Housebreaking Using Crates
Dog housebreaking can be a much simpler matter when using crates for the dog housebreaking process. What makes dog housebreaking using crates so effective is that most dogs instinctively avoid defecating in their living and sleeping quarters if they know they have alternatives.
When you begin dog housebreaking using crates you keep your dog in the crate except during supervised feeding and play times. Whenever the dog is brought out of the crate the dog is put in the area where it is expected to potty and told to “go potty.” When the dog does go potty the dog is immediately given excited praise. Dog housebreaking using crates requires that the dog be in the crate whenever it is not being supervised.
The crate should be big enough for the dog to stand in and to turn in circles. But, if the crate is any bigger than this, the dog may designate an area of the crate for going potty and another area for residing.
You have to do your part to make sure the dog isn’t forced into defecating the crate in order to perform dog housebreaking using crates. In other words, you need to make sure you always get the dog out of the crate for a potty break on schedule during training. Remember, like humans, the younger your dog the less conscious control the dog will have over its muscles. So it shouldn’t be punished if it can’t hold it in during training. Also, for an already housebroken dog, making a mess in the crate is a symptom that your dog may be suffering either severe emotional turmoil or some sort of physical illness. Simply make sure in the future that you give the dog plenty of opportunity to use the potty area.
Don’t use your dog’s crate as a prison cell if you want to be successful in dog housebreaking using crates. Make the crate very comfortable for your dog to lay in it. Give the dog plenty of time outside the crate. Do not lock your dog in the crate when you leave home. Never leave your dog in the crate so log that it cannot possibly avoid having an accident in the crate. Also, a good rule of thumb is that if you have to go potty so many times per day, a young puppy needs at least that many opportunities per day.