12/16/2023
So important!
How I crate train my puppies:
Kelce is 9 weeks old today and he’s been with us for a full week. He wakes up between 6-7 am, we go outside and potty, we come inside and train with food (following hand lures, recall games, building our marker words, crate games, facilitate appropriate interactions with my personal pack of cats and dogs), play for about 30 minutes, and then he goes back in the crate for an hour. Then I wake him up and we go outside to potty. Come inside and play and train for 30 minutes. Then he goes back in the crate for an hour. Then I wake him up, we go outside and potty, come inside and play and train for 30 minutes, then back in the crate for an hour. I do this all day long until 10 at night! He’s sleeping from 11 pm- 6/7 am consistently in the crate. I do not wake puppies during the night. If he wakes up, I will take him outside to potty but no kisses, no eye contact, no cuddles, no praise, no treats at night... just potty and back in the crate. I do wake them during the day- even if they’re sleeping in the crate. This is how I get my puppies sleeping through the night! He’s not having any accidents in the house or the crate, because I strictly supervise him and scoop him up if he is showing signs to eliminate and I manage his free time. Too many people give puppies WAY TOO MUCH FREEDOM before the dog has earned it. The puppy is no longer crying in the crate and he immediately self soothes and takes a nap. Sometimes I put bedding in the crate, sometimes I don’t. Kelce is not soiling the crate or chewing bedding, so we are giving him safe bedding sometimes, and no bedding sometimes. I want him to be able to self soothe with many different variables, and without getting him used to it being a certain way. We have avoided any unhealthy possibility for separation anxiety or containment phobia (or bratty tantrums) because we practice crate time all day long. We are on our way to creating a healthy balanced mindset and a dog that can perfectly self soothe. Kelce is going to have a great life filled with traveling and it’s important that he loves his crate! Plus he’s got a long flight to Florida in his future to go live with my sister!