Crate training puppies is a very effective technique for housebreaking your puppies and providing them an instinctively natural “den” to call their own.
Dog crate training uses your German Shepherd’s natural instinct to not use the bathroom where it’s going to have to lie down and sleep.
This is the most natural and effective way to quickly break your dog of using the bathroom in the house.
To start, you must never use the kennel crate as a form of punishment.
Upon first buying and bringing the crate home, introduce it very slowly, and remember what we talked about here regarding a large dog crate.
First, just let your german shepherd walk in by throwing a few of their favorite toys inside, or even a treat.
Do not close the door at all the first several times your puppy or dog gets in their new kennel crate.
They need to know it’s their own safe haven, but not a prison or a place of punishment and confinement, or they could develop a fear and anxiety issue associated with the crate, leading to excessive barking and all sorts of other problems.
Once you’ve led your dog into the kennel crate, sit at the door and have fun playing while your dog is inside.
If they know any tricks, get them to perform them inside, all while being playful and positive about the experience.
Try not to let your dog out during this playtime by gently blocking the doorway and remember to use distraction instead of pure force.
If your dog goes to leave, pick up another toy or treat to get their attention and continue playing.
After several sessions just like this, start to gradually introduce the concept of closing the door.
First, close the door slowly, but never while your dog is looking away.
He may try to exit as you close the door, so try to continue playing by holding a treat or toy through the cage at the same time, as long as they can still see the door closing.
The first time you close it, only leave it closed for a few seconds while still remaining playful, then open it up and continue your play session, keeping the dog in the crate.
During the next session, repeat the same process, but leave the door closed for about a minute this time.
Try to distract and limit whining, but don’t scold.
Continue this process for as many days as it takes, until you can comfortably close the door and leave the room for several minutes.
At this point, transitioning to longer and longer alone times will become normal for your german shepherd.
It may seem like a lot of work and much easier to just toss the dog in and slam the door, but this little bit of patience and initial work up front will pay huge dividends when your dog learns to love and enjoy their crate kennel for the rest of their life.
Your dog should naturally let you know when they have to use the bathroom, so be sure to be around or within earshot for the first several days or weeks of leaving them in the kennel for extended periods.
If you have any questions about choosing the right German Shepherd kennel or crate training puppies, just leave a comment below.
In Part 1, we talked about choosing a German Shepherd Kennel crate, and now we’ll talk about choosing the best kennel where you can take and leave your dog.
You may find yourself in a situation where you need to separate from your pet for a bit, whether it’s just a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks.
There are several reasons for this coming up:
1. going on vacation
2. moving
3. busy with work or family
Whatever the case may be, it’s important you choose the right kennel, so you and your dog can be at ease.
The first thing to do is check your local listings, via phone book or Google search, and locate as many nearby kennels as you can.
If they have a website, check it out, look around, and see what they are all about.
Some things to look for and/or ask:
1. how much do they charge?
2. how long can they keep your dog?
3. how are the dogs treated and where do they stay?
4. how often are they fed?
5. how often do they play and/or walk?
It’s always a good sign if they make a big point, whether on their website or in person, about making sure your German Shepherd gets pelenty of exercise.
The last thing you or your dog wants is to be caged up in a tiny space with little attention other than a feeding or two throughout the day.
Exercise is vital for your pet’s overall health, so a great german shepherd kennel will provide at least two walks and/or play sessions per day.
Also, be sure to bring your own food, because even if the kennel provides it, a sudden change in food could disrupt your dog’s digestive system and lead to diarrhea or vomiting.
FInally, make sure you can visit at least a few of your top picks in person before deciding.
It’s one thing to read a website or talk on the phone, but you need to go and see in person what the environment is like and see if the dogs seem happy and tired, or do they seem anxious and full of nervous energy?
It’s also a good idea to bring your dog along on these visits, so they get introduced to this environment a few times, before having to stay right away, so they will be much more comfortable when it’s time to leave them there.
Don’t hesitate to ask any and all questions you have, as leaving your dog in the care of someone else is a big deal, so it’s vital you choose the best possible German Shepherd kennel.
A German Shepherd Kennel could be somewhere you are looking to leave your dog or an actual kennel crate that you will use to transport or house your german shepherd.
Whichever type of kennel you’re looking for, we’re going to show you how to choose the right one for your dog.
First, we’ll examine a kennel crate, since these can come in very handy for almost any dog owner, regardless of breed.
Crate kennels are a great way to housebreak your german shepherd puppy or dog, as well as providing them a home or den of their own that they can grow to love.
I know my german shepherd didn’t like her kennel at first, but now it’s the first place she goes when she comes in the house and she sleeps there every night.
And let’s not forget the importance and value of a kennel for travel. Whether by car or plane, a kennel can provide a more comfortable, sanitary, and convenient way to travel for you and your german shepherd.
The first thing to consider when buying a kennel crate is the overall size. You also need to consider your german shepherd’s estimated adult size if you would like to get one that will accommodate him or her throughout their entire life.
I personally bought an extra large dog crate 48″ x 30″ x 33″ because my white german shepherd comes from a line of relatively large dogs.
If you don’t know your dogs estimated adult size or are comfortable trading up in the future, you can go with one that is the right size for your dog right now.
The correct kennel size for any dogs current size is as long as it is big enough for them to do three things:
1. lie down
2. turn around
3. stand up
One word of caution: if the kennel is too large, especially for puppies, it may provide them room to use the bathroom on one side, while still comfortably staying on the other side.
This can disrupt using it for housebreaking, and it’s better to use a dog’s natural instinct of not using the bathroom in their “home” by getting one that is just the right size for your dog.
Some kennels actually include a divider panel as well, so you can get the right size for your future full-grown dog, while only providing it just enough room in the meantime using the divider panel.
This is the best of both worlds and the type of kennel crate I bought, here’s mine:
Once you’ve picked out a kennel, then it’s time to put it to use, but it’s very important how you introduce it and use it with your german shepherd, so please read these dog crate training tips first!
If you’re looking for the type of German Shepherd Kennel where you can take and leave your dog, then continue on to Part 2 by clicking the link above.
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