DOGGIE DOG BLOG

Posted & Written by: David Harris

I have answered the why crate train in this previous article: http://doggiedogblog.com/puppy-crate-training/#more-329 and discussed some of the pro’s and the con’s of crating.  This article is more of an attempt to explain HOW to get your puppy to go into the crate willingly.

There are three stages involved in going from using bribery to actually using reinforcement training to teach the behavior of going willingly into a crate.

In stage one you are simply attempting to get the puppy psyched about getting into the crate.  Use whatever means necessary to build up their attitude that the crate is a wonderful place to be.  My best method is simply to use food to lure the pup into the crate.  In this stage I toss the food in and let the pup go in and immediately come out.  I do not lock the puppy into the crate.  This would be like a trick or a trap and will not make the puppy want to go into the crate, but rather create a suspicion that you are setting them up.  So, I just let them go in and come out.  Repeat until the pup is willingly going in and back out. Click each time the pup goes in. 

In the second stage I throw in the treat, but I close the door before the pup can go into the crate and let the pup get a little frustrated that they are locked out of their wonderful crate.  After just a moment or two I will let the pup go into the crate and get their goodie.  Each time I do this I will increase the amount of time I make the puppy wait to go in.  Eventually I am putting a treat into the crate after the pup comes out, then taking the pup outside for a walk or a work session and they don’t get the treat sometimes for hours.  In this stage we are simply trying to build drive to go into the crate willingly.  Click each time the pup goes in if you have been clicker training your pup or simply give a verbal cue that you are pleased that they went into the crate willingly.

In the last stage you are now moving from bribery to actual reinforcement training.  In this stage the puppy believes the treat is in their crate as it always was, but it’s not.  Simply open the crate door and the puppy will jump in as usual, now you click and toss in the treat afterwards.  Now you are actually rewarding the behavior as it’s happening.  Repeat.  You will soon see that your puppy runs into the crate and then looks out waiting for you to toss in the treat.  If at anytime this behavior breaks down go back to stage two.  Now that the puppy is willingly going into the crate you can move to the variable schedule of reinforcement.  Sometimes the pup will get a treat for going into their crate, sometimes the will not and sometimes they will hit the JACKPOT and get an extra special reinforcement such as chicken or liver.  This variable schedule of reinforcement is very important to building long term compliance of the behavior and to allow you to slowly wean the pup away from needing constant reinforcement for the behavior.  The VSR also keeps the behavior exciting since the puppy never knows what to expect when they do the behavior. 

In the learning stage you use constant reinforcement.  Otherwise the puppy would not know what is right.  But, once the behavior is established you always move to random schedules of rewards.  My personal dog will go into her crate so fast that she rocks it backwards when she goes in.  She rarely gets a treat, but she still believes that is a better than average chance she will.  And I comply with very random, but exciting rewards to maintain this behavior.

Happy Crating.  And be sure to ask questions.

David Harris

Animal Resorts & Training Center

www.animalresortstc.com