What is crate training you ask? It's teaching your puppy to go calmly into his crate and stay there without barking and whining. Crate training helps with housebreaking as well as keeping your puppy (and your home) safe when you are not able to watch over him. I'm sure we've all heard the horror stories of someone coming home to a house destroyed by a frantic puppy left home alone! It is not meant to be used as a way to teach your puppy to stay for hours on end day after day in a confined space. It is a tool, not an end destination. The process is really quite simple;

• Introduce the crate to your puppy
• Help him become comfortable in the crate
• Make the crate a part of your puppy's environment-nothing more, nothing less. Take the time to crate train your puppy.

You'll be glad you did!

Where to start

Start by getting a proper crate. There are a couple of styles to choose from. The standard plastic airline crate is a popular choice, as it is inexpensive and easy to clean. On the down side, they tend to be a bit too confining for some dogs, who will fret and possibly panic. They are are tend to be a bit restrictive in air flow. The mesh types are a little more expensive, but seem to be more suited to many puppy's need to see his environment. They tend to be cooler and allow more air flow. You can also get the folding kind, which are quite convenient if you are going to travel and want to take your puppy with you.

What size crate do you need? You want your pup to be able to stand easily inside the crate, and lay down fully without being cramped. Don't make the mistake of getting a large one, thinking your pup will grow into it! If your crate is too large, your pup could simply pick the far corner to utilize as a bathroom, making housetraining rather difficult-which is one of the primary reasons you're crate training, right?