3 days ago
Dog expert shares 'big no-no' when using crates - and it's easy to overlook
One canine specialist has shared a key piece of advice when it comes to using a crate for your furry friend
Crates are a must-have for countless pet owners - whether for training a puppy or helping a pooch recover from an injury. However, one expert has urged dog lovers to think twice about how they use them, as wrong methods can harm a furry companion.
Lorna, from Isle of Wight's Complete Canine Training, raised the importance of making crate time pleasant to properly train your dog. According to the Mirror, she previously explained that using toys and treats to your benefit is crucial.
"Stop putting your dog in a crate and leaving them," she said in a social media post at the time. "Dogs are such fast learners and they will really quickly learn that the crate equals the absence of you have to put them in there at different intervals - even when you're home.
"If your dog is happy to go in the crate for a treat... and the moment they finish their chew they don't like being in the crate, or the moment they finish their chew, you are gone - you are actively devaluing food, or making your dog not trust you with food."
When crate-training your dog with food, Lorna recommended treating it as a routine experience without sudden changes or departures each time. Slowly, this method should strengthen your dog's relaxed and appropriate behaviour in the crate.
She added: "There's a difference between making it a positive experience for them and using it to trick them." Lorna's post was swiftly flooded with responses from viewers, with many sharing their own success stories using this method.
One person wrote: "We did this, crate training for 10mins/one hour throughout the day and a treat every time he goes in. Eight months and perfectly crate trained."
Another added: "Yesssss. Also putting them in there when you're home doing stuff so they get used to being OK with not being able to access you."
Beyond this, Jeanette Muldoon, another dog trainer at The Family Dog Club, also told the Mirror that some dog breeds handle alone time better than others. Therefore, it's important to consider these breed differences during training.
She explained: "Your Cockapoo, Cavapoo, and Spaniels like to be very much attached to their owners. They may struggle a little more than other breeds when left alone.
"We have Staffordshire Bull Terriers and they're very affectionate [too]..Staffies are normally loyal dogs who like to spend as much time with their owner as possible, but most are often ok if their owner isn't there."
