Introduce your dog to the crate
Encourage your dog to enter the crate by tossing a small treat inside to get them moving in and out of the crate on t heir own. this will help them associate the crate as a good place where they get lots of treats. Once you toss one treat, use another one to get the dog to come out of the crate before throwing another treat in. Use a small treat your dog really likes. If they don’t like treats, you could also use a toy! You don’t want to force the dog into the crate, it should be a happy place that they want to go where they get rewarded for going inside. If the dog is not willing to go into the crate on their own, you can try backing up from the crate to give them more space, or toss the treat NEAR the crate and slowly work their way up to them putting their nose in the crate, then a paw, etc, until they will fully enter on their own.
Feed their meals in the crate
Begin feeding your dog their meals inside the crate. Use their food bowl to lure the dog in the crate. If they’re hesitant to go all the way inside, only place the dish in as far in as they are willing to go, and slowly work your way up to putting the food dish all the way inside the crate. As your dog gets more comfortable eating in their crate, you can shut the door of the crate as they eat their meal and open it once they’re done.
Practice leaving for short periods of time.
Next, we practice getting your dog into the crate by using a treat and closing the crate door. Sit outside the crate for a few moments before letting them out. Work your way up to leaving them in the crate while you walk into the other room before coming back and letting them out. You can slowly increase the amount of time you leave them in the crate before letting them out. This process may take several training sessions, so be patient and only leave your dog in the crate for a few moments at a time.
Put your dog in the crate to sleep at night.
Finally, crate your dog at night. Place their blanket inside the crate and lure them inside. Once your dog is inside, you can cover their crate with a sheet to keep them quiet at night. To make them more comfortable, you can put their nighttime crate in your bedroom so they know you are nearby.
Remember to have lots of patience! This whole process may take y our dog a while to get the hang of it.
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