How to Crate Train an Older Dog | Gentle, Step-by-Step Method, by Alyssa Rose on YouTube. 5 min 13 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 13 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes a day for 2 to 3 we
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Choose a crate where your dog can stand up, turn around and lie flat. Put it in a quiet room and take the door off or tie it open.
Toss a few small treats just inside the crate and walk away. Let your dog come and go freely for a few days with the door open.
Feed meals beside the crate, then move the bowl just inside the entrance. Praise quietly whenever your dog steps in to eat.
Mark and reward every stage of entry: one paw, two paws, then all four. Toss the treat inside so your dog steps in to get it.
When your dog walks in easily, close the gate for one second while they eat, then open it before they finish.
Build the closed time slowly, from five seconds to ten to thirty. Sit close by and open the gate before your dog starts to worry.
Give a stuffed food toy or chew inside the crate. Let your dog settle with it while you sit nearby and read or watch TV.
Add short absences of one to five minutes. Come back quietly and only open the gate when your dog is calm and quiet.
Keep sessions to five or ten minutes, two or three times a day, and always finish with an easy win.
Tips and common mistakes
Never push or lift your dog into the crate. Let them choose to walk in for a treat.
Take off collars, tags and harnesses before the gate closes so nothing catches on the bars.
Do not use the crate as punishment or a time out spot, or your dog will start avoiding it.
If your dog panics, drools heavily or hurts themselves, stop and ask your vet or a force free trainer for help.
Questions
How long does it take to crate train an older dog?
Most adult dogs need two to three weeks of short daily sessions. A dog that is already scared of crates can take longer, so move at their pace.
Should I open the gate when my dog whines?
Wait for a one second pause in the noise, then open the gate. Letting a barking dog straight out teaches them that noise works.
Can I use this for medical crate rest?
Yes, but ask your vet how long your dog can stay in and how much movement is allowed. Start building calm crate time before the rest period begins if you can.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
