Furbaby Fridays

A good way to introduce your puppy to the crate is by playing a game that teaches him to go into the crate on command. At mealtime, grab a handful of his favorite puppy food and take your puppy to the crate area. With a bit of encouragement, toss a kibble into the crate. As your puppy runs in after the food, say "Go to your crate." Once your puppy has eaten the prize, he will run out to play again.

Repeat the exercise 15 to 20 more times per session. Gradually move farther from the crate before you toss the food. Eventually, you should be able to say "Go to your crate" as you sweep your hand toward the empty crate and your puppy will enter on command.

If possible, keep the crate in an area where the family spends a lot of time so your puppy has the opportunity to occasionally enter on his own. You can encourage exploration and time in the crate by placing puppy treats or toys in the crate for your puppy to find.
You must be careful not to overdo crate confinement. Your puppy can be kept in his crate all night for sleeping and up to four hours during the day, but if you are away from home for a longer period, you will need to provide more room until your puppy can control his bowels or bladder.

For longer confinement periods, you can use a small, puppy-proofed room or an exercise pen with papers spread on the floor during the day, and then use the crate at night when your puppy sleeps. A crate is just too small an area to keep your puppy in all day and all night, too. If you are frequently gone all day, having a friend, family member or dog walker come to let your puppy outside to use the bathroom during the day can be very helpful.