For any dog owner who cares for their canine, one of the important things that you may have come across is dog crate training. Just as the name implies, this is a form of training which involves the use of a crate or a cage. It is a very effective training technique, and has been used by many dog training schools the world over. The fundamental principles here are that dogs are generally cage animals, meaning that they prefer to stay in a clean and restricted area away from deterrents. This is the principle that crate training makes use of.

One of the benefits of crate training is that it limits the areas accessed by the dog. At the same time, it is also a form of security when the need to keep the dog at bay arises. With that in mind, it is important to know the materials used to make the crates. The dog crates will usually be available in plastic or metal, depending on your preference. Plastic dog crates come in very handy when you need to travel, while wire crates are preferred for home use since they are more durable and are relatively easy to maintain in a hygienic manner.

It is vital to remember that the dog’s innate traits are the very characteristics that you will use during training. When you have decided to go for dog crate training, it is very important that you get the right size of crate, not one that is too large; neither should it be too small. A good way to estimate this is to find out whether or not the dog can move around with ease. The other important things to remember is that you should come up with a reward system. The reward system works in such a way that very time the dog follows your cue to enter and remain in the crate, it is rewarded.

Whenever you choose to use the dog training method, the rule of thumb is that the dog must be aware of the significance of the crate. This is usually achieved with the aid of dog treats each time the dog is near the crate. With time, this progresses to giving the dog treats when it actually enters the crate. Eventually, the dog becomes familiar with the crate. Important to note is that the crate need not be a prison of sorts. Allow the dog time out to relieve themselves, especially for young pups.