crate training – Pawjourr | Blog contributors

With working from home restrictions slowly easing, pets raised during the pandemic may grow to develop separation anxiety once their owner is out of their line of sight.

In order to help pawrents whose dogs may suffer from separation anxiety, Team #TWA has reached out to QiuLi, AKA @taroandtoastie, to learn more about what it entails.

Read on to learn about QiuLi’s experience with crate training, and how Taro’s separation anxiety has since improved.

Experience with Crate Training

Hello! Tell us more about your relationship with Taro.

Hello! Taro is my first dog and I’m mainly the one feeding, training and playing with him that’s why he is very attached to me.

Being a first-time dog owner, I didn’t know much about dog training. At 3 months old, Taro was a little terror. He showcased slight aggression when handling, a tendency for resource guarding and kept chewing on things he’s not allowed to.

It definitely wasn’t what I thought having a dog would be like. But since working with him on setting structure and boundaries, our relationship definitely grew stronger and he is able to understand what is most expected of him.

What is separation anxiety and how does it affect your daily life with Taro?

I think Separation Anxiety in dogs is characterised by their inability to cope when left alone.

They would get stressed and start to whine, bark, howl, pace around. They just can’t seem to lie down and settle. If left to roam freely, they might even display destructive behaviours or have indoor accidents despite being potty trained.

As I work from home most of the time, Taro had always been by my side and follows me wherever I go into the house. He is only able to nap during the day if I am nearby or within his line of sight. Thus it became quite stressful, especially on days that I am heading out because he would whine the moment I accessed my closet.

If he’s allowed to free roam, he will obsessively follow me everywhere and start pacing around because he’s either excited that we’re heading out or panicking that I’m leaving him at home. I used to arrange for someone at home to accompany him but he refused to engage with family members either. He would just wait for me to come back and that’s when I realized I needed to do something to boost his independence and to have a healthier state of mind.

Bring us through a day of training with Taro.

Taro was crate trained since the day we brought him home. He is able to sleep overnight and nap during the day in the crate in the day but once he is awake he whines and barks to be let out. Other than that, he spends most of his time free-roaming throughout the house.

When I started working on his Separation Anxiety, I moved his crate out into the living room so he could learn to sleep overnight alone. The first night, he barked and howled throughout and would not settle down to sleep. After a week or so, he could sleep overnight without any whining. We also stopped engaging with him at home, refrained from giving him too much affection (though I still do sneak in some affection time haha) or playing excessively with him.

Hence, whenever he’s at home, he’s either in the crate or hanging out on the cot. We stopped letting him free roam the house as well. I would bring him down for potty and walks twice a day and I use his meals to do training for some mental stimulation. When we go outside, I would use his toys to engage with him. This taught him to focus better despite having distractions.

On days when my family members are not at home, I will also take the opportunity to leave him alone in the crate while I sit outside the house and observe him through the camera. He usually naps for the first hour but once awake he begins to whine before going back to sleep. After 2-3 hours, I will go back in and he will begin to whine for my attention. Despite this, I will continue to ignore him for at least 1-2 hours depending on how fast he calms down. This helps to teach him that leaving and coming home is not a big deal.

How long has it been since you started crate training and have you noticed any improvements?

It has been about 3 months since we started this new routine and his Separation Anxiety has significantly reduced. He used to whine when he saw me gathering clothes, or when he hears me preparing my bag to head out. He even whines when I am just visiting the toilet. After training, I can head to the toilet without getting him anxious. Though he still does whine a little when he sees me preparing to head out, it is a lot lesser compared to last time and he stops when I step out of the house.

Advice for Beginners

Do take note that QiuLi is not a professional trainer. Hence, interested pawrents are advised to consult a professional if they encounter behavioural issues.

How can I introduce crate training to my dogs?

If you have a puppy, that would be the best and easiest time to crate train them. Older dogs that require crate training might need a longer time to adapt. You’d need a lot more patience to endure the transition period where they’ll be whinier.

The ultimate aim is to let them know that the crate is a safe haven that does not harm them. This would help them fully relax in the crate. I always use food and toys to help them associate the crate with positivity so that they would enter it of their own free will.

