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Watch as Expert Dog Trainer Kathy Santo talks about how to crate train your puppy. She’ll go over everything from the philosophy behind the crate training method to precautions you should take to make sure that it’s a positive experience for the both of you.
Hi, I'm Kathy Santo with IAMS, and today we're going to talk about how to crate train your puppy. We'll begin with a general discussion on the philosophy supporting the crate training method. We'll review what you'll need, the steps involved in the process itself, and some possible troubles you may encounter along the way. Before you begin crate training, it helps to understand the philosophy behind this method. If your dog is properly crate trained, he'll view his crate as a private room with a view, a safe haven he can call his own, and a quiet place he can relax in. He won't see it as a rigid structure of confinement and punishment. In fact, it'll be just the opposite. In nature, wild dogs seek out and use their den as a home where they can hide from danger, sleep, and raise their young. In your home, the crate becomes your puppy's den, an ideal spot to sleep and stay out of harm's way. And for you, the benefits of crate training are house training, because your puppy won't like to soil the area where he sleeps, limited access to the rest of the house, where he learns the house rules, and transporting safely and easily in the car. Start crate training a few days after your puppy settles in. Before you can start crate training, you and your family members must understand that the create can never be used for punishment. Never leave your young puppy under six months in his crate for more than three hours. He'll get bored, have to go to the bathroom, and won't understand why he's been left alone in discomfort. As your dog gets older, he can be crated for longer periods of time, because his bladder isn't as small. But keep in mind he still needs a healthy portion of exercise and attention daily. If you and your family are unable to accommodate your puppy's exercise, feeding, and bathroom needs, consider hiring a dog walker or asking a neighbor or friend for assistance. After that, the crate should be a place he goes into voluntarily, with the door always open. There are a variety of crates available for purchase these days, each of which is designed for a different lifestyle need. When selecting a crate, you want to make sure it's just large enough for your puppy to be able to stand up, turn around, and lay down in comfortably. Because your puppy will grow quickly, I often recommend getting a crate that fits the size you expect your puppy to grow to, and simply block off the excess crate space, so your dog can't eliminate at one end and retreat to the other. The two most important things to remember while crate training are that it should be associated with something pleasant, and takes place in a series of small steps. The first step is to introduce your puppy to his crate. This will serve as his new den. Put bedding and chew toys in his crate, and let him investigate his area. If he chews or urinates on his bedding, permanently remove it. Observe and interact with your puppy while he's acclimating to his crate. This will help forge a sense of pack, and establish you as the pack leader. Encourage him to enter the crate with soft words and some treats. You can also pre-place some treats in the back corners and under the blankets to help make it a pleasant experience. Step two is to start feeding your puppy in his crate. Begin with the bowls near the opening of the crate. As your puppy becomes less reluctant to enter, slowly inch the food back every feeding, until you're placing it all the way in the back. When you get to the point where your puppy happily enters the crate, and stands in the back to eat, begin gently closing the crate door behind him while he's eating. At first, open the door immediately after he finishes. But after that, begin leaving the door closed a bit longer every time. If your puppy cries, you may have increased the time too fast. So decrease the length of it, and then slowly begin increasing it again. When he does cry, do not let him out until he stops, or he'll always do this to get his way. Once your puppy is used to eating his meals and waiting to be let out with no anxiety or crying, you can start confining him longer when you're home. To do so, call him over with a treat, and give it to him in his crate. Associating a command such as 'kennel' is important, so he understands the reward is a result of going in the crate. At first, you'll need to sit quietly next to him. If he's fine after 10 minutes, go into the other room for a bit, and then come back and let him out, only if he is calm and not crying. If he is crying, you'll have to wait until he's calm. Once you can leave him for about 30 minutes at a time without him getting upset, you can start leaving him there longer. Eventually, decrease the amount of reward you give him for entering the crate, so that saying the command word is sufficient. When you get home after being away for a long time, your puppy will likely be very excited to see you. It's important not to reward this behavior, or anticipating your arrival every day may be stressful for him. And lastly, make sure to crate your dog for short periods of time while you're home, or else he will associate crating with being left alone. I'm Kathy Santo with IAMS, and I hope that you found this helpful as you welcome your new addition to your family.
