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Cooperative care involves training an animal to not only tolerate handling and husbandry procedures, but to be an active, willing participant in these experiences.

In this column, we highlight some useful behaviors to teach clients to facilitate cooperative care, and share stories of how animals can be transformed by a more mindful, intentional approach to working with them through medical procedures.

This article features instructions on how to teach a chin rest with distractions and duration, training a senior cat to accept regular blood draws, and a story of how consistent and respectful training really mattered for a pony with sarcoids……Full Article

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What is Cooperative Care?

Cooperative care involves training an animal to not only tolerate handling and husbandry procedures, but to be an active, willing participant in these experiences.

Cooperative care is quite common in zoos, where large or potentially dangerous animals cannot otherwise be safely handled without physical or chemical restraint. For example, hippos can be taught to hold their mouths open for dental treatments, lions can be taught to offer their tails for a blood draw, and gorillas can be taught to sit still for cardiac ultrasounds.

One of the most important aspects of teaching cooperative care is that the animal is allowed to “say no.” They can indicate using a non-aggressive, safe behavior that they want the procedure to stop. Teaching a duration target behavior is a vital foundation in cooperative care – not only does it help to keep the animal still, but we teach the animal through the process that if at any time they break the target position (lift their head, etc.), then the handling procedure will stop.

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Last weekend (just over one month since that conversation), I graduated Fred and his mom from their private lessons. I always send out a survey to get feedback from my clients’ regarding their experience of training with me. She wrote a whole bunch of stuff about how much more fun it is to go for a walk with Fred now that he is calmer but here’s the part that made me proud and made me laugh: “Jennifer is spot on with her training. We questioned one or two things along the way thinking that they would not help or work. We followed her instructions to a “T” though, and were proved wrong every time. She knew what she was talking about, and if her instructions are followed exactly, the results are there. It was amazing!”

Now, here’s my confession: I was faking it.

I took Sarah’s seminar last March and started trying the “clicker thing” with a couple of clients as soon as I got home. I’ve been training dogs professionally for about 6 years and have done marker training before but I had never used a clicker to deal with reactivity. I gave this client a clicker and bait bag and told her that we were going to try out this new stuff I had learned. She knew I was experimenting with her and her dog and she was willing to give it a shot. There was no question in my mind that click-for-looking/click-for-looking-away works. I was just crossing my fingers that I could get it to work for Fred and his mom. I’ve been struggling for a long time with how to help clients with reactive dogs. Way too long. This is not the first reactive dog that I’ve graduated since taking Sarah’s seminar but the feedback on this one is immensely satisfying. Thank you Sarah!

– Jennifer Frese – Wenatchee, WA

I recently began working with a very lovely little dog named Lily, a female mixed breed dog who weighs about 25 lbs. She is very affectionate, intelligent and cute, however, she had a very rough start in life. Before she came to her new owners she spent most of her crucial developmental periods in isolation. She received little to no socialization and was kept inside a room in a house with another dog who repeatedly aggressed towards her.

Surprisingly, Lily is a very friendly and trusting dog towards humans. She is mostly a pleasant dog to live with. However, I was called in to assist with Lily’s intense reactivity. She is not aggressive towards dogs or people, but she was extremely reactive on lead at the sight or sound of another dog. In fact, just walking out the front door was enough to send her into a barking frenzy, and she was constantly hyper vigilant and explosive while outdoors. Inside, she could be fairly calm but would erupt into seemingly randomly triggered spouts of intense barking and was difficult to redirect or settle.

After doing two sessions with Lily and her owner I recommended that they speak to the veterinarian about behavioural medications for Lily. This is something that I am extremely infrequent to recommend, simply because I think most dogs with behaviour problems do not need it, and most behaviour problems can be tackled through behaviour modification and training. However, there are several reasons why I thought this would be a good choice for Lily:

1. Her reaction was extremely intense, difficult to interrupt, and she had a very poor recovery from stress.
2. Her threshold was extremely high, simply being outside was incredibly stressful for her and sent her over the top into over stimulation and frenzy.
3. Her triggers were multiple and often it was impossible to determine exactly what it was that was setting her off.
4. The behaviour was severely impacting Lily’s quality of life as well as her owner’s.

Lack of early stimulation can effect brain development, which in turn can influence behaviour.