You can start by feeding meals outside, yet near to the crate. Afterwards, slowly progress to placing some food inside the crate so that they would willingly step inside it. For puppies that nap frequently, invite them to nap inside the crate for short periods of time throughout the day. If they’re awake and starts to bark, do not attend to them immediately and only let them out when they’ve quieted down.

It is also important to choose the correct crate size. Small crates might be uncomfortable for them. Big crates may result in potty accidents inside. The length of the crate should be just ample for them to walk one round and height should still provide some allowance while they’re standing.

When it comes to crating overnight, most puppies tend to whine in the middle of the night as it’s a new environment and they’re separated from their family. I took this chance to potty train Taro. When he begins to whine in the middle of the night, I wait for him to quieten down before bringing him out to his designated potty area. I then put him back to the crate straight after.

While doing this, you want to make sure there are no fun distractions as we do not want them to think that whining can get them out of the crate for some cuddle/baby (affections) instead.

Sometimes after he has gone to potty and he still continues to whine in the crate, I would bring him out to potty again so he knows that whining only provides potty visits. There are times we went to and fro from crate to potty at least 3 times (and all 3 times he did go) before he settled.

Another method that worked incredibly well for us (after you know he definitely cleared his bowels), was to sit in front of the crate door and leave the door open. The moment he attempts to step out, shut the door to prevent him from doing so. I would repeat this until he gives up trying to come out and would eventually settle. After around 1 week, Taro was able to sleep in the crate without waking up in the middle of the night.

What should pet owners take note of when pursuing Crate Training?

When it comes to any aspect of dog training, I think consistency is very important.

Do the same thing every day, set up a routine, and make it into a habit and they’ll adapt/learn quicker. I know some people cannot bear to ignore their whines when they’re crated and hence give up. Yet, I assure you crate training definitely has more pros than cons. We just need to persevere during the initial stage and be consistent and you’ll be able to reap the results after.

PROS

It provides your pet with a place to relax and sleep, hence reducing their sense of heightened alert whenever a passerby walks outside the house.
It keeps them out of trouble and from practising bad behaviours, your house and items do not get destroyed and there are no potty accidents.
Preventing separation anxiety as they learn to settle on their own. Remember to not only crate them when you are leaving the house as they might then associate the crate as being left alone. Crate them during the day for short periods of time even when you’re home so it becomes a normal routine.

A big thank you to @taroandtoastie for sharing her experience with crate training! For pet owners whose cats suffer from separation anxiety, we urge you to read Sherlyn and Leo’s experiences.

If there are other styles of training that you think is important for pet owners to know, let us know in the comments below!

If you’re wondering what is crate training and why is it important, you can refer to the link below:

What is crate training and why it is important?

You can read here for more information on what and why crate training is important

So commonly when we adopt an older dog, we will often wonder if it is still necessary to crate train?

Of course Puppy guardians will find the crate more useful for training purposes than the guardians of older dogs. Still, there are some reasons you should crate train an older dog, such as for preparation in the event of emergency.

So I personally feel that these are best reasons to crate train an older dog:

Security in an emergency situation
Safe transportation via car/plane
Easier veterinary visits and long-term care in case of illness or injury
Providing a comfortable and safe location in high-stress environments

Crate training a dog of any age can be tricky because “being trapped” in a “tiny box” is scary! However, many dogs that are properly introduced to a crate may truly enjoy their relaxing time inside. Of course the ideal crate size has to be big enough for them to stand up and turn around without restriction.

_{Kobe is crate trained, but not on command. Kobe is peepad trained, so he gets to do this number 1 and 2 on the shower area where the peepad is placed. And the rest of the space is where his water bowl is, and toys to keep him busy.}

My foster puppy in his new adopter house

_{I know one high-energy SS puppy that’s being crated (His crate is the common toilet) for a few hours at a time while his mom is at work, chooses to hang out in his crate frequently in the evenings, weekends and overnight. Hence, it’s important to crate train properly. Because crates don’t come with instruction manuals, they can easily be unintentionally misused, causing your dog severe distress.}

So like I mention, crate training doesn’t come with instructions, so it can easily be unintentionally misused. So I will highlight again.

