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Crate TrainingHow To Do It and Why It Is Important The easiest way to accomplish that important house training of your new puppy is to use a crate. By following the steps described here, success will be assured and your puppy will be accident free much faster than with any other method. What is even more important is that he will be a happier and safer puppy because he is accustomed to being crated some of the time. Using a crate is gentle and humane
and dogs, being den animals, like their crates because it is "home". The
most important rule in house training is consistency. Set up a schedule
and stick with it for as long as it takes (and a week or two longer,
just to be sure). The puppy is to be in his crate at all times unless he
is (a) out for a brief playtime or (b) being exercised. Only after he
has urinated and/or had a bowel movement outside can he be let out to
play and then only for a brief period. Puppies like to eat and sleep so
they really don't need to be out for long periods. They should always be
crated at night and when you are away from home. This protects both the
puppy and your furniture and carpets. It is important that there be playtime before putting him in the crate so that he is tired and ready for a nap. Keeping the crate near your chair is good because he feels your closeness and you can always stick a finger or two through the grate to let him lick and to reassure him that he is not alone. Once he stirs and is awake from his nap, take him outside, praise him to the hilt when he does his business and bring him in for a drink and more play-time. Now about his house training:
What about paper training? This is
a decision you must make early on. If it is a male, he probably should
never be paper trained. Females can learn to go outside as well as on
papers and this can be useful in parts of the country with bad winters.
The papers must - from the start - only be placed in an area where they
will continue to be permissible, usually a laundry room. The earlier a
male is neutered, the less likely he is to lift his leg so do this
around 6 months of age. Is crate training important to the dog’s health? First there is the safety issue. A lonely puppy looks for entertainment and that can be chewing electrical wires, children’s toys, the drapes or furniture or anything small that is dropped on the floor. A crated puppy cannot reach these forbidden objects. A puppy in a home with children needs a safe and quiet retreat from overly affectionate children. The children should understand that when he goes into his house he is saying, “I’m tired and need to rest” and they should leave him alone. A crate can insure adequate rest. A puppy is still fragile and too much exercise can harm his young muscles and bones. A Bichon pup can have adequate exercise inside the house or brief supervised play-time outside in a restricted area. Bichons are fast runners and one can be in the street in the blink of an eye so lead training is also important. Even adults can be fed in the crate. This is to keep one pet from eating the other’s food and the same theory would apply in a dog-cat household. An obese dog is unhealthy, as is one eating cat food on a regular basis. Even in a one animal home, the crate should be his dining room because he eats quickly, rather than loitering over his meal. No one likes to have a picky eater. The water bowl sits nearby and is frequently washed and refilled because Bichons need fresh water available all the time. Every dog has his day and some of those are sick days. Here is where his crate is his comfort zone. It also means no accidents on the rug, if it is that kind of illness. Postoperatively, the crate becomes the recovery room. Two of the biggest safety factors making it advisable to use a crate are ones some pet owners never think of. A crated dog in an automobile has a much better chance of surviving an accident and a zero chance of causing an accident. He will also be welcome at hotels and in homes you visit if he is crated. The dog that is crated when the family is away or during the night can be quickly picked up and moved away from danger in the event of a house fire, tornado or other tragic event. You don’t have to know where to find him if he is always in the same location and that room should have a pet locator symbol on the window nearest his crate. You should also let neighbors know where he will be, just as you would want them to know where to find your child in event of a fire. These are just some of the ways that the crated dog has a better chance for a healthy, happy and safe life. As adults the crate door can be left open and you will find that this is still a favorite retreat for naps or to escape the crowd. (Needless to say, no dog wants to be crated 24-7.) It is obvious to any owner of a crate-trained dog that he does not feel it is his prison if the crate is used properly. Now if we can only convince reluctant owners to understand that!
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