Today we are going to talk about the best way to introduce the crate to your new puppy!
Many people have many questions about crate training. When the day has finally arrived to bring your new furball home many questions race through your mind.
One of your biggest worries about bringing a new puppy home will probably be sleep. Will I be sleeping at all in the upcoming days and nights to come? The answer to that is absolutely yes. With a few simple tips, you will be snoozing through the night seamlessly. After all a crate will become their "new den" and one of their most esteemed places to be, besides right in your lap!
Here at Amazing Goldens we have found that one of the best things we can do is lovingly and gradually introduce the crate to our puppies at a young age. Starting at about five weeks old a crate is placed with the door propped open in their home. At that point, they become very curious and begin to become acquainted with the crate. After a good week, our puppies are ready for the next stage of crate introduction. We then place small individual crates in their home. They then become very comfortable with an individual crate. At that point, small intervals begin where they are placed in their individual crates. By the time our puppies are ready for their new homes they are very familiar with a crate.
Finding the right crate for your puppy. I'm all about buying something once, and using it for as long as I can! When buying a crate buy the size of crate that will match your puppies adult weight. I recommend a large crate for a golden retriever. A crate with dividers works the best, and can grow as your puppy grows. When placing your dividers you want your crate large enough for your puppy to stand up, lie down, and turn around.
How long do I keep my puppy in the crate? I always recommend a good rule of thumb is for every month they are old is how long they are able to wait for the next bathroom break.
I have found that in the beginning stages that if you do crate time for two hours and then have very active play time for a steady 30 minutes they are ready for a rest. After all they are like a "new baby"! They require lots of sleep!
When nighttime comes most puppies by the age of four months should be able to make it through the night! After seven human babies myself, my best night time advice is the less you arouse the more they sleep. In essence if they whine to go out simply let them out to do their business and quickly put them right back in their crate!
Puppies are so special and deserve the best start we can give them. A crate offers them a safe happy place, and in return guarantees you a very happy puppy!