How to train your dog to travel in a crate. Simple…
Getting your dog to love his crate is very simple. To begin with you want your dog to think of his crate as his favorite place, to do that start by introducing him to his crate in a motivational manner. Take the car crate out of your car and put it on the floor. Follow these simple steps.
- NEVER force your dog into his crate and slam the door shut. This will only set a negative precedent. We’ll follow some simple steps. This will make certain your dog loves his crate and you can use this if you’d like to crate him at home or in your car (something I highly recommend.)
- Start by feeding your dog in the crate. At first put his bowl near the front door of the crate and then the next meal move the bow into the crate, eventually having the bowl be at the furthest end away from the open door. Don’t close the door just yet. Let the dog go in and out on his own time.
- During the day throw some treats into the crate and when your dog goes in, make a big deal out of it, then pay him little attention when he comes out. Don’t close the door just yet.
- Next get his favorite toys and put them in the crate, if he brings them out, put them back into the crate, if he takes them out again, put them away.
- Get a Kong toy and stuff it with some almond butter, honey, or yummy treats. Put that in the back of the crate. If he takes it out, you can tie a knot in a rope and feed that through the top hole and tie that to the back of the crate. Don’t close the door just yet.
- If he is starting to like the crate, push the door closed as you walk by and then open it right away. Doing this several times will take the “event” out of the door closing.
- Once he’s a bit more comfortable with that, close the door and wait for your dog to look at you and calm down. Once calm, open the door and walk away.
- Don’t open the door if your dog is throwing a fit, this will only teach him that throwing a fit will get you to open the door. On the contrary, being calm will get you to open the door.
See: online dog training
Now that your dog is calm in his crate at home and on the floor, you can proceed to moving the crate into the car. If you are traveling with a car crate, I suggest you consider using a crash tested safety crate, preferably one with a crumple zone. Place the crate into your cargo area, and using a car ramp, teach your dog to walk up the ramp and get into his crate. Immediately teach him to come out of the car and walk back down the ramp. I like to make it a game, dogs love games. Once the dog lies down in the crate, close the crate door, close your car door and go for a ride around the block. The biggest mistake people make is going too far too fast. Just a ride around the block or maybe a ride to the pet store to get some of his favorite treats.
By introducing your dog to the crate slowly, you ill have a lifetime of happy car rides, if you make it an ordeal, then you will have a lifetime of misery 🙁
