Part 5 – Getting to independence 

How to Leave Your Pup Alone in the Crate?

It’s all about timing when leaving your pup alone in the crate.

Once your dog seems comfortable with the crate and is regularly eating her meals inside, start to keep the pup in there for longer periods of time while you’re home.

Start by using a treat to entice her to enter the crate and giving a command of your choosing, such as “Crate” , “House” or “inside” Once your puppy enters the crate, praise her and give her the treat, and then close the door.

• You can then sit quietly near the crate for a few minutes before entering another room for a bit. When you return, sit quietly by the crate again for another minute or two, and then let your puppy out. Repeat this process while gradually increasing the amount of time your puppy is left alone.

Crating Your Pup When You Leave

• Once your puppy can relax quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes, you can begin to leave her alone in the crate while you’re gone for short periods of time.
• Use this time guide to help you gauge the time duration in the crate, remember this is only a guide you will have to adjust depending on your pup’s breed, size and age

Use an enthusiastic voice command “Inside, Inside” with a treat, then see if your puppy will go in on its own or you can put the pup in the crate yourself. 

Try to keep a schedule when putting them in the crate, so the pup knows the expectations when you’re getting ready to leave. They will associate going in the crate as positive, since they will get a treat. This will help decrease separation anxiety.

Praising her briefly and giving her a treat for entering the crate is enough, and then you can leave quietly. Make leaving seem insignificant; try not to make eye contact as you go.  Then get your errands (laundry, cook) or work done.

When coming back to the crate, Keep it the same as you left, calm, and insignificant. Remember to come back before they start barking or calling for you. This will teach them that their crate time is not forever, and you will be right  back. 

Try different time duration from 30 minutes to 1 hour, or 2 hours then increase as the pup grows. 

Remember, it’s not a linear path when crate training or any types of training; they will do great but then regress. It’s two steps forward, one step back. Sometimes even two steps back, but have patience; they will get it. You will succeed.

Night time

Crating at Night is similar to daytime. Keep to the schedule, with positive reinforcement and make sure they have had a chance to pee and poop before entering the crate. As the pup grows, to adulthood you can leave the crate open for them to go in and out as they please. But be aware that they can still have accidents even close to 1 year to 2 years old.

Part 6 – Challenges as you Crate

What if my pup Keeps Whining and Barking, What Should I Do?

With unwanted whining and barking, the first question to ask ourselves is if they had a chance to pee or poop right before they entered the crate. If No, then let’s take them out so they can handle their business.

If Yes, it can be a number of things; it can be that they are thirsty, hungry, or just experiencing separation anxiety.

• If they are thirsty try a piece of ice. If they are thirsty, hungry, you can try giving them a kong filled with treats.

But if the barking is due to separation anxiety or they just want to be with you, “we have to be strong, my friend.” Do not let them out yet.

Try sitting next to the crate without making eye contact; sometimes they have your presence, it soothes their cries. You can open the door as well, but make sure they know they have to stay in the crate by gently closing the door if they start sticking their head out.  They will understand that they have to stay in the crate even if the door is open.

Wait until they are calm or have fallen asleep. Quietly tiptoe away.

Crocs technique 

Cover the crate with a towel, or a fancy crate cover. This works 8/10 times, I use my Crocs technique, or you can use any toe-covered footwear that you use around the house. When putting the pup in the crate, cover the crate as usual. Cover the crate with a sheet and the Croc with the front of the Croc facing the crate. Pup can only sees the front of the croc, make tiny wiggling movements with the Croc, so the pup thinks you’re still around. Every time the pup cries, whines, or barks, wiggle the Croc until the pup stops crying and settle into her crate.

Main take away with crate training

The key is to not let them suffer from separation anxiety and find a balance between tough love and nurturing. As the pup parents need to be creative with our training.

A Last resort 

Lastly, if the pup is just barking to get attention, and all of their needs have been taken care of, like potty, water and food. We can use an automatic vibrating collar. It is not a shock collar. First, it makes a series of beeps before it vibrates. It can help just depends on your pup and the way the collar fits on your pup.

Next level, you can use a collar that sends a mild shock, but I would use this as a last resort.  Please be aware that these suggestion are just tools, the real training is the relationship you developed between your pup.

Honestly, you can use your imagination and be creative with trying to create a train. Find ideas that work for you and your pup, watch videos on YouTube and ask for professional advice.