How To Crate Train An Adult Dog: The do’s and don’ts

Trying to crate train an adult dog is a lot like trying to house train a grown-up cat. Most of the time, it doesn’t work as planned and you have no idea what happened. It’s frustrating! but learning the right tips and tricks on how to crate train an adult dog can be beneficial to helping you make your senior dog love their crates.

In this article, you will learn the fundamentals of how to train an older dog to use a crate easily, the do’s and don’t when teaching your dog adult dog to use and enjoy a crate.

Firstly, let us look at

How to Train an Older Dog To Use a crate?

It is always good to remember that the idea of crate training an older dog is to create a safe and comfortable space for your pup and a crate can help prevent damage or destruction in the home, as well as help with anxiety-related problems.

Crate training should always start by preparing the dog and the crate, try not to force the dog in a crate but rather be patient and consistent and you will get the best result.

The steps include: setting up a schedule, starting with a short time in the crate, and gradually increasing the duration your dog is in the crate. It also helps to provide your pet with appropriate chew toys, food, and water bowls while they are crated.

7 Easy Steps to follow:

1. Prepare the crate, Make sure the crate is big enough and has a cover on it to make the adult dog feel comfortable and safe in it.
2. Be patient, try not to force your dog into the crate as that will give them the impression that the crate is a way of punishment and makes it harder for them to feel safe or make it their home
3. Set up a schedule and be consistent, one of the most underrated steps of all but very important.
4. Start with a short time (30 minutes) in the crate and gradually increase the length.
5. Provide your dog with appropriate chew toys and food and water bowls in their crate
6. Older dogs are often more difficult to train than puppies because they have a different mindset. Repetition and practice is the key to training an older dog new tricks.
7. If you are having trouble training your dog to be comfortable with the crate, it may not be a good idea to continue this technique.

5 Reasons for Crate Training an Older Dog

1. Sometimes during illness or injury recovery, dogs need to be confined and crates provide a safe space
2. Dog crates can also provide safety for animals during natural disasters
3. Dog crates can help with transportation and trips to the veterinarian, where your dog may be safer in a crate than in a harness or left on his own.
4. This can be especially helpful during potty training puppies
5. In emergency situations, dog crates are generally safer than other options because they provide containment and protection from harm that is not provided by other means.

Challenges of Training Older Dogs

There are a lot of challenges when training an older dog. However, it is possible for dogs to learn new tricks and even change their behaviors in some cases. It takes patience and repetition with the use of positive reinforcement which can help older dogs learn new tricks easily.

If you have an older dog that is not used to training, it can be a difficult task. However, there are some do’s and don’ts when trying to train your adult dog.

First of all, make sure the environment is calm so they will feel safe in their new home before starting any type of training program with them. It’s also important that older dogs get plenty of exercise every day as this will keep them physically fit and mentally stimulated while they’re being socialized at the same time.

Additionally, it’s important that you do not push them to be friends with other dogs or people when they are first being introduced as this can make the process even more challenging and stressful for your dog.

How to make your dog love a crate (Dos):

1. Make sure the environment is calm so they will feel safe in their new home before starting any type of training program with them.
2. It’s also important that old dogs get plenty of exercise every day so they stay physically fit and have enough mental stimulation while being socialized.
3. Do not push them to be friends with other dogs or people when they are first being introduced as this can make the process even more challenging and stressful for your dog
4. Take them out for walks and to the parks to help them avoid destructive behaviors and boredom.

3 Things You Shouldn’t Do When Teaching A Dog To Love A Crate (Don’ts):

1. It is essential that you don’t rush your dog’s training.
2. Don’t ever hit your dog or use any type of violence with them to get their attention. You want them to know that you’re in charge and not intimidating.
3. Don’t ever feed your dog from the table, they will think this is part of their regular food and may not obey you when you tell them to get off.

13 Simple Steps on How to Crate Train an Older Dog

1. Select a crate that’s large enough for your dog to comfortably lie down, stand up, and turn around in.
2. Place a comfy blanket inside the crate to make it more enticing.
3. Set aside any negative feelings you have about placing your dog in a crate.
4. Prepare yourself for the positive experience of putting your dog into the crate
5. Dogs are extremely sensitive to our emotions.
6. Do not begin training until you can do it from a calm, relaxed, and happy place.
7. Prepare your dog before the training session by giving some exercise and relieving himself if needed.
8. Build positive associations with the opening of the crate by placing treats and favorite toys near it.
9. Praise your dog when he goes near the opening to retrieve an object or treat.
10. Start by closing the door just for a second before opening it and letting him out again.
11. Keep rewarding with treats, toys, and food until your dog is comfortable enough to enter the crate on his own without being cued.
12. When introducing the new environment, start with just a few seconds and gradually increase the time by about 10 seconds at a time until your pet becomes more comfortable in its own space.
13. If your dog panics or becomes agitated, stop and take a break.

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