If you want to know how to crate train your Bulldog then you are one of the millions of responsible dog owners who recognize what an essential part of your dog’s training this should be. Crating your dog while you are gone from the house can greatly reduce your dog’s separation anxiety and eliminate the destructive behaviors that unhappy dogs may engage in. In addition, crate training will help with house-breaking your dog or teaching it about proper boundaries within your home.
When a dog is trained from a puppy to use a crate they will usually enjoy it. The crate provides a safe, secure place for your Bulldog, replicating the burrow or hole a wild dog will inhabit to stay safe and warm. This need for safety is in their genes, so apart from not always being able to come and go at will, the crate will provided something your dog needs – a secure space all their own. Without such a space a dog may become anxious, feeling it must somehow stay safe in a space that is beyond its means to control.
Whenever possible, begin crate training as a puppy. A mature dog will find it hard to adapt to a crate, but it can be done. It will take patience on your part. Start the dog young and have it sleep in the crate from the beginning. As it grows, that will be the place it seeks out for rest, comfort and security, not the couch or your bed.
During the day, place the crate in a room where people will frequently be. Dog’s are social and want company. At night, place the crate in your bedroom so the dog has the security of its leader being close at hand. As the dog matures, leave the crate where it is most convenient and the dog won’t likely care whether it is in your room or down in the kitchen, for example. Feeling secure in the crate will be the main thing, especially for dogs that otherwise get sufficient attention and enough exercise to help them sleep well at night.
Make the crate comfortable and cozy. Place water in the crate along with a toy or two. Make sure your Bulldog has been let out to relieve itself prior to being crated, to avoid accidents and discomfort to your pooch. Fit the crate to the dog. It should be large enough to provide comfortable sleeping but not be large enough to play in or run around in when full-grown.
When you first begin to crate your dog he or she might object and start whining or barking. Ignore your pooch entirely, or give it a quiet but firm verbal reprimand. The more attention you give to its tantrums the more it will fuss. If you decide to take the Bulldog out of the crate make sure it has been quiet for 5-10 minutes, then remove it and give it words of praise for its good behavior.
If you’re wondering how long a puppy should remain in the crate, a good rule of thumb is to start with a half hour several times per day while you are home, and extend it to several hours, unless the dog is sleeping. Let sleeping dogs lie, as they say. Eventually you’ll want the dog to be conditioned to spend your entire workday in the crate.
There are benefits to crating your Bulldog for everyone. The dog will learn to be quiet and content, as well as having a safe, comfortable haven. A calmer dog won’t disrupt your routine or the household’s peace, either. Your visitors won’t have to contend with a barking, sniffing, and licking pooch either. Start your Bulldog puppy at a young age and the crate will always be a valuable asset for you both.
Jill B