Sometimes, when dogs do not get enough stimulation in the early parts of their life and through critical development periods they can have problems tolerating stressors as well as a normally functioning dog. This can also occur if the mother is sick or stressed while the puppies are in utero. I thought that the complete isolation Lily lived the beginning of her life in could definitely have caused abnormal brain development, and she simply maybe was having a physiologically different response to stress. This type of thing is out of the realm of a behaviour consultant, so I suggested that Lily’s owners consult with the veterinarian and also told them about the option of doing a phone consult with a Veterinary Behaviourist via their vet since we do not have that specialist option locally. One of the prices we pay to live in the gorgeous mountains.

The last time I saw Lily was just over 7 weeks ago and her owners took her to the vet very shortly after our last appointment. Provided with the behaviour history as well as my assessment and notes, the vet and Lily’s owner decided to try putting Lily on Prozac. We wanted to wait in between sessions to give the medication some time to take effect in Lily’s system, but her owners continued to work on some of the foundation skills we had started on such as go to mat and conditioning her to a head collar.

I just saw Lily today and I was blown away by the positive difference in her. The previous times I would arrive at the home, Lily would erupt into constant, high volume barking. She was difficult for the owners to redirect and gain control of her. She would rush down the stairs, barking the entire time and run up to me barking. She would not settle until I got up the stairs. This session, I knocked on the door and heard her bark lightly 4 times, and then the owner sent her to her mat, came down and answered the door and Lily remained calm. Once released off her mat, Lily barked lightly two more times on her way over to me where she greeted me happily and politely. She settled immediately and enjoyed some affection with me once we were upstairs.

The previous times I visited Lily, multiple times per session she would also begin barking for no apparent reason (there was no visual or auditory stimuli we could detect) and took a while to settle. This session, there was not so much as a peep out of her. She was notably more relaxed and calm, but did not at all seemed sedated and was her normal lovely self.

Not Lily, but similarly cute.

Taking Lily outdoors was where I noticed and extreme difference. Previously Lily would explode the moment we crossed the threshold, even when she had been calm second before. She was barking almost constantly, hyper vigilant, couldn’t focus, and pulled constantly at the leash. She would suddenly begin to bark and violently lunge if she so much as heard a dog, and sometimes when we could not hear anything at all.

At this latest session, she walked outside happy, confidently and calmly. She didn’t bark once! Last time we tired to work her outdoors, we barely made it a quarter of the way down their driveway. Today she cheerfully trotted down the entire driveway without a hitch. When I brought my dog out there was an outburst at the initial site of him, but Lily was very quick to redirect and settled shortly. With a bit of work we were then able to walk her calmly up to my dog within a few moments, and she promptly greeted him very politely and appropriately. When I brought out my second dog she was very interested, but did not bark at all. She was able to nicely walk right past him, and then was able to meet him and even tried to play. With my third dog she again did not bark at all, and while interested, was able to ignore her easily.

I was incredibly pleased with the difference in Lily with the addition of behavioural medication to her treatment plan. To be honest the results were better than I could have imagined! Lily is able to be outside without being stressed constantly and is able to go on walks with her owner on a regular basis without it being an unpleasant experience for both of them. I’m happy to say Lily will be joining us in our outdoor group classes next week.

While I do feel that behavioural medications may sometimes not be the best choice, and are certainly not a replacement for training, this was a case where the dog really needed it and this decision will improve the quality of life for Lily and her human family. Sometimes we are dealing with dogs whose poor start in life has actually led them to have abnormal brain development, and in these cases it might be time to consider some extra help beyond behaviour modification and training.

Our outdoor group class which Lily will no be able to join.

Some signs that it might be appropriate to consider medication as part of a treatment plan can be: when the behaviour is is provoked by routine occurrences or the triggers are multiple and difficult to predict; if the dogs reaction to provoking stimuli is very intense and disproportionate; if the dog’s recovery to stress is poor meaning that their reaction may last a while or they take a long time to return to baseline.

If you think a dog you are working with (or your personal dog) may benefit from medication, it may be time to consider speaking with your vet or a veterinary behaviourist. Veterinary behaviourists are not geographically available to all of us, but some of them, like (Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland) can offer phone consultants to your client’s veterinarian.

