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Crate Training

Crate training is another important part of training your puppy. The crate provides a place of sanctuary and seclusion and helps tremendously with potty training. Your puppy is instinctively clean and does not want to soil its bed.

 

In the beginning, a puppy will not know what the crate is and up until now it has been with littermates. It is normal for your puppy to voice his concerns about this new experience, sometimes very loudly. Put the puppy in a room by itself with no distractions for the first few days of crate training.

 

It is best to start crate training in the daytime on the puppy's first day home. After playtime and potty break your puppy will be ready for a nap. Put your puppy in the crate for 10 minutes to start with. If the puppy sleeps let it out for a potty break as soon as it wakes. If the puppy does not sleep after 10 minutes, wait until it is not barking, crying, or whining and let it out. 

 

You are going to try to work up to 30 minutes of crate time on the first day. Do this by putting the puppy in the crate every hour and adding the amount of time it is in there. Do this also on the second day. Your puppy is new to this so have patience, don’t give in, and remember it gets better from here out. ONLY let your puppy out when he/she is quiet and peaceful!

 

The first night you leave your puppy in the crate is usually the hardest. Sometimes so is the second night. As long as you ignored your puppy while it was protesting, it gets easier from here out. If you gave in to your puppy’s protests and let it out during them, the puppy thinks it has trained you when to let it out and you either have to start over or give up crate training.

 

I have found with the Miniature Schnauzer breed, they are very easy to train and after the first week of crate training, if done correctly, your puppy will only whine when it needs to go potty. I keep my dog's crate open and available at all times for my dogs after about six months of age and only put them up at night. Sometimes it takes up to 10 months before your puppy is allowed to roam your house freely without getting into trouble or relieving themselves in the house while you are sleeping.

 

Your puppy should not be left in the crate for more than 4 hours at a time during the day. It needs to get out to go potty and play. In order to have a healthy, well-balanced dog you need to provide mental stimulation, playtime, and exercise. 

 

Puzzles that drop out treats when your puppy figures it out are good for mental stimulation along with basic obedience training or trick training. Playtime can involve tug of war with a rope or other similar item, and exercise can be a daily walk with your dog or age-appropriate agility training.


 

Note- If you are not crate training, your puppy should still be in a confined, puppy-proof area while you are otherwise occupied. Following are some good ideas for containment to keep your puppy safe and happy.

 

- Playpens     Amazon.com : Amazon Basics Foldable Metal Exercise Pet Play Pen for Dogs, No Door, 60 x 60 x 24 Inches, Black : Pet Supplies

 

- Dog gate    FRISCO Steel 8-Panel Configurable Dog Gate & Playpen, 30-in, Black - Chewy.com

 

-Dog door    Amazon.com : PetSafe Extreme Weather Dog and Cat Door - Aluminum Frame Pet Door - Medium : Pet Supplies

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