The VERY first thing you MUST do: Do you see that crate training book you've got laying on your coffee table? Walk over to it, pick it up, take to trash can, drop it in! We're going to take another approach.

The biggest mistake I see most people make is a crate that is too small. Your MUST be large enough for your dog to stand completely up in without touching the top. They also like to sprawl out for sleeping. If you're deciding between 2 sizes, I always recommend getting the bigger one. Our general rule of thumb for sizing is 'your dog's weight X 2 = size of crate to buy'. If you have a 50 lb dog, you need to have a crate size for a 100 lb dog. If you're sweetie is over 50 lbs, just buy the BIGGEST crate you can possibly get your hands on, minimum 110 lbs crate. If your crate is too small, your dog will not like it.

Here is an example of a crate that is TOO SMALL: (I found this one in a pet care magazine. Yikes!) Notice how the dog would not be able to stand up completely in that crate. Poor doggy!

Once you have a crate that's big enough for your dog:

Make it a nice place to be. If your pup isn't too chewy, they can have a pillow or a blanket or both. Any pup over 3 months old gets a clip in water bowl, and crate toys. Some of our favorite crate toys are the Kong and Nylabone. They are a little pricey, but a very good investment. Think of your dog's crate as his/her bedroom and treat it as such.

When the dogs are here, we toss a treat into the crate and when the dog chases it in, we praise, praise, praise after the dog is IN the crate. Always make sure that your praise is when your dog is COMPLETELY in the crate. None of this toe sticking out or nose pointing out stuff, no matter HOW cute it is. Be consistent!

Sometimes, we smear peanut butter inside of a kong and toss it in with them, so the dog can chew themselves to naptime.

When choosing a place for your crate, be sure to avoid heating vents. Wires on crates will quickly heat up and your dog may be burned or overheated.

A COUPLE OF CRATE RULES:

1. The crate is NEVER used as a punishment. If you feel your furchild needs some quiet time (for whatever reason), happily tell to 'hop in the crate' and have a treat handy.

2. The crate must always be a happy place, so no children, other animals, etc, are allowed to pester your dog while they are in their crate. It is a quiet safe place.

3. The crate MUST be placed where the family normally is so the dog is not alone or feeling isolated. Dogs are pack animals and isolation is a fate worse than death to them. If your dog is going to be sleeping in his/her crate, the crate should be in the bedroom during nighttime, and in the living area during the daytime. If you're only using the crate when you're not home, it can be anywhere as long as it's a part of the house your dog feels comfortable in.

   *You could cheat like we do :-) One crate in the living room and one in the bedroom, so we don't have to cart them around every day. Most often, if your dog sleeps in the crate for about a week in the bedroom, they realize you-all go in there to sleep and most people can wean away from a crate in the bedroom quickly. So, you'll only be hauling for a couple of weeks or so, especially if you're adopting an older dog.

Wayward Collie Rescue