Crating Your Dog

Teaching your dog to be comfortable and confident alone or confined in a crate will help you and your dog have a happy and well-balanced life.
This is a skill that must be taught just as we must teach out children how to sleep in their own beds or relax alone with a movie while we take care of house chores.
Start slowly. Provide a short-term (crate) and long-term (bathroom, X-pen, or laundry room) confinement area. Make this space enjoyable by giving them exciting and appropriate chew articles and treat toys. Never let the dog out of the confinement area when they are having a "tantrum". They must be calm and quite... then simply open the door and allow them to come out or go to the potty zone. Never make a big exciting fuss when the dog comes out. Repeat this process several times for short periods while you are home. This will prepare your dog for the times when you are not home.
Barking crated or confined dogs can drive you crazy... Resist the temptations to give up. Giving in or giving up will only make the process longer for you both.
Happy Crating!