Training your dog to use a crate has many advantages. Dogs are den animals by nature; they need to have the security of a space of their own where they can escape from the hubbub around them when the house is full, or retire to after a good long walk.

Used properly, a crate can provide just that; but your dog needs to be introduced gently and slowly to fully appreciate his crate.

Preparing For Crate Training an Adult Dog

It is very important to make sure you have the right size crate for your dog. If the crate is too small it would be inhumane, too large and it loses the den-like feeling of safety and security that a dog is looking for. So your crate needs to be large enough for him to stand up and turn around easily, and stretch out comfortably when lying down.

Position your crate in a quiet corner of a room where you and the family spend a lot of time, perhaps the kitchen/diner or living room. It’s important that your dog won’t feel isolated.

Put comfortable bedding in the crate, a blanket or crate bed on the base, maybe a blanket from his normal dog bed so there is something familiar and comforting in the crate.

Either remove or secure the crate door open so that there is no danger that the door closing behind him and scaring him.

Crate Training

Crate training an adult dog can take days or weeks depending on your dog’s temperament and past experiences; if your dog is a rescue dog, he could have had some bad experiences, so you need to be patient and never force him.

To successfully crate train an adult dog, the training needs to be taken slowly, one step at a time; he needs to associate his crate with positive emotions. Always praise and encourage him every step of the way.

Step 1: Introducing Your Dog to the Crate

Leave the crate in the room for 24 hours to let your dog get used to this new item of furniture, and allow his natural curiosity to take over. Some dogs will take to the crate immediately and curl up in it happily. If yours isn’t one of those, then you will need to slowly encourage him.

To encourage your dog to venture into the crate, place some of his favorite treats by the entrance, then just inside the crate, and gradually right to the back. If he doesn’t want to go right in, don’t force him.

You can try playing with his favorite toy, and then putting that in the crate. Always encourage and praise as he ventures further inside.

Once your dog is happily going in and out of the crate, move on to step 2.

Step 2: Feeding Your Dog in the Crate

Once your dog has accepted the crate, start feeding him his meals with the bowl at the back of the crate.

If he is still anxious about going right inside, start with the bowl just inside the entrance, then gradually move the bowl further in with each meal until he is happily eating with the bowl right at the back. Be sure to clip the door open, as if the door closes on him in the very beginning, it can spook him and set him back a few steps.

Once your dog is happily entering the crate at mealtimes, you can then close the door while he is eating. Initially open the door as soon as he has finished. With each meal leave the door closed a little longer until he is staying in his crate for 10 to 20 minutes after finishing his food.

If during this process your dog starts to whine or bark, it could be you have increased the length of time too quickly, so reduce the time you keep the door closed for a few meals before extending it again – very gradually.

If your dog does whine or bark, it is important not to let him out immediately, speak calmly and reassuringly to him, wait for even a brief gap in his whining before letting him out. Ignore him. If you look at him or talk to him, he’s getting attention. You don’t want him to associate whining and barking with being let out. This is a mistake that many dog owners make.

Step 3: Introducing Longer Crating Periods

Once your dog is happy to eat his meals in the crate and to stay in for a period of time after he has eaten, you can start training him to stay in the crate for short periods at other times.

Call him over to the crate with a treat in your hand, and indicate to enter, introduce a command, ‘in your bed,’ ‘crate,’ ‘kennel.’ Give him a treat and make a fuss of him when he goes in. Then close the door and give him another treat.

Sit close by the crate for five to ten minutes then go into another room for a minute or two, then return and sit down close by for a few more minutes. Then let him out of the crate, and praise him.

Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you are out of sight, and extending the length of time he is in the crate.

Once he is content to spend half an hour or more in the crate with you out of sight, he is ready to be left in there while you go out for short periods of time.

Step 4: Crating Your Dog and Leaving the House

Now your dog is content to be left in his crate for longer periods of time, you are free to go off and do a few errands, but don’t be gone for too long to begin with. Remember you need to take things slowly otherwise your dog could develop separation anxiety issues. It is also advisable as a safety measure to remove his collar while he is alone in his crate, in case it was to get caught in the mesh.

Call him over to the crate using your usual command, and give him a treat and praise him. Close the crate door as usual, and give him another treat.

Make sure he has a bowl of fresh water in the crate.

It might be an idea, if you aren’t already doing so, to leave a couple of safe toys or a chew, to occupy him in your absence.