We may often envy our dogs for the kind of life they lead. Chilled, relaxed, and always well-rested. After sleeping like babies all night, dogs have the ability to nap throughout the day. You will find them basking under the sun, dozing off on the couch, or just napping next to your feet. When they do wake up after they’ve had their fat naps, they are full of energy and ready for some serious playtime.
Many animals, like dogs, sleep differently than we humans do. This is a very common reason for dog parents to wonder why my dog is always sleeping. Is my dog sleeping a lot or not enough? If you are wondering how much sleep do dogs need, there is more than one answer to this question. Just like how our sleep cycles change throughout our lives depending on our age, health, lifestyle, etc, a dog’s sleep cycle also changes depending on its age, health, and lifestyle. Keep reading to learn more about how long do dogs sleep, so it’s easier for you to understand your floof’s sleep patterns.
Dogs need a considerable amount of sleep; a lot more than we do. Additionally, carnivores like dogs sleep a lot more than herbivores since sleep is more dangerous for prey animals. The total number of hours a dog needs to sleep for varies on different factors such as its age, its health condition, and the kind of life it leads. Out of all these factors, age matters the most.
Dogs can sleep for around 12-14 hours each day, but puppies can clock in even more hours. This is because the body needs a lot of rest and repair during the first few months of life. Let’s take a look at how age affects the sleep cycle of dogs.
Puppies need to sleep for as long as their body needs to facilitate growth and repair. It is completely normal if your puppy sleeps for most of the day. In fact, puppies tend to sleep more throughout the day and less through the night.
Most adult dogs tend to sleep for anywhere between 8 to 13 hours, averaging around 11 hours each day. Yes, that’s a lot but that’s also a charm for these cute, cuddly floofs. Adult dogs tend to sleep for longer during the night depending on their and their pet parent’s schedule. However, napping for them is equally important. That being said, sleeping for a few hours during the day is absolutely normal.
Senior dogs and middle-aged dogs sleep as much as puppies. They tend to not wake up through the night and nap for a considerable number of hours throughout the day. These hours of sleep make sure that their body is well rested and recovering well as their body continues to age.
We now know that dogs, on average, can sleep for 15 hours a day irrespective of their age. However, every dog is different and will stick to a different routine which is okay. As a pet parent, you will soon understand your floof’s sleeping cycle and how its body functions.
If you do start worrying about your floof sleeping for too long, do not hesitate to contact your vet. It is always better to clear your doubts and take your furry friend to the doctor for a check-up and be sure. Another cause for concern that should be kept in mind is your dog sleeping for longer than usual. This could be a sign of underlying causes such as diabetes, dog depression, anxiety, and more. This is why a visit to the vet whenever you are worried is highly recommended.
There could be many reasons as to why your dog is sleeping so much. Our first thought is always an underlying disease that should be checked out by the vet. While this is highly recommended and also very common, many other reasons can make your dog sleep for very long.
If you’re wondering “Why is my dog always sleeping?”, the answer could be as simple as boredom. Sometimes dogs will resort to sleeping simply because they do not have anything to do. Apart from boredom, stress and anxiety are also major reasons for dogs sleeping too much. If your dog is anxious, you will notice it being lethargic and falling asleep often. The best way to combat this is to establish a routine and include some wholesome playtime.
Your dog can be susceptible to hyperglycaemia if its body is unable to produce the minimum amount of insulin needed. Certain dog breeds are at a higher risk of this disease as compared to other breeds. Visit your vet to diagnose conditions like this early and do the needful.
Viral infections in dogs are highly contagious and can affect your floof’s body greatly. Because of viral infections, your floof’s body will be unable to absorb any nutrients and will leave it dehydrated. Other than that, your floof will also suffer from a lack of protein and recovering from this disease will take some time. Resort to early puppy vaccination to keep occurrences as such at bay.
This infection caused by bacteria is highly contagious and your dog can get this disease easily through direct contact with urine from other dogs. This disease can also be passed on by humans. Again, this disease can drain your floof’s body of energy resulting in it falling asleep way too often.
Poisoning is a reason that should not be neglected by dog owners. If your dog is not trained and will eat anything palatable, it is at risk of poisoning itself. Other than that, many human foods are also poisonous to dogs. Avocados, spices, coffee, cheese, and more are foods that should not be fed to dogs, especially when you're pampering your floof.
Now that you know how much sleep do dogs need on average, you can notice any sudden changes in your dog’s sleep patterns. See a vet immediately if you suspect any illness or disease.
