3.13.2012

Fido's Great Escape: An Overview Of Crate Training Dogs

By Geraldine Dimarco


What exactly is crate training dogs? It sounds like something you do to a bad doggie for doing a no-no on the living room carpet. But its not. Crate training is actually based on the principle of the dogs' innate need for security.

They say dogs and wolves are from the same family, sharing the same behavioral instinct for self-preservation. Dogs may very well have descended from the same line as wolves. This would mean that before they were pets,they lived in the wild. They would use safe dens and lairs to shelter them from all the dangers that abound in open spaces. This is the guiding principle of training dogs to utilize their own crates when they feel threatened or simply stressed out.

This method greatly helps in house training dogs by containing them in their own area - thus minimizing the possibility of them causing any damage to anyone or anything including themselves. Crate training not only give the dogs a haven from a busy household, it siginificantly decreases inconvenience and stress of their human counterparts. They can put the dogs in the crates during long travels or trips to the vets without much trouble.

While it may be a great help to many, crate training are not suitable for every pet. There are some dogs that have been abused and cannot be put in a crate without becomming extremely upset. Other animals who are much more of a challenge to train, panic when the doors close in and break the box they're in. Sometimes, well-meaning owners just cannot stand the thought of live animals inside a coffin like enclosure and reject the idea altogether

Crate training dogs hinges on how the dog owner essentially views the matter. If thinking of your dog in a box makes you uncomfortable, you don't have to push through with this method of training. However, if you believe that this will be advantageous to you and your dog's personal space, you will find some helpful tips on how to go about doing this in the next paragraph.

Look for a good site to place the crate in. It has to be in a room where people will be in like the living area or the bedroom. Purchase a good sized crate and put the dog's favorite play things inside. As the dog makes its way in the crate, do not immediately shut the door. Stroke him and speak to him reassuringly for a few days. Feed him while he is in the box. When all seems alright, start closing the door for several minutes. Make sure you are still in the room wehere he can see and hear you. If the dog cries and gets upset, wait for him to settle down before opening the door. Do not rush the process. It is a little scary for the pet so you need to be patient in introducing the concept to him.

Never use this as a form of punishment for the dog. He should associate the crate as a calming and safe place for him to be in. If the animal is not getting upset being left alone in the crate, leave the house in short periods to gauge his reaction. If everything works out, you have accomplished the important task of crate training your dog. This will free you from worrying about your pet all the time. Moreover, you have given your dog his own special space of peace from the world.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment