CRATE TRAINING FOR YOUR PUPPY
Ridgy Didge Cobberdogs recommends that all their puppies have a crate to go to their new home in, unless there is an adult to hold and watch puppy in the car. Why is that, you may ask? There are just so many great reasons for crate training your dog; let’s take a brief look at some of them here.
Did you know that dogs instinctively seek out tight spaces? Therefore, being confined to a small, familiar space makes your dog feel comfortable and secure, and allows them to be soothed by having less area they feel they need to protect! Training your dog to use a crate properly provides them a safe haven that they can feel comfortable and secure in, and can seek out when they are tired, anxious or just want to be alone. Having a consistent, familiar space to call their own is comforting for your dog.
Crate training is one of the most efficient and effective ways to train and housebreak your puppy. Until your puppy is fully housetrained, you should not allow the pup free run of your house when you are away, or puppy will quickly develop negative habits: puppy may toilet all over the house, and chew and destroy anything he/she can get a mouth or claws around (electrical wires, shoes, table/chair legs, carpets, you name it!). Many people confine their new puppy to the yard, a bathroom, kitchen, or a laundry room when they leave home. This is really counterproductive for many reasons – because the puppy doesn’t associate you with that room, they will instead associate the room with your leaving, which often leads to separation anxiety.
Being in a small, safe space also gives your puppy less territory to defend, and allows puppy to relax more easily. With proper crate training, your puppy will settle quickly and easily in the crate and it will become a conditioned subconscious reflex! The crate becomes home-central for your puppy, no matter where it is, and because the crate is portable, it makes transporting your puppy stress-free.
There is a specific set of guidelines to use when buying a crate (size, material, furbishing) and crate training your puppy. There are also definite rules about what NOT to do. This is such an important investment in your puppy, yet it requires just a little money and time! To find out much more about buying a crate and training you puppy, visit our website here and learn all about it.
If you would like to adopt a Ridgy Didge Australian Cobberdog, please read our Adopting a Puppy information, before you continue the adoption process. For more information, pm us on Facebook, or contact us at our website. Like and follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with ongoing puppy news and announcements.