This post is sponsored by PetSmart®, and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Kennels, Crates, and Containment Systems for your pet, but AmmotheDachshund.com only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. PetSmart is not responsible for the content of this article.
Ok, full disclosure here, when I was a puppy I failed crate training. Yes, it’s true. I barked and cried and threw out all the stubborn dachshund tricks until my mom and dad caved. That was 6 years ago though, and although I may not be the perfect poster dog for loving my crate, I am learning that it’s not such a bad place to be after all.
As an adult dog I’ve learned that there are many benefits to crate training and I should learn to be one of the many #CrateHappyPets out there.
Reasons why you might need to put your pet in a crate:
- Your pet becomes injured and needs to be on crate rest
- Traveling in a carrier by plane or the need to be crated in a hotel to keep pets out of trouble
- Great for pets with separation anxiety when you leave home
- Dog agility events where there is a need to kennel pets between events
- Pet safety and keeping them out of areas that are hazardous
Yet the number one reason that my mom and dad decided to take the plunge and FINALLY crate train me was to keep me from begging for food at dinner time! I guess my cute puppy dog eyes were becoming too much for them to resist!
Since I’m probably not the only dog out there that was/is resistant to crate training I’ve decided to share some of my tips on how I learned to love my kennel!
Ammo’s Tips for Crate Training an Adult Dog:
TIP 1: Pad your dog’s crate with something extra soft! If you have to, double up the dog beds, no dog wants to sleep on the hard plastic bottom of a crate. Simply switching out my crate pad for something extra soft made me want to take naps in there instead of anywhere else! For a bonus you can add a pet-safe heating pad, because that’s just icing on the cake!
TIP 2: Give your dog something extra special when they are in their crate. I love a toy stuffed with peanut butter (and if you freeze it, it lasts even longer – plus there is no risk of choking when mom and dad are gone). In the beginning my mom would let me chew on something tasty inside the crate (while the door was open) to get used to being in there.
TIP 3: Cover the top of your crate with a blanket or crate cover. Us dogs are den animals, and sometimes being snuggled up in a dark area makes us feel safe and secure.
TIP 4: Build duration in the crate slowly over time with routine. My parents started me out with the routine of going into my crate every evening at their dinner time. I started out by just being closed in for a minute or 2 a night, and built up to longer lengths over several months.
TIP 5: Practice your crate training in many different places. You can even play some crate training games with your pup to get them to look forward to going inside.
So hopefully my crate training tips have you all excited to get started with your pup too, now all you need is a crate!
Great news, my friends over at Petsmart® are having a SALE ON CRATES, KENNELS, CARRIERS, AND ACCESSORIES all this month, and you can grab one for a steal.
Petsmart carries many great brands like Petmate®, Martha Stewart Pets®, Top Paw®, Kong®, and Grreat Choice®. Personally I’m a big fan of the wire crates like these from Top Paw® – as I have been known to chew through a soft crate or two before I learned to love them!
Not sure what to buy? Check out this helpful Crate Buying Guide from Petsmart.
So don’t delay, grab a cart and head on over to Petsmart (or you can shop online) – these deals only last until March 31st!
Before you know it, you’ll have #CrateHappyPets just like me! 
Do you have any crate training tips to share? Post them in the comments below!
Ammo, you look pawsome in your crate. We love to get treats in our crate too.
Thanks! I’ve become an expert at training my mom to give me treats in mine! Those moms catch on pretty quick!
I don’t have any training tips because I don’t remember what I did to train my dog to sleep in the crate. I knew I wanted to crate train him from the moment I got him. he hated it at first but now at odd times, he goes to his crate…like when he is bored, sad, or even in trouble. I do on occasion give him treats to reward him for going to his crate at night for bed.
My mom wishes she had kept up with my crate training as a puppy, but it’s never too late to retrain us pups!
Ammo, I’m glad you overcame your fear of crates. I don’t know what I would have done if my dogs cried when they were in their crates. Nice to find a fellow BlogPaws fan. Sharing your story.
I definitely pulled out all the stops when I was a puppy! (It’s a stubborn dachshund thing). But the good news is it’s never too late to retrain any task and I’m learning to love my crate!
Great tips. I am going to share this on my blog tomorrow. As a side note, Gretel couldn’t stand having her crate covered. She freaked out. She likes an open wire crate so she can see everything around her.
Thanks for sharing! And I’m sure having the crate covered is likely a personal thing. Some dogs might love it, others hate it!
Yawn! 🙂
it is possible! we had to do it. Rusty (now 10) was crate trained starting at 3 months of age. At 1 yr’s old we started letting him have the house and sleep in our bed, never crated again. At 8yr old he went back to crate life because he had back surgery. He is still crated today when we are away from the house and he sleeps in a child’s pack-n-play at night. so much safer and like you said, perfect for travel and what not. Rusty is the red boy, Odie (pie) is his bro 😉
Gumbo & Osgar are both rescues. They “crate up” with no problem.
Thank you for the tips Ammo!