Ways to Go About Crate Training a Dog

You may think that you don't need to crate train your dog, because you never plan to put him into one.
However, even the newest dog owner will soon learn that there are times when it becomes necessary to do just that.
After all, your new puppy isn't going to know the rules of your household, such as where he's not supposed to chew or where not to go potty, and until you can teach him, you aren't going to want his mis-steps at behavior destroying your house.
In addition, you will have times when you'll need to take him to the vet for check-ups and shots, and it will be much easier to do so if he's in a crate.
As with all other appropriate dog behaviors, crate training is an important skill to teach your dog.
So how should you go about teaching your dog to stay in a crate when he obviously would rather be out with the rest of the family? Begin by purchasing a crate that is large enough for your dog to both stand and turn around in.
If he is going to get much larger, you may want to buy a larger kennel right now to save having to purchase another one later on.
Put it in an area of your home where family members spend a lot of time so that he will continue to be with the family even though penned up, and put a soft blanket or towel on the crate's floor for him to lie on.
Buy a water dish that isn't going to be spilled easily, and make sure he has water all the time he's in the crate.
You naturally don't want to teach your dog to hate the crate by trying to cram him into it if he's refusing to go.
In order to get him to enter it willingly, place some dog treats inside near the door, and when he follows the trail inside, you can secure the door.
Don't get impatient with him if he continues to refuse to go into the kennel on his own for several days.
Eventually he will understand what it is that you're wanting him to do, and he'll obey.
Once your dog has become accustomed to spending short amounts of time in his crate you can begin feeding him regular meals in there.
At first you will want to let him out immediately when he's finished eating, but then, to continue with his crate training, you need to stretch out the amount of time you leave him in the kennel so that he gets used to prolonged times being shut up in case it becomes necessary to keep him there.