Veterinary behaviourists may also have some insight into important medical tests to run before placing a dog on medication, as they did with our corgi Kalani. It was recommended we test for proper liver functioning in her due to her symptoms and it turned out she has some form of liver disease like a shunt. Lani has been placed on a prescription diet and her behaviour problems are improving. My general vet is not a specialist in the health links to behaviour problems and didn’t pick up the behavioural symptoms of liver disease.

Behavioural medications should not be viewed as a quick fix – they are best used in conjunction with a training and behaviour modification program with a qualified professional. Sometimes it may be necessary for the dog to remain on them their entire life, but other times it can be a short term solution to help behaviour training take hold. I look forward to working more with Lily and her family, and am excited for what the future holds for them. I am thrilled that the medication has already helped Lily as much as it has, and I see a bright prognosis for her with her owners being dedicated to continuing training with her.

Tips and Trick for Nippy Pups

By Sarah Fulcher

You’ve just brought home your new furry bundle of joy. Everything is going swell for the first week – you’re impressed at how sweet and calm your puppy is. Then, out of nowhere you have a shark on your hands! Where has my sweet, quiet pooch gone? Or perhaps you had a mouthy pup straight from the get go. Either way it’s important to understand that puppy nipping is totally normal. Even if your new addition started out sweet and quiet they grow up and get more energy and things can change!

NIPPING IS NORMAL

Puppies explore the world with their mouths so it is natural for them to put their teeth on their surroundings – including you! Dogs also play by mouthing and biting and while it’s totally normal and natural, humans are much more sensitive than dogs, and puppies need to learn that biting and nipping the two-legged family members is off limits.

A nipping problem can start before you even bring your puppy home. A proper upbringing by the breeder or puppy raiser can make a huge difference in how well your puppy deals with stress and gets a jump start on bite inhibition. I recommend puppies stay with their litter until at least 7-8 weeks as they learn some critical things from mom and litter mates up to that age. Puppies that leave the litter before 7 weeks of age seem to pretty consistently have impulse control, mouthing, and handling issues. The younger the puppy is when it leaves the litter the more pronounced these problems can be.

REST IS ESSENTIAL

One critical piece of misinformation that often gets overlooked and is often essential in reducing mouthiness is making sure your puppy gets enough rest. Just like young children, some puppies get wound up when they are tired and become excessively nippy when in this state. Young puppies should rest every few hours for about a half an hour. Crate training can be very helpful in promoting these rest periods, or you can also set up a puppy pen area for your pooch’s downtime. They may not sleep right away so you can put them away in the crate or pen with something healthy to chew on like a bully stick, stuffed Kong or a safe toy.

Many people also notice that their puppy goes crazy and is excessively mouthy at a certain time in the evening – this can also be chalked up to being over tired. If you can predict the general time your puppy will have their ‘mad moment’ be proactive and put them into their place if possible for some quiet time before they fly off the handle. Otherwise if you miss the opportunity to catch them before they go nuts it’s fine to take that as a sign that puppy needs a break and put them away for some quiet time.

SOFT MOUTH TRAINING

A young puppy may respond to a “YIPE” interruption, but older or more determined puppies may need a different tactic.

If you have a young puppy, for example, under 12 weeks old, it is a good plan to begin soft mouth training. However if your puppy came to you with some more intense mouthing for whatever reason feel free to skip this step if you don’t feel you can comfortably accomplish it. With soft mouth training you want to allow the puppy to put his mouth on you, but provide feedback when he bites hard enough to hurt. This is very similar to how they learn how hard to bite other dogs. With a young pup, you can usually do a loud, high pitched “YIPE” and stop playing for a few seconds. It’s a good plan to then redirect your puppy to a toy or something safe to bite.

If you find that your puppy is biting hard most of the time or isn’t responding to the yipe it may be time to switch tactics. With some puppies (or once they are a little older) the yipe will only amp them up. You may need to switch tactics and use a loud “OUCH” as if you’ve been punched in the arm for any tooth contact to skin. Then pause interactions for several seconds and then redirect to a toy. If your puppy is biting hard or not responding to a yipe, they are probably beyond the stage for soft mouth training. If your puppy doesn’t respond to the ‘ouch’ by backing off or comes right back for more and won’t redirect to a toy it might be time for a brief, non-emotional time out.

