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
4 responses so far ↓
1 Amy // Jun 12, 2009 at 8:11 am
Since I have an older dog that does not like puppies, I also feed the puppy in the crate (that is when I’m unable to hand feed and train). Anika rockets into her crate too and Izzy will actually use her nose or paw open the door to get in if the door has swung closed.
2 Jacqui // Jun 14, 2010 at 9:49 pm
My pup is about 10 weeks old and from a shelter. He’s really not a fan of his crate! He doesn’t fall for the treat either. If I toss one in there he walks away and lays down like he doesn’t even want it. He loves laying on the kitchen floor, but I need him in his crate at night and when I have to run out. I don’t know what else to use for him if he doesn’t care about food or treats! I have put him in there after a treat and reinforced him when he went in there. He didn’t go willingly, but he didn’t whine after. He just took a nap. I just feel bad with his struggling to even go in there.
3 David // Jun 15, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Jacqui. Since your puppy does not whine or cry when crated you are two steps ahead of most people. Just put him in the crate with no fan fare for now when you need to leave him and then that will give you some time to get him to want to go into the crate. Most likely he has been crated before and that is why he doesn’t cry, but doesn’t want to go in either. I would suggest cutting back on his chow. If he isn’t hungry enough to track a treat into his crate you will have a hard time using postivie motivation to get him to crate on his own. Also, I wouldn’t go cold turkey. I would reward him for going near the crate at first and then start making a trail of food into the crate. That should help. I am sure he believes it’s a trap. When he does go in willingly be sure to let him just come out. Don’t lock him in. Once he will go in willingly to get a treat, then I start throwing in the treat, but locking the pup out. That should make him REALLY want to go into his crate. Once he is rocketing into his crate each time go to the next step and only treat him after he goes into the crate. Then only sometimes when he goes into the crate. Don’t forget Jackpots. Sometimes when he goes in he has to hit the lotto! Keep it fun and mix it up. He will do fine. Remember the fastest way to train dogs is slowly. Don’t get in a hurry and don’t skip steps.
4 Jacqui // Jun 16, 2010 at 8:28 am
Thanks David! We are still going step by step. He’s warming up a little more eager to venture in there on his own, but still not when I want him to go in there. I don’t really feed too much. He wants the treats and will start doing other tricks we’ve worked on, just wants nothing to do with the crate! (Smart little guy - haha!) At night he doesn’t whine, but since I work from home, I think he’s getting used to me always being around him. I’ve been trying to get him in his crate and leaving periodically for short amounts of time to teach him that I’ll leave, but I will come back. Boy does he whine with that! Thank you again for all the step by steps. The trick w/ door closed really enticed him!
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