Of course if you choose to crate train your dog like me in the common toilet, please make sure there’s no toilet paper to shred. HAHA

Introduce it Casually

_{The worst way you can introduce your puppy to the idea of a crate is to bring it home and lock him inside it immediately. People don’t like being trapped against their will, and neither do dogs. Instead, you should initially treat the crate like it’s just another piece of furniture — but one that he can enjoy. To this end, place it in a part of the house that he frequents, add a blanket and a toy or two, and keep the door open. Then back off and give him a chance to explore it. Some dogs will immediately start sniffing around and going into the crate, which is a great sign. If your puppy isn’t quite so bold, encourage him to check it out by placing favorite foods and toys near and inside the crate. The ultimate goal is to get him comfortable with going inside, and this is something that could take days. Be patient with the process.}

_{After he’s willing to enter the crate, your next goal is to get him comfortable with staying inside for extended lengths of time. One of the best ways to do this (and create a positive association with the crate) is to start putting his food in the crate. If possible, you want to place the food at the back of the crate so that your dog goes all the way in. Some dogs may not be willing to do this, though, so you can start with the food just inside the crate and slowly move it back with successive meals. As soon as your dog is eating his meals while standing all the way inside the crate, it’s time to close the door. After he’s done eating that first time, open the door immediately. You’ll leave him in longer and longer with each meal, adding just a few minutes every time.}

_{It’s possible that your dog may whine. If this happens, open the crate immediately and don’t leave him in as long next time. However, if he whines again, wait until he stops before letting him out or you will teach him that whining equals open door.}

_{Once your dog is hanging out in her closed crate without signs of stress, it’s time to lengthen her stay. Use a favorite toy or treat to encourage her to enter the crate, then close it. Hang out by the crate for several minutes, then go into a different room for a few minutes so she gets used to the idea of staying in the crate alone. When you return, don’t open the crate immediately. Instead, sit with her again for a few more minutes and then open the door. Keep increasing the time as you do this until your dog is able to stay in the locked crate for half an hour without your presence. When she’s able to do this, she’s ready for you to leave her for short periods and possibly even sleep in the closed crate overnight. The key here is to make crating seem completely normal and avoid excitement. Encourage him to get into the crate and praise him when he does so, but keep it brief. When you come home, stay low-key and ignore any excited behavior that he shows.}

Rules for successful crate training

Never leave a dog inside a crate for longer than five hours at a time (with the exception of overnight).
Make sure the crate is large enough for your dog to comfortably stand up, lie down and turn around in. The more space the dog has inside the crate to get comfortable, the better.
If you have a very young or very tiny puppy whose bladder is underdeveloped, never leave them inside a crate for longer than they can hold their urine. (Unless you planning to peepad train him)
The same goes for a senior dog with a weak bladder that needs to urinate frequently.

And also make sure your floor mat is beyond reach. LOL

These training tips can help your dog love the crate

Never force your dog inside the crate or close them in it for longer than they’re ready for. They must choose to go in on their own.
Help your dog to choose to go into the crate by throwing a treat, leaving a bully stick or pig’s ear or placing a puzzle toy filled with high-value treats (i.e., peanut butter, hot dogs, chicken) inside.
Gradually increase the period of time your dog spends in the crate. Begin by luring them in, closing the door for a couple of seconds, then letting them back out. Repeat this several times, then increase the interval by a few seconds. Repeat, slowly increasing the time they spend inside with the door closed.
Place soft bedding inside the crate and provide access to water.
Remember to NEVER leave your dog inside the crate with the door closed for longer than five hours at a time. The one exception to the rule is crating overnight, which is okay as long as your dog is a good nighttime sleeper.
If your dog is having trouble adjusting to the crate and begins to howl, dig, or bite at the bars, put a sheet over to minimise visual stimulation.

All the information I shared is base on my knowledge and my research on how and what’s the best for crate training. Of course certain things I said you might not agree to what I say, or maybe it doesn’t work on your dog. If you have other ways or a better way of crate training, please leave on the comment below so we all dog owners/lovers can learn something too!