TIME-OUTS

The time out can be done in the crate if your puppy as a strong positive association with the crate. You should not be doing too many of these in any given day and should notice an improvement in the biting within a few days so it should not be enough to make the crate a negative place. If your puppy doesn’t have a positive association with their crate and you’re concerned about using it for a time out zone I suggest setting up a tether station away from the main areas of household activities and using that as a time out area.

The time out can be done in the crate, an x-pen, or on a tether station.

The purpose of the time out is to remove all attention for the nipping behaviour which is an extremely powerful and meaningful social consequence for dogs. Many puppies do learn that biting gets them attention (remember, any attention is good attention!) or that biting makes things they don’t want to happen stop, and a time out can be a very effective consequence in these instances especially. The time out does not need to be long – I typically suggest 30 seconds or until the pup stops protesting.

It’s important to pick a “time out cue” that you will give to the dog before you move to put them in the time out. This should be something used only in this instance that the entire family uses consistently. It helps the puppy to connect the undesirable behaviour with the consequence and also gives the puppy a chance to avoid the consequence entirely should they stop in response to hearing the time out cue.

TEACHING IMPULSE CONTROL

Use your puppies meals as an opportunity to train desired behaviours.

I also recommend a few exercises to help puppies learn not to nip humans. One of my favourites is feeding the puppy’s meals by hand and allowing the puppy to learn that they must not nip or mug our hands to earn the food. Simple put a handful of kibble in your hand and place it in front of your puppy. Allow them to lick, nibble, or paw at your hand. If they bite hard enough to hurt yell “ouch” and remove the hand for 3-5 seconds. If at any time the puppy ignores your hand for a second or two say “yes” and allow them to eat the handful of kibble. Repeat until their meal is finished.

Another exercise I like to use for mouthy pups I call “Earth to Dog”- it helps with nipping, proofing sitting, and jumping up! To start, lure or cue the puppy to sit. Then take a treat or kibble in your hand and hold it high above the puppy’s head. Slowly lower the treat straight down towards puppy’s head. If puppy jumps out of the sit quickly pull the treat back up high out of reach! The goal is that they hold the sit and don’t snap at your hand long enough for you to almost get the treat to touch their nose – then you release them to have the treat. This helps to teach impulse control around food, not nipping at hands, and to take treats nicely.

YOU’VE GOT THIS!

Although it may seem like one of nature’s unnecessarily cruel jokes, there is a reason that puppies come equipped with those incredibly sharp teeth – so that they can learn how to gently use their mouths. However, they can really hurt! Having a mouthy puppy gets pretty frustrating in a short amount of time and nipping is one of the most common complaints I receive from puppy owners. But remember, puppy nipping and mouthiness is a totally normal behaviour. 

Add these exercises into your training toolkit and if you are consistent you should achieve some relief from those tiny shark teeth. Some puppy biting can be a really serious problem, so don’t hesitate to contact an experienced dog trainer in your area should you need extra help. Consider enrolling your new addition into a Puppy Kindergarten class as well – the continued interactions with other dogs will help to teach some bite control, especially if your puppy left the litter too young. Most of the time nipping is just totally normal behaviour so don’t panic and enjoy your new family member! Thankfully it’s generally pretty easy to teach a pup to have a soft mouth, with the right tools and consistency.

By Sarah Fulcher, CDBC

The enlightened dog trainer makes training fun. Instead of drudgery it becomes a game. They are connected, in tune, and invested in their canine partner. They are engaging, dynamic, using praise, movement, play, and other rewards to build desired behaviours. They know when to stop, leaving the animal wanting more instead of checking out.

The enlightened dog trainer is in control of their own emotions. They know when to walk away, when to just not attempt a session, and when to quit while they’re ahead. They never blame the dog for failures, knowing it’s the trainer’s responsibility to break things down in a way the dog can understand and to communicate clearly to them. They know that animals can have off days too, and that a dog has a right to say “no”, for perhaps they are sore, ill, or frightened.

The enlightened dog trainer treats their students with kindness and patience. They have a great deal of empathy for their student whether human, canine, or other animal. They understand that learning new skills is challenging and takes time, good teaching, support, clarity, lots of reinforcement, and the occasional gentle steering back on track when things have gone a bit off the intended path.