Get ready to leave, don’t make a fuss or prolong your departure. He is quite happy to be in the crate if you make a fuss you could cause excitement or anxiety.

When you return, it is important not to make a big fuss of him. Be calm and matter-of-fact. Let him out in the usual fashion. If you greet him in an excited, over-enthusiastic way, he will become overexcited every time he is left.

Once you have started to crate your dog when you go out, make sure you also use the crate occasionally when you are home; otherwise, he will only associate the crate with you leaving him. Remember, for him to continue to be content when crated, he needs to associate it with good things.

Step 5: Crating Overnight

Crating overnight is sometimes a necessity if your dog is sick, or injured – and requires crate rest. While we don’t encourage long crating times, it is worth training them to accept this just in case an emergency does occur whereby it becomes a necessity.

When crating your dog overnight, it is advisable to move his crate either into your bedroom or on the landing outside to begin with, so he doesn’t feel isolated, and also so you can hear if he gets distressed or needs to go outside.

Use your usual command word to call him into the crate, and give him his treat before closing the door.

In the morning when you let him out, don’t make a huge fuss.

Common Mistakes When Crating an Adult Dog

When crate training an adult dog, you need to allow him enough time to become comfortable and confident in and around his crate. Older dogs need more time to take on board new behaviors, and also can forget, so repetition is important.

Using the Crate as a Punishment

If you send your dog to the crate as a punishment, you will be undoing all the training. For your dog to be relaxed and feel secure and content in his crate he needs to associate it with his favorite things – treats, toys and rest. If it is used as a punishment, he could become afraid, and it would see being confined in the crate as a punishment every time.

Crating for too Long

A dog should never be crated for more than 4 hours without a break, shorter periods for puppies and elderly dogs. A dog needs to be exercised and allowed to relieve himself. Being crated for long periods of time can cause distress, especially if the dog soils his bedding. Dogs are sociable, energetic animals and prolonged periods spent on their own can cause psychological problems.

Letting him out When he is Barking or Whining

There is a difference between a dog letting you know he needs to go out to relieve himself, and a dog attention seeking. If you give in to your dog when he creates a fuss, he will continue to do so. You have to ignore him; don’t speak to or look at him. When he goes quiet, then he can come out.

Final Thoughts

Crate training an adult dog doesn’t have to take all the time in the world, and can even be a great experience that allows you to bond with the new fluffy member of your family, and why not multitask; grab a cup of tea, or glass of wine – and finally get around to reading that book you’ve been wanting to start while you wait for the allotted crate time to pass?!

The post Crate Training an Adult Dog appeared first on GoBarking.com.

First, you should know that you’re not alone: This is a common challenge encountered by owners who adopt or inherit an older dog that is not accustomed to walking on a leash.

You should also know that the old saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” doesn’t hold any water.

Dogs of any age can be taught how to walk calmly on a leash, without pulling, regardless of any bad habits they may have picked up through previous owners. All that is required is the right training.

Training or retraining your dog to walk properly on a leash may seem daunting, but trust me, the extra time you put in will pay off in the end.

Being able to take your dog on a walk without any leash pulling on his part will be less stressful for you, more comfortable for your pup, and also less dangerous for both of you, especially if your dog is powerful enough to lead you both into the road or other undesired locations.

Plus, making your walks a more pleasant experience will help you to better bond with your pet.

What You Will Need to Follow This Tutorial

A Good Leash

Keep in mind that your dog may benefit from the use of a short training lead, which allows you to keep him close to your side during walks. This type of leash is especially helpful because it allows you to quickly correct bad behavior and direct your dog away from potential distractions.

Pro Tip: You may consider the Slip Lead Dog Leash by Rover on Main, which doubles as a collar and leash and can be used with all dog types.

The use of a choke chain, prong collar, or shock collar is not recommended since they could harm the dog and work by using fear to train him rather than helping him to learn in a positive way.

Dog Treats

Just as you should avoid punishing behaviors while lead-training your dog, you should work to reinforce good behaviors with positive affirmations. In addition to verbally praising your dog when he exhibits a good behavior, it’s a good idea to have canine treats on hand, since dogs generally respond well to edible offerings.

Pro Tip: I often reward my dogs with Greenies Dental Chews Dog Treats. These treats are a win-win in my mind since my dogs love them and they also help to clean their teeth and freshen their breath.

Patience

Keep in mind that this training process will take time. You and your dog will need to work together to achieve a positive end result, and that starts with a positive and patient mindset on your end.

