MollyDogs - Shichon Puppies - Crate and Kennel Training

Crate/Kennel Training Tips and Suggestions

I’ve devoted an entire section to this subject because I feel it is so important and usually people have a lot of questions about crate training. If you have never used one before they are an invaluable house training tool. Once you get used to using one you will swear by it. Good friends of ours taught me how to use one correctly when I first brought Molly home.

The crate does a couple of things, it gives your puppy a refuge, somewhere to go to “get away” from small children that are “playing” with the puppy and the puppy gets tired, a place of his own to take with him when the family is traveling, going to Grandma’s? Staying in a motel? Going to the lake? It’s all okay with him as long as he has his own little bed with him. He can stay with friends if you go away and he can’t come along, that way he still has his familiar bed and toys with him. But most importantly with using a crate is the control it gives you regarding potty training. It leads to more successes for the puppy and less headaches for you. When you’re not home you don’t have to worry about accidents in the house, or furniture being chewed etc. You know the puppy is safe in his kennel, no harm can come to him and he can’t harm anything else!

First, pick an area that you will use as the puppy’s potty area. Always take him to the same place so he associates that with doing his business. Have him on a leash so he can’t wander off. I always tell my new owners to go the place they have selected and “plant” their feet. Don’t move around taking him for a walk, stand still and only let him go as far as the leash allows, once he realizes he isn’t going anywhere he will go quickly, while he is going give him the command you will use “go potty, Buster”, then, “good potty, Buster!” and you can scoop him up and tell him what a good puppy he is! Please go out with your puppy, don’t put him out and watch from the window. He needs to know immediately what a good job he’s done.

So as stated previously my puppies are crate trained when you bring them home. You may have a little whimpering that first night, after all, puppy is wondering where Mom and brothers and sisters went. In the Bringing Puppy Home section of this website are some tips for the first night.

When your puppy wakes up in the morning take her immediately outside to the area you have chosen for her to do her business. When she goes she gets to have playtime, then she should go out again, then she can have some food and water.

After eating, put her back into her crate, wait 20 min. or so and then take her out again. If she does not go, return her to her crate, and wait another 20 – 30 min. Once you’ve had success she gets her free time again and special time with you. She learns that she needs to go when she’s outside so that she can have her playtime. She also learns that when I come out of my kennel I need to do my business. Does this mean she will never have accidents, no, but being consistent with kennel use means she will have fewer accidents and more successes!

As our puppies are now litter trained you can continue this or as soon as you bring them home you can begin taking them outside if you don't want to use a litter tray. Then you would follow the steps listed above. However, if you want to continue to use the litter tray then we suggest keeping it near their crate when you first bring them home so they know where it is. This is when an exercise pen is invaluable, within the pen would be the puppy's crate, litter tray, food and water, toys, etc, then whenever you are away from home, at work or even just busy at home you put the puppy in the exercise pen and they have everything they need. You don't have to worry about where they are or what they are getting into, or find accidents on your favourite area rug! When the puppy is out having family time and some freedom, leave the door to the exercise pen open so the puppy can run there when they need to access their litter tray. Even help them in and out a few times so they know what to do. Then once you want to start taking them outside move the litter tray to the door you will be using to take them out, this way they learn to go to the door to go potty, then you move the litter tray outside, and then finally you can take the litter tray away. This system has worked great for many of our families. You decide what works for you and your family. The litter training is a great option for working families and especially if you live in a cold climate you don't have to worry about taking the puppy outside when it is so cold out.

It’s important to note that puppies need to go to the bathroom when they wake up, after they’ve eaten or had a drink, after a rambunctious play time or after chewing.

You will notice all of a sudden a puppy that may have been lying at your feet, or playing with a toy will suddenly get up and wander off, more than likely he is looking for somewhere to go to the bathroom. Is he starting to move in circles, look out! He’ll suddenly squat and start to go. Is he running back and forth with his nose to the ground, same thing, all of a sudden he stops, hunches his back and poops!

Picking up your puppy’s food and water by 6 p.m. and taking them out to the bathroom before putting them in their crate for the night will help reduce the number of overnight trips outside. If she seems thirsty give her an ice cube to play with, they love chasing them as they slide when they melt, plus it gives them a little water as they lick it.

Don’t let your puppy out of her crate when she whimpers or whines, unless it’s in the middle of the night and you think she needs to go the bathroom, and then she goes out to do her business and then right back in. But in the daytime she only gets out if she is being quiet, otherwise she learns that I have to howl and cry in order to get out and that’s what she will do. When you come home and she has been in her crate, take your coat off, get a drink of water, etc, then go get her out, if she’s being quiet, and take her out to her potty area telling her what a good puppy she’s being. She will learn patience and control.

Anytime you cannot supervise your puppy she should be in her kennel or exercise pen. If you are making supper, for example, put her in her kennel or pen, that way she won’t be off by herself having accidents or getting into something. You can take her out as soon as you’re done. I will sometimes put a puppy in the kennel if I have a lot of housework to do, laundry, vacuuming, mopping and just need her to be out of the way, but safe, I will put a couple of toys and a chew bone in, get my work done and then take the puppy out and have playtime.

**Please note that your puppy can only be in a crate in the daytime with the door shut for an hour for each month of her age plus one. So, a three month old puppy can be in her kennel for four hours. That’s the max their little bladders can take.