The enlightened dog trainer treats their peers with respect. They understand that while everyone may not make the same choices, that the vast majority who work with dogs do so because they love them. Instead of dividing, they seek to find common ground. They understand there is something to learn from everyone.

The enlightened dog trainer trains without ego. They are creative and think outside the box. They read the dog in front of them, and adjust the training program to meet the individual’s needs. They do not limit themselves based on politics or ideology, or define themselves by what they will not do. Rather, they think critically and listen to what the dog says they need. They are forever a student, striving to gain more knowledge and become better at their craft. They know that training is an art and a science.

The enlightened dog trainer will always do what is best for the dog.

By Sarah Fulcher, CDBC

Originally published on clickertraining.com

Hi Sarah,

I recently started using more food and treats when training my dog. I am very happy with the results except I am concerned because my dog has started to become possessive of me. I work in a dog daycare and have been training at work (I figured it was good distraction practice) and yesterday a very docile dog walked past me and my dog tired to start a fight with him! My dog is a 3 year old female pit bull mix, and we have been working on some leash reactivity issues but have been making good progress. Do you have any suggestions? 

Thanks! ~ Emily H.

Hi Emily!

Thank you for taking the time to write me. The first thing I would recommend to you is to always be very cautious using food for training in groups of dogs. I run a dog daycare and I am often training dogs that are with us. I am very careful about which (if any) dogs I allow out into the group while I am working with a dog. The reason is too much excitement for some dogs can cause them to act differently – it may causes issues with the dog you are working or a dog who is simply in the area.

Having food around or toys may be too much for some dogs. In this case, it sounds like the food may be increasing your dogs arousal level, and this is causing her to act aggressively. It’s also possible she is doing a bit of resource guarding of you and/or the food you are carrying. Some dogs are prone to over arousal, and adding food to the mix just tips them over the edge and causes them to act in ways we find concerning.

The first thing I would do, if you are not already doing so, is train your dog with the lowest value food she will work for. I find with other dogs around most dogs will jump at the chance to work for kibble. The higher the value of the food the more it is going to raise her arousal.

Secondly, I would not use food or toys for training any exciting/stimulating activities while she is out with other dogs. You can, however, use food rewards for calm behaviours such as group place and stays. It will be valuable for your dog to learn to be calm and have self control when there are food and other dogs present. It would be a good idea to reward your dog and then also reward the other dogs, so your dog sees you giving food to the other dogs while she is in a calm stationary behaviour. If she breaks her position calmly place her back where she has been asked to stay. If your dog does not have a solid place or stay behaviour, teach them this at home before trying at the daycare.

Last, but not least, you will want to spend some time working your dog through the arousal issue surrounding food. I would recommend doing a lot of activities that will teach impulse control around food, such as: It’s Yer Choice, Leave It, No Mugging, and other games that will work on impulse control. You could also try some guided relaxation which will help to condition your dog to be calm around food.

When your dog is doing super with these steps you can start attempting to add in small amounts of more stimulating training around other dogs. If at any time your dog shows any of the negative behaviour mark this with a non-emotional ‘time out cue’ – this is a word of simple phrase that will consistently indicate to your dog they will get a time out – such as ‘oops’, ‘too bad’, or ‘time out’ and calmly lead them to a short time out in a crate. Your dog should start to understand that displaying this behaviour is going to end up in her being taken away from you and the food – which is the exact opposite of what she wants! It’s important to note that a time out should be a back up, think of it as emergency brakes, it should not be your main mode of teaching. If you do have to give your dog a time out please re-evaluate your training as you have likely asked too much of your dog in that moment. I would also consider getting guidance from a qualified professional trainer in your area to help you with this.

Thanks so much and happy training,

Sarah Fulcher

Many people refuse to crate or kennel-train their dogs because they feel the confinement is cruel. However, a crate or kennel can give dogs a sense of security. Crate training done properly is also a highly effective management system that can be a lifesaver for dog owners. Like any training method, crating can be abused, but using a crate for appropriate time periods is helpful with a variety of important goals, including house training, preventing destructive behavior, and teaching a dog to settle and relax.

