by Denise Herman, Empire of the Dog

Get your pup used the crate with these tips and tricks.

ACCLIMATE YOUR DOG TO THE CRATE
- Feed at least one meal per day in the kennel. If you scatter the food in the kennel, your dog will burn more energy eating and hunting for it.
- Randomly throughout the day scatter treats in your dog’s crate so when he investigates the crate, there will be a happy surprise inside.
- Use the crate intermittently throughout the day [especially] when you are home. Don’t let the crate solely predict your absence.
- Toss treats inside the crate when your pups heading into it.

"GO TO YOUR CRATE"  EXERCISE
1. Stand in front of your dog’s crate, waggle a treat near his nose and then toss it inside the crate, saying “go to your crate”, or “kennel up!” or whatever cue strikes your fancy.
2. Wait for your dog to run in after the treat and then toss ANOTHER treat inside for him while he’s still in there.
3. If he’s at all skeptical about going in, toss in several treats nearer to the front of the crate to entice him early on.
4. Do several in a row and then some more later in the day.
5. As your dog gets better at this exercise, simply point to the crate and say your cue and wait for him to enter on his own BEFORE treating him.

TIPS: Always have FIDO earn the treat INSIDE the crate, not outside. Tossing the treat in , even after the fact is better for this exercise than giving hit by hand.