightly longer period whenever your dog enters the crate.
LEAVING YOUR DOG ALONE IN A CRATE WITHOUT SUPERVISION
Your dog should not be left unsupervised in a crate, until he is completely comfortable and at ease inside, with the door
shut. The time that he is left unsupervised in the crate should only be increased gradually and will depend on your
dog’s age, and their individual personality.
DO’s DONT’s
Do throw toys into the crate and have your dog Don’t ever send your dog to the crate as
run in and out to fetch them. a punishment.
Do let your dog sleep in the crate at night. Don’t leave your dog in the crate all day. He
needs to go out for regular toilet breaks, and
Do let your dog out the crate before she asks to opportunities to explore and play.
come out.
TIPS:
Exercise your dog before leaving her alone in the crate. Be mindful of weather and temperature changes
during your absence.
If your dog is getting restless and starting to whine,
wait for her to be quiet, or distract her first, before Take your dog outside to the toilet before leaving them
opening the door, so that she doesn’t learn bad habits. in the crate, and as soon as you get back.
