I have owned dogs all my life, and one thing that I have recently learned that crate training puppies can be really helpful, and save a lot of stress when you are housebreaking your puppy.

When you decide you are going to crate train your puppy you need to make sure that you buy the correct size crate – he needs to be able to stand up in it (at adult size) and move around. The metal crates are the best.

One thing that you need to make sure of is that you buy the right size crate for your puppy. He must have enough room to stand up and to move around. The metal crates with a door at one side are the best ones to go for – they are nice and strong.

If you go about crate training puppies in the correct way, they will think of their crate as their own special space and be only too happy to be in it. My dog often goes and lies in her crate for a bit of peace and quiet when the family visit!

Don’t ever leave your dog in the crate for long periods of time, especially when they are puppies – they will not have very much bladder control. Your puppy will not want to make a mess in his crate, so crate training is a really good aid to potty training. But you must not leave him in there so long that he is not able to hold on and makes a mess. He will be very upset and you will set back his crate training.

Now you have started to close the door, you need to increase the time it is closed. The next step is to actually leave the room when he is in the crate, but again only do this for a minute or so the first time. You will be able to build up this time slowly over a few days.

Do this for several days and then you can begin to go out of the room for a few minutes. It will not take him long to get used to being in his crate. You can increase the length of time you are away from him, but make sure when you go back to him, and open the door you should not make any fuss of him, just a small pat. Don’t ever let him out when he is crying, or he will think that this is what he has to do to be let out of his crate.

Over a period of three days or so you will be able to leave for an hour quite happily. As your dog gets a bit older you could leave him for slightly longer than this.

Your puppy will love his crate and feel totally safe and secure in it. An added advantage of having a crate trained puppy is that is you do need to go out you can be sure that he will be relaxed and happy in his crate, so long as he has a blanket or bed and a few toys to amuse him. Often when a puppy is left alone he will become anxious and this is when he is likely to start chewing, barking and making a nuisance of himself. So if you don’t want to come home to a destroyed house (it’s surprising how much damage a small puppy can do when he is stressed), then all of your crate training will be a real asset, as he just will not feel anxious or stressed because he knows you will be coming back to him, as you always do.

What exactly is crate training dogs? It sounds like something you do to a bad doggie for doing a no-no on the living room carpet. But its not. Crate training is actually based on the principle of the dogs’ innate need for security.

It is said that wolves are the dogs’ ancestors of old. This may or may not be factual but it still stands true that dogs are animals that lived in the open spaces before we adopted them into our homes. In the wild where there are dangers and perils at every turn- these dogs found caves and dens as a shelter and nesting area. This is the foundation of training dogs to use their crates in stressful and overly busy environments

Crate training is highly effective in house training dogs wherein you contain them to a place that you can feel safe leaving them in. The puppies in the crate will not be in danger of inflicting harm on them, other people or furniture in the house. You can go on long trips without much difficulty because your dog is tucked happily away in his crate. Remember, crates are his nesting area so there is no need to worry about feeling inhumane towards the dog.

Not all animals should be crate trained. Some dogs have had serious trauma in homes before and will get hysterical when placed in a confined box. It is advisable to not follow through if this is the case. Other dogs that are large will break the crate they are contained in and hurt themselves in their panic. There are some pet owners who are still uncomfortable, no matter what facts are presented to them, with the thought of putting their living pets inside a box.

Crate training dogs depends largely on how the dog owner feels about the matter at hand. If a dog in a box is distressing to you then don’t push through with this. However, if you feel that you and your dog will be better off having some space and disciple that crate training can give you, then continue reading this article for helpful tips on the best way to go about doing this.

Find a spot that is close to where people would be hanging out often. Ensure that the crate is a comfortable size that can hold the interesting things for the dog to play with. When he is inside, do not close the box just yet. Talk to him and pet him through his crate. Feed him inside. When it seems alright, start closing the door of the crate for several minutes while you are still in the room. If the animal starts to whimper and complain loudly, let him quiet down first before you let him out. This is of course a little frightening for the little pet so do not hurry him this whole process.

Never use this as a form of punishment for the dog. He should associate the crate as a calming and safe place for him to be in. If the animal is not getting upset being left alone in the crate, leave the house in short periods to gauge his reaction. If everything works out, you have accomplished the important task of crate training your dog. This will free you from worrying about your pet all the time. Moreover, you have given your dog his own special space of peace from the world.

Geraldine Dimarco is knowledgable of training dogs. Find expert advice on Crate Training Dogs the best way possible today.