You will need to learn, through trial and error, what motivates your dog to learn and follow commands.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Calm Your Dog’s Excitement About the Leash.

For many dog owners, leash challenges begin even before the walk has started. Your dog may associate putting on the leash with going outside, which may, in turn, cause him to become very excited and less responsive to your commands.

As a first step, then, you’ll want to train your pup to remain calm when you bring out his lead. One way to do this is by clipping your dog into and out of the leash while you remain in the house.

The goal here is to break his assumption that putting on the leash means he’ll be going for a walk. Clipping him into and out of the leash while you go about your daily routine inside the house will eventually desensitize him to the process.

This video from Expert Village offers helpful tips on how to correctly fasten a leash onto your dog.

2. Tame His Eagerness to Walk Out the Door

Once your dog is able to remain calm when you clip on his leash, you can practice calmly walking out the door. This process is similar to desensitizing your dog to the leash.

First, set aside some extra time for your walk. Practice walking out the door with your dog, pausing, then re-entering the house.

You should continue this until your dog’s excitement has died down and he’s lost interest. Then, once he’s calm, you can begin your walk.

WikiHow offers an ideal image here of what your pup should look like when you open the door to bring him outside.

This is how your dog should look like when you open the door to bring him outside.

Pro Tip: If your dog has a lot of energy, you may want to let him run and play off that energy before you go for a walk. If you’re able to, play fetch with him in a safe area outdoors first, then clip him to the leash and take him for a walk. He may be more responsive to your commands if he isn’t distracted by his pent-up need to run.

3. Stand Your Ground

The most common problem owners typically have to overcome during walks with their pup is leash pulling. Dogs pull on the leash because they’re excited to be outside and instinct tells them to explore their surroundings. If you reward your dog’s pulling by moving in the direction he pulls you, he’ll continue this potentially dangerous behavior.

To break him of this habit, stand firmly in place when he begins to pull on the leash, and don’t move again until he stops pulling and gives you his attention. You may need to repeat this many times until your pup realizes that pulling on the leash will do him no good.

Watch Cesar Millan explain why pulling happens and how to remedy it.

Pro Tip: When your dog stops pulling and turns to give you his attention, reinforce this positive behavior verbally and with treats. This will further drive home the point for him that pulling is bad and that he should follow your lead.

4. Try the Reverse Direction Technique

If you’re standing your ground consistently and your dog is taking no heed, you may want to try the reserve direction technique. Instead of planting your feet when your dog pulls and waiting for his attention, try issuing a “let’s go” cue, turn away from him, and walk in the opposite direction he is pulling. Instead of jerking or yanking the leash, speak in an excited voice to get his attention.

Once he is following you and the leash is relaxed, then you can turn around and continue in your original direction. This achieves the same purpose as the stand-your-ground technique, in that it drives home to your dog that pulling on the leash will not reward him with what he wants.

You can see this technique in action in this video by Victoria Stilwell.

Pro Tip: Reinforce your dog’s decision to walk close to you by offering him treats when he exhibits this behavior. Encouraging him to stay by your side during walks will ultimately be more comfortable and safer for both of you.

Remember: The better you make him feel for walking close to you, the more he will choose to do so.

5. Be Consistent

The most important thing you can do when leash training or retraining your dog is to be consistent in your efforts. Staying patient and sticking to these training guidelines day in and day out will teach your dog what kind of behavior is expected of him and allow him to ingrain good behaviors.

If you become frustrated one day and allow your pup to pull you to the park, for example, you will essentially erase the good work you’ve done previously to teach him that pulling will not reward him with what he wants, and you’ll have to start your training again from scratch.

Every dog will be different in terms of how long it will take him to be fully leash-trained, but all dogs are capable of this good behavior so long as you stay patient, consistent, and focused during the training process.

This video from Zak George’s rEvolution offers more insight on a patient and humane approach to leash training your dog.

With These Tips in Mind, Are You Ready to Leash Train Your Older Dog?

As a dog owner, I hope that every other owner has the opportunity to take enjoyable walks with their furry friends on a daily basis, and I hope that this tutorial will help you work toward that goal. Walking side by side with your pet is one of the many joys of owning a dog, and I hope that you feel it’s achievable for you.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to share it with your friends and on social media, especially if you think others would benefit from it.

We also welcome you to share what you think about this advice in the comments section and be sure to let us know how it works for you and your dog.

The post How to Leash Train an Older Dog (Quick Guide) appeared first on GoBarking.com.