Crate Training is a Necessity

Crate Training Your Dog

Training your dog to be in a crate is an absolute necessity for a show dog. Show dogs MUST be crated at shows or the only other alternative is to keep them in a vehicle. Show dogs can be crated right in your motel room, if they are used to being in a crate. Show dogs can be crated during the show in the grooming area until it is time to show them. Traveling with dogs is a breeze when they are crate trained. You can leave the van outside on a hot day with all the windows open, (even the doors if necessary) and the dogs can be safe. Padlock the crates for extra security. Crates can be carried into motel rooms, and you can safely leave your dogs while dining out. When your dog is in his crate, he is always “at home” and will be relaxed and at ease, which means that he will be a HAPPY unstressed show dog. (While YOU may be a nervous wreck!
She is happy and contented in her crate.....

Besides the obvious benefits of training your dog to be crated because it is a show dog., there are other benefits as well. I have had several instances of dogs who needed to be crated while healing...having them already accustomed to being crated is a great idea.

Company comes and the house is full of guests? Put the dogs in a crate...they will be happy and can watch the festivities without snarfing down turkey bones from under the table!
Small toys and children playing? Put the puppy in a crate till the dangerous items are picked up and put away!

I'm sure you can think of MANY other instances when crate training your dog will be valuable to you! It is not a "CAGE" it is a protection and a SAFETY measure. To train your dog to be in a crate, simply put him in one! And learn to ignore the fussing that will at first occur. Treat the dog only when he is quiet. Remove him only when he is quiet. Use the words “kennel up” or “go to bed” when putting your puppy into the crate. Put him in the crate, give him a treat, and leave him alone for awhile to go to sleep. And IGNORE HIS FUSSING .

Treat the puppy when he is quiet. Let him out when he is quiet. Those are the two major rules. You CAN show great disapproval if you get fed up with hearing him holler, by banging a rolled up newspaper on the wall and hollering back at him "NO!" Usually this will stop the puppy's whining for a minute. When that happens, immediately run over to the crate and give him a treat. Do NOT let him out. Not until he is quiet for a minute or so, at least. What you are looking for is for him to get tired and drift off to sleep. Which leads directly into the most important reason for crate training: POTTY TRAINING.

A puppy that is asleep in his "den" learns that this is his bed area. And mother nature and a responsible breeder will almost guarantee that he will NOT "dirty" his bed area. From the time a puppy is born, his natural mother will keep him clean and keep his bed area clean. Normally, if he is born into a responsible breeder's home, where care is taken to assure that every day the "sheets are changed", he will grow up believing that the LAST place to go to the bathroom is in his bed. (A puppy mill breeder or a breeder who doesn't take the time to raise a litter in the house, often will also not take the time to make sure that the bed area is clean, and often the poor dam of the pups has to try to manage this all by herself and it becomes a pretty filthy place, consequently the puppy won't learn these clean habits.)

A well brought up puppy will "hold it" until he gets out of his bed area. He may not give a hoot about the HOUSE (unfortunately some puppies prefer the house) but he DOES care about not going in his crate. So to potty train the puppy, remove him immediately from his crate when he awakens, and take him outdoors. Give him plenty of time to "go potty" and use a key word, such as "hurry up," or some such thing.