It is important to crate train your puppy when you get it home from the breeder. Crate training allows the puppy a haven away from toddlers or other animals. It is part of puppy’s instinctive behavior to enjoy being in a crate, much like wild dogs value the safety of a cave.
Even if you don’t plan on using a kennel once your dog is older, it is essential for them to relax in a crate in the event you want to travel by air. Whether your dog is small enough to fit in a carrier under the seat or must be transported in cargo, it will need to be comfortable being in a confined space.
If your dog stays at the vet for any reason or to the groomer, you will want it to feel contented in a crate.
Should you permit the puppy to sleep in your bed, it is possible if you’re a sound sleeper to roll on your puppy and smother it. How horrible would that be? Puppies can even suffocate on the sheet alone. They are safer in their crates. Once they’re bigger you can sleep with them if you choose, and not have to worry.
A great trick for getting your puppy accustomed to its kennel is to ask the breeders to provide a baby blanket on which the mother and siblings have slept. Their smells will be on the blanket and make the puppy more comfortable and secure in its own environment. Put the kennel on a chair or your bedside table and if the puppy cries through the night, stick your fingers through the crate door to say hello. Hopefully with a little reassurance, you and your puppy will get a good night’s sleep.
When puppies are young and you are trying to house-train, it is important to use a kennel small enough for your puppy only to be able to turn around. This may mean you borrow a small kennel, or purchase two. If you give puppies enough room to go off and relieve themselves in an area and go back to sleep in a different area, they will. Kennel training is invaluable for house-breaking. It teaches them how to hold their bladder. You may have a couple of rough nights, but once your puppy is used to sleeping in a kennel, you will be grateful for years to come.
When puppies are older, leave the kennel door open and they will go in and out as they please. It is their own sanctuary and never to be used as punishment. We all need a little space we can call our own from time to time, even dogs.
The Importance Of Crate Training Your Puppy