If a dog is taught through positive reinforcement to love the crate, the crate becomes his own private and safe place, much like a bedroom for a child. The crate or kennel is somewhere the dog can go and not be bothered; it’s a perfect destination when the dog is tired or nervous. Dogs have a natural instinct to be in a den. Many dogs take to a crate very easily.

Crate training provides a number of benefits to owners. A crate that is sized properly (read more about size below) encourages a dog’s instinct not to mess where he sleeps, helping to teach the dog bladder and bowel control. This tendency to view the crate as a clean place is a huge benefit house training a new rescue dog or puppy, of course!

Using a crate prevents a dog or pup from getting into trouble when you can’t supervise directly. Those times might include at night, when you are at work (provided the work day is not too long and the dog gets exercise before and after), when you are busy cooking, or any other time when your attention is elsewhere than directly on your dog.

Crate training also teaches puppies and excitable dogs to expect and enjoy some down time, and conditions relaxed behavior. Dogs and pups can be put into a crate with a yummy and safe chew or stuffed Kong to keep them secure, relaxed, and out of mischief for periods of time.

Choosing a crate: type, size, and location

There are several varieties of crates available. It can be a bit daunting to figure out the size and style to pick for your dog. The most common crate varieties are wire crates, plastic crates, and fabric crates.

Fabric crates are great for small dogs to travel in, for sporting events, or for camping. With a fabric crate, your dog must be well trained. Since fabric crates are not secure, they are not recommended for long-term confinement without supervision. The benefits of a fabric crate are that it is lightweight and that it folds flat for easy storage and travel.

Some crates double as furniture!

Probably the best bet for a pet’s home crate is a plastic or wire crate. I favor wire crates, as they fold flat for storage and are more economical to purchase. Plastic crates are sturdier and often feel more secure for your dog, as the walls are mostly solid. However, there are very sturdy metal crates that can be purchased, and you can always cover a wire crate with a blanket if your dog needs more privacy. For an escape artist, either a plastic crate or a rugged (not collapsible) metal crate would be best. Both plastic and metal crates can be fortified using strategically placed zip ties. If you are looking for a crate that matches your decor, fashionable dog crate furniture combos that double as end tables are available!

Selecting the right size crate can be confusing. Some people are inclined to choose a large-sized crate to give the dog lots of room. If you pick a crate that is too large, your dog may use a portion of the crate as a toilet. Pick a crate that is just large enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably, at least until the dog is house trained. Most wire crates come with a divider to block off a portion of the crate in order to make it smaller. With a plastic crate, place a box in the back half of the crate to make the space smaller. With these adjustment tricks, you do not have to buy multiple crates as your puppy grows. When your dog is toilet trained but not mature enough to be left loose in the house, feel free to go with a larger crate so the dog really has room to stretch out.

I recommend placing the crate in an area of the house where both you and the dog can access it easily. The crate should be close enough to be handy, but out of the way enough that it is not going to be tripped over constantly. I usually place a crate right beside my bed; it helps teach puppies to sleep in the crate if you are right beside them and they don’t feel so alone. I place another crate in a corner of my living room.

A positive place

It works best for a dog to be introduced to a crate gradually, rather than just plopping him in for the night or long periods. When your new dog or puppy first comes home, acclimate him to the crate by tossing a treat in, leaving the door open so that the dog can enter and exit freely. When your dog is comfortable going in and out of the crate, toss a treat inside and close the door for a second or two before letting the dog out.

Place a bed or mat that your dog already likes into the crate. This will help reduce any startling noises when the dog enters the crate. The dog will also be familiar with the bed, which could make him more willing to go into the crate. When you are not training, leave the crate open and place your dog’s toy basket or favorite toys inside. Feed your dog meals in the crate, starting by leaving the door open and, as training progresses, closing it. If you give your dog any special treats, chewies, or bones, give them to him in the crate. A special bonus of having the mat in the crate is that the dog will begin to associate good things with the mat after being fed on it. Take the mat with you to the vet. Place it on the floor in the waiting room, on the scale, and in the exam room to help your dog become more comfortable and relaxed during vet visits.

Cue in and out

When the dog is going into the crate willingly, add a cue for entering the crate. Try “crate” or “bed” or “go in.” Say your cue before tossing a treat inside. Soon your dog or puppy will be going into the crate on cue and eagerly.

