Crate Training Dogs – How to Crate Train the Adult Rescue Dog

Crate Training Dogs - How to Crate Train the Adult Rescue Dog

Article by Adrian Van Drunen

When it comes to crate training dogs, puppies are by far the easiest to train, as they are young they learn and adapt faster. At times, it is necessary to train an adult dog to use a crate. Most often these will be adult dogs that have been rescued from a shelter and have never learned the difference between indoors and outdoors when it comes to relieving themselves.

NOTE: Not all dogs can be crate trained; some will panic and could injure themselves.

When it's not a crisis and you have the time to dedicate to the process most dogs can be crate trained. To start this process you want to leave to door of the crate open, possibly put in some padding (if the dog is not a chewer). With the door open, start giving your dog some treats, let them have some meals in there as well, anything to reassure them that this is a happy place. Never overdo the length of time you have the dog in there, when they are ready to leave, let them. In the beginning their trust will be fragile and will be hard to regain once lost. Once the dog is happy and comfortable with the open door crate it is time to start closing the door, BRIEFLY, with the same types of positive reinforcement going on. Stay in the room for now until the comfort level is there, then you may start leaving the room…again…BRIEFLY to start. Once this comfort level is good you increase the periods you are gone for until you reach the time period you require.

As you can see when crate training dogs especially if an adult you must be patient and understanding, you don't want to push the animal or you may end up doing more harm than good. In the event that a crate is just not going to work, you may want to try a small area in the kitchen boarded off using baby gates.

For more information on house training see my article House Training Puppies, for basic dog obedince read my article, Dogs Obedience Training.

Feel free to drop by my site The Obedient K-9 for great information on house training, obedience training, as well as stopping barking, biting and digging

About the Author

Adrian Van Drunen is an avid animal lover. He has experience with animals ranging from dogs and cats to degus, reptiles and ferrets. His love of animals, specifically dogs, is the reason for his writing; he wants to share his knowledge of dog training with the world.

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