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  • Hi, I'm Kathy Santo for Iams with Howdini.

  • And today we're going to talk about how to

  • create train your puppy.

  • We'll begin with a general discussion on the philosophy

  • supporting the crate training method.

  • We'll review what you'll need, the steps involved in the

  • process itself, and some possible troubles you may

  • encounter along the way.

  • Before you begin crate training, it helps to

  • understand the philosophy behind this method.

  • If your dog is properly crate trained, he'll view his crate

  • as a private room with a view, a safe haven he can call his

  • own, and a quiet place he can relax in.

  • He won't see it as a rigid structure of confinement and

  • punishment.

  • In fact, it'll be just the opposite.

  • In nature, wild dogs seek out and use their den as a home

  • where they can hide from danger, sleep,

  • and raise their young.

  • In your home, the crate becomes your puppy's den, an

  • ideal spot to sleep and stay out of harm's way.

  • And for you, the benefits of crate training are--

  • house training, because your puppy won't like to soil the

  • area where he sleeps.

  • Limited access to the rest of the house where he learns the

  • house rules.

  • And transporting safely and easily in the car.

  • Start crate training a few days after your

  • puppy settles in.

  • Before you can start crate training, you and your family

  • members must understand that they create can never be used

  • for punishment.

  • Never leave your young puppy under six months in his crate

  • for more than three hours.

  • He'll get bored, have to go to the bathroom, and won't

  • understand why he's been left alone in discomfort.

  • As your dog gets older, he can be crated for longer periods

  • of time because his bladder isn't as small.

  • But keep in mind he still needs a healthy portion of

  • exercise and attention daily.

  • If you and your family are unable to accommodate your

  • puppy's exercise, feeding, and bathroom needs, consider

  • hiring a dog walker or asking a neighbor or friend for

  • assistance.

  • After that, the crate should be a place he goes into

  • voluntarily, with the door always open.

  • There are a variety of crates available for purchase these

  • days, each of which is designed for a different

  • lifestyle need.

  • When selecting a crate, you want to make sure it's just

  • large enough for your puppy to be able to stand up, turn

  • around, and lay down in comfortably.

  • Because your puppy will grow quickly, I often recommend

  • getting a crate that fits the size you expect your puppy to

  • grow to and simply block off the excess crate space so your

  • dog can't eliminate at one end and retreat to the other.

  • Now for the crate training process.

  • The two most important things to remember while crate

  • training are that it should be associated with something

  • pleasant and take place in a series of small steps.

  • The first step is to introduce your puppy to his crate.

  • This will serve as his new den.

  • Put bedding and chew toys in his crate and let him

  • investigate his area.

  • If he chews or urinates on his bedding,

  • permanently remove it.

  • Observe and interact with your puppy while he's acclimating

  • to his crate.

  • This will help forge a sense of pack and establish you as

  • the pack leader.

  • Encourage him to enter the crate with soft

  • words and some treats.

  • You can also pre-place some treats in the back corners and

  • under the blankets to help make it a pleasant experience.

  • Step two is to start feeding his puppy in his crate.

  • Begin with the bowls near the opening of the crate.

  • As your puppy becomes less reluctant to enter, slowly

  • inch the food back every feeding until you're placing

  • all the way in the back.

  • When you get to the point where your puppy happily

  • enters the crate and stands in the back to eat, begin gently

  • closing the crate door behind him while he's eating.

  • At first, opened the door immediately after he finishes.

  • But after that, begin leaving the door closed a bit longer

  • every time.

  • If your puppy cries, you may have increased the time too

  • fast. So decrease the length a bit and then slowly begin

  • increasing it again.

  • When he does cry, do not let him out until he stops or

  • he'll always do this to get his way.

  • Once you puppy is used to eating his meals and waiting

  • to be let out with no anxiety or crying, you can start

  • confining him longer when you're home.

  • To do so, call him over with a treat and give it

  • to him in his crate.

  • Associating a command such as "kennel" is important, so he

  • understands the reward is a result of going in the crate.

  • At first, you'll need to sit quietly next to him.

  • If he's fine after 10 minutes, go into the other for a bit.

  • And then come back and let him out only if he is

  • calm and not crying.

  • If he is crying, you'll have to wait until he's calm.

  • Once you can leave him for about 30 minutes at a time

  • without him getting upset, you can start

  • leaving him there longer.

  • Eventually decrease the amount of reward you give for

  • entering the crate so that saying the command word is

  • sufficient.

  • When you get home after being away for a long time, your

  • puppy will likely be very excited to see you.

  • It's important not to reward this behavior or anticipating

  • his arrival every day may be stressful for him.

  • And lastly, make sure to crate your dog for short periods of

  • time while your home or else he will associate crating with

  • being left alone.

  • I'm Kathy Santo for Iams with Howdini, and I hope that

  • you've found this helpful as you welcome your new addition

  • to your family.

  • For more information on puppy care and training, visit

  • iams.com/puppy.

Hi, I'm Kathy Santo for Iams with Howdini.

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