Next, give the crate cue and wait for the puppy to go in on its own. Stop tossing the treat and wait for the puppy to enter. When the dog does go in, say “Yes!” or click a clicker and then feed the treat.

Start training a release cue at this time. The release cue tells your dog when he or she is free to leave the crate. This training step has the added benefit of encouraging and increasing self control. Your dog learns to remain calm and not rush out, even with the crate door wide open.

Cue the entrance, mark with yes or click, and treat. Almost immediately, say your release cue (try “ok,” “free,” “break,” or “get out”) and toss a treat on the floor outside of the crate. Keep tossing treats until the dog can leave the crate without seeing the treat; the dog exits just hearing the release cue. At that point, you can phase out the treat. Leaving the crate has become the reward.

Duration

If your dog is comfortable with the door closed for a few seconds, gradually increase the time the dog is in the crate. Remember to keep using a release cue to tell the dog that he can leave. If your dog does not have a problem remaining in the crate calmly for several minutes, start closing the door and ducking out of sight for a second before returning. Gradually build up the amount of time your dog is in the kennel. If the dog starts to whine, ignore him, letting the dog out once he is calm. If you want to leave your dog in the crate for longer periods, try putting a stuffed Kong, a bully stick, or a safe chewie into the crate as well.

All through this training process it is important to be patient and not to push your dog. Ask for what your dog is comfortable with rather than forcing your dog to do what you want. Crate training is best done in baby steps. If you can get your dog or puppy comfortable with the crate before the first night in it, your odds of getting a good sleep that night will be much higher. Once your dog is crate trained and house trained fully, you can leave the dog in a crate for up to 8 hours. The dog should have good exercise before and after, and should be left in the crate with something safe to occupy his attention. Your dog will likely spend most of the time sleeping!

Younger puppies cannot be left in a crate for as long as 8 hours. Physically, puppies cannot hold their bladders long enough, and it isn’t fair to ask for that. A good general rule to follow is one hour in the crate for each month of age. A three-month-old puppy should be fine in the crate for three hours. Puppies should sleep in their crates at night, as this helps them learn to sleep through the night. Place the crate directly beside your bed in early first training so that your puppy will not feel lonely and frightened, and can wake you easily in the middle of the night for a bathroom break.

When a little extra is needed

Puppy relaxing on a soft blanket.

While some dogs take naturally to a crate, others are not as eager. If your dog whines, cries, and puts up a fuss that keeps you awake, it’s easy to give in and let him out of the crate and into your bed to sleep. Therefore, it is essential that your dog or puppy never learns that whining, crying, and barking will get open the crate and earn an invitation to your bed. Be patient and consistent with the message that calm behavior is the key to being let out. Wait for even a few seconds of silence before opening the door.

Be strong and you will make it through the first few nights. Set up a puppy’s crate with a hot water bottle and a blanket that has your scent on it. This will help the puppy feel more secure and will be reminiscent of sleeping close to his canine mom and littermates. Remember, your puppy has just been taken away from his family. Everything he knows has changed and he is likely frightened and confused.

Time-out

A crate can also be used as an effective and humane punishment. As long as the crate has lots of positive value built up, you can use it as an occasional time-out zone. If crate training is done properly, your pup will be conditioned to relax and settle inside the crate. Putting an unruly pup into a crate as a time-out for a few minutes teaches him to settle, and also removes all reinforcing stimulus for his “naughty” behavior. However, if you are resorting to putting your dog in time-out multiple times per day, you risk developing a negative association with the crate. The crate should be used in this way as a last resort, and only if redirecting to an appropriate behavior or ignoring the undesirable behavior does not work.

From the crate, onward

I have fostered and raised many puppies, and can’t imagine doing it without creating a positive association with the crate. Within a very short time, most of the dogs that attend our dog daycare program enter their crates easily when we ask.

In addition to the value of a crate at home, having a crate-trained dog is wonderful when you are travelling, when your dog needs to go to the vet or groomer, or if you plan to compete in any dog sports. Trained properly with positive reinforcement and patience, the crate becomes a safe place for a dog. You will find that your dog uses the crate on his own when he is tired, and enters willingly and eagerly when asked. All it takes is an investment of time and a few treats to end up with a happy dog and a happy human!

Edited and published originally by clickertraining.com