Crate Training Your New Puppy (Starting on the First Night)

by K9 Trainer Rick Bostick

We get many people asking about crate training your new puppy, and to be honest, I personally believe this is one of the best things you can do for you and your dog. For starters, crates are not a cage, and it is not mean or inhumane in any way to place your dog in a crate for a period of time.

Crate training done properly, your pup should think of its crate as a “safe place” and should associate it with all things good! The only time my pups go in their crate for punishment is on their own. If I come home and my little one has gotten into something that she knows she shouldn’t have, she is already in her crate when I walk in the door. Why? Because it is her safe place.

We have two Huskies and, for the last 6-8 months, I have been in the process of transitioning and trusting the youngest Bella (2yrs old) out of the crate while we are at work with my older six-year-old Husky, Remy. Bella has been in the crate whenever we were not home until she was about a year and a half.

Overall, the process has been fairly smooth but I’m not going to lie, she has definitely gotten her fair share of things she shouldn’t have. She has stretches where she goes multiple days or weeks without incidents and then we come home to find a throw pillow and all its stuffing all over the floor. Always a work in progress! Slow progress is still progress though.

There are many reasons to crate train your dog. First and foremost is safety. We all know how inquisitive puppies can be and we certainly know how much they love to chew things! Having your pup in a crate while you are not home can prevent all kinds of unwanted accidents such as your pup chewing and swallowing something they are not supposed to be eating and hurting themselves, or worse killing themselves.

The other obvious reason for crate training is I’m sure you like your house and your possessions. So, unless you like your couches, doors, window sills, walls, curtains, cd’s, video games, underwear, shoes, rugs, pillows, hot tub cover etc. all being chewed up and destroyed, a crate might be a very smart choice. Why did I list all that stuff? Because I have been there and those are just the ones off the top of my head that I recall. I did everything wrong with my first Husky and learned the hard way. Hopefully this will help you so you don’t make the same mistakes that I did. Get a crate and start crate traininig today.

Crate Training Your New Puppy The First Night

What can I say. The first night might be the hardest one of all, but I promise it gets easier! Many of us get our puppies at roughly 8-10 weeks, or close to it, and you need to remember that this little pup was just taken away from all its litter mates and its mother and everything familiar to it. That is all the pup has known for the first weeks of its life, and the pup is trying to process all the things that are going on around them: new people, new smells, new everything.

Just because you paid money and you are already in love with this little puppy and you brought them home and they are finally yours, you still need to earn their trust. Crate training your new puppy takes time and patience, and be assured they will test every ounce you have.

If you are fortunate enough to get a puppy that makes it through the first few nights quietly, God bless you! For the rest of us that have to deal with a howling, whining, sometimes ungodly like sounds like someone lit them on fire, maybe this will help a little bit. I have been there!

Here are some things you can try. First, introduce your puppy to their crate by leaving the doors open in the crate and just toss in some high-praise treat items such as chicken, small pieces of cheese or whatever. It should be something really tasty though. Let your puppy go in and get it, and then give them praise when they do.

Keep the doors open and let your puppy go in and out of the crate on their own. You can throw toys in as well. Just try to get them used to being in it with the doors open at all times, at first.

Once they are comfortable with going in and getting treats, shut the door behind them. Then open the door slowly just a crack. If your pup tries to stick his head out through the door to come out, just gently shut the door on them. Try again slowly but do not let the puppy out until he sits or lies down and remains calm. Then open the door and invite him out. This teaches them that the door opens when they are calm, not in a heightened state of mind.

Crate Training Your New Puppy at Night

At bedtime, when and if they start the crying and howling, you can not let them out! The second you let them out, because you can’t handle the sad puppy face and the noise that is keeping you and your family members up, well you have just told your pup “make enough noise and I will come let you out.” We know how hard it is because you know that all you have to do is go over there and just open that crate door and they will be quiet. Resist!

If you cave to the pressure, get ready for it to go on even longer next time…don’t do it. Period. This is that part where everyone told you, when getting a puppy or new dog “takes work.”  It does. Be ready for this. Crate training your new puppy is difficult at first, but it does get better!

Related: Best Furniture-like Crates for Dogs

When I go through this stage I like to sleep on the couch in the living room with the crate right next to me so my pup can see me. You can try putting the crate in your bedroom, too. Whenever my pup would stop whining, even if for only a few seconds I would give him a few pieces of kibble through the holes in the crate and say “good.” Rewarding the behavior I was looking for and ignoring the behavior I did not want.

I don’t like to make eye contact or talk to them at all when they are whining like that and in that heightened state of mind. It only encourages more of it. In fact I have learned to completely ignore them while still in eye sight of them so they know its not phasing me at all! (even though inside my head I’m screaming to myself “SHUT THE #%$^@$ ALREADY, IM RIGHT HERE! But as far as my pup is concerned, I’m just chilling and your little temper tantrum is not even going to get my attention… This is where the whole “patience” part comes in, and again, it’s not easy, but it does get better.

Many folks like to put blankets over the tops of the crates as well to create a more den-like feel. I have the plastic ones with the holes in the side so that feeling already exists for them. You can also put tee-shirts with your scent on them in there or a blanket. However be careful putting anything in the crate with a puppy until they are potty trained or it could lead to soiled linens, soiled dog beds, etc. Besides, puppies like to just rip that stuff to shreds, so just keep an eye out for that too.

Remember to always take your new puppy out to potty every 2-3 hours through out the night. If this means setting an alarm clock, then do it. Your puppy can not and most likely will not hold it the first few nights or weeks, so do whatever it takes. It requires work, remember?!

Beyond the First Night

After you make it through night one of crate training your new puppy, start working on getting the puppy used to the crate immediately. You don’t want your puppy to think the only time it goes into the crate is at bed time, or when you leave them to go to work and they will be all alone for long periods of time. This can create anxiety.

Related: 7 Best Crates for Dogs with Anxiety

You can do this when you are home by keeping the doors open in the crate and just trying to keep enticing the puppy to go in on their own with toys and treats and occasionally practice having the puppy in the crate with the door shut while you are home and doing things around the house for short periods of time (maybe 10-15 minutes). However, make sure they can see you and know you are not leaving them every time they go in the crate.

You can also give your pup mental stimulation games in the crate with treats such as frozen Kongs or puzzles with treats that they have to work for in the crate to keep them busy in there while you are home. Whenever they are nice and quiet and being calm, throw some tasty treats in there and praise them. When they are freaking out, just ignore them. The more you do this while you are home the easier it will be for them when you are not home.

Conclusion

There are many ways to crate train, but in the end the goal for crate training your  new puppy is always the same. To get your pup to go in on their own and feel safe in that space. It will save you countless headaches and your pup will appreciate it too. Try using youtube and watch some videos on crate training too. There are so many resources right at your finger tips, so try everything until something sticks. This was what worked for us! Best of luck.