Dog Training 101: Crate Training

September 05, 2014

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I have not been able to go over to John’s house this week at all, mainly because I’ve been very busy, and he seems to have his hands full as well. However, despite this, he has given me some great pointers as a new dog owner that I would like to share with you through a series of blogs.

I mentioned in my last post, Sierra is scared of everything. She is unsure about people, new places, loud noises, stairs…pretty much anything (except dogs; she doesn’t seem to mind dogs). Nate and I loved Sierra when we walked her at the Pack Walk, and when we took her to the Sunday hike, she seemed fine. However, her fear came out once we left the Priceless Pets parking lot. We had stopped by PetsMart on the way home, and she would not even come close to the automatic doors. Once we got home, she would not go insides. She hated the stairs. The two things she didn’t seem scared about were our cats Booger and Autry (although they were frightened by her). She was a mess to put it lightly.

Sierra was in a new environment, unsure how to behave or react to the unfamiliar scene around her. Luckily, John prepared me with this advice: Sierra needed to be crate trained. She should have limited access to the house for the first 1-2 weeks, and if she does go to other rooms, she should be lying beside either Nate or me. She should not get to wander around. The reasoning behind this is that Sierra needs to understand that she cannot have the run of the hose. While it’s nice to let your dog run loose, have fun and play, they also need to learn to listen to you. Eventually, she will have free reign of the house, but at the moment, she needs to learn that Nate and I are the pack leaders. Another important reason for why Sierra needs to be crate trained – our cats. They are strictly indoor cats, so Sierra living peacefully with them is a must. However, as all cat owners know, cats will accept you at their own pace. If Sierra is in a crate instead of chasing them, Booger and Autry can begin making the adjustment and learn that Sierra is here to stay.

There is a right and wrong way to crate train. If you scold your dog for not going into the crate while simultaneously pushing them inside it, they will associate their crate with punishment. You want your dog to feel safe and comfortable in their crate; you do that by constantly praising them as they go in the crate, even if you have to gently push them inside. If your dog cries, ignore them. Once they stop, lavishly praise them. Praise is the most effective tool you have for training your dog. It will boost their confidence, and since you are the pack leader, you are letting them know what is acceptable.

Sierra’s still learning with the crate, but she’s already getting a lot better. She will mostly go right inside it and lay down. And we make sure to praise her every single time. I believe this consistency is why she will stay beside us in the living room, instead of bolting after the cats. They have actually approached her several times, and even bumped noses with her! Training a dog correctly is hard work, but it’s necessary if we want Sierra to effectively integrate into our home. I have no doubt that she will succeed.