Crate Training
Even if you cocker is going to be allowed to sleep on your bed – Please please consider crate training him first… you won’t regret it. Plus your dog will then understand that sleeping on the bed is a privilege not their right.
A dog crate, correctly and humanely used, can have many advantages for both you and your pet. Crate or no crate, any dog constantly denied the human companionship and attention it craves is going to be a lonely pet and may find ways to express it. But with the help of a crate:
The benefits for YOU:
Enjoy complete peace of mind when leaving your dog home alone, knowing that nothing can be soiled or destroyed and that he is comfortable, protected, and not developing any bad habits.
Toilet train your dog more quickly by using close confinement to encourage control, establish a regular routine for outdoor elimination, and prevent “accidents” at night or when left alone.
Effectively confine your dog at a time when he may be underfoot (meals, family activities), unwelcomed (guests, workmen etc.), over excited or bothered by too much confusion or too many children, or ill.
Travel with your dog without risk of the driver being dangerously distracted or the dog getting loose.
Know that you can ask someone to babysit while you’re on holiday and that he can easily adapt to any strange surroundings as he has a crate routine to take with him.
If you're going to crate your puppy at night, I put an old sleeping bag over the top of the crate, so that the puppy knows its sleep time and is protected from drafts.
The benefits for Your Dog:
Enjoy the privacy and security of a “den” of his own to which he can retreat when tired, stressed, or ill.
More easily learn to control his bowels and to associated elimination only with the outdoors or other designated location.
Be spared loneliness and frustration of having to be isolated (laundry, garage, outside) from comfortable indoor surroundings when being restricted or left alone.
Be conveniently included in family outings, visits, and trips instead of being left alone at home or in a boarding kennel.
No dogs likes to pee in its bed, so they'll hold on as long as possible, just like children some toilet train quicker than others - but if you set up a good routine it won't take long at all.
Some Further Ideas About Crate Training
The key to remember is you want to enjoy your cocker and be pleased with his behaviour. Your cocker wants little more from life than to please you. A crate can help make your relationship and life a great journey together.
Some people do not like the idea of crate training, however, placing a puppy in the crate while you are away shopping etc can save your sanity in the early days of teething. The crate will keep your puppy out of mischief and keep them from chewing on items that should not be chewed on.
Begin crate training and make it fun, relaxed and never use the crate as a punishment. I feed my puppies in the crate with the door open during the day so they learn its good place and totally their own, just like having a bedroom.
While you’re at home – just put a favourite toy or treat in the crate with the door open and you’ll find that your cocker makes it his own space very quickly. You can place the crate in the kitchen or living room during the day, and then in your bedroom at night. Or put it where its doing to stay right from the start.
A young puppy (8-16 weeks) should normally have no problem accepting a crate as his “own place”. Any complaining he might do at first is caused not by the crate, but by his learning to accept controls of his unfamiliar-new-environment. Actually, the crate will help make him adapt more easily and quickly to his new world.
If the pup misbehaves, discipline it using a loud low voice. When the pup quiets, then let them out, but wait for at least 5 seconds of quiet prior to opening the door.
This makes the puppy learn that they cannot get out by making a fuss, puppies that learn that they can get out when making a noise, will use this to their advantage and you’ll be creating a habit that will be hard to break.
My puppies sleep in their crate all night long, some are a bit noisy the first few nights – But hang in there, this is one time that tough love is the best approach. I put a piece of folded newspaper at one end just in case they can’t hold on all night – but they are usually dry within a week.
Some of our puppy buyers have purchased puppy size crates, and only plan to use them during "puppyhood". Others make a long-term part of their dogs life, Mine all sleep in their crates every night and when I say “bedtime” they gets into their crates!
When purchasing a crate, make sure that a full grown cocker can stand up and turn around inside of it. The ones I use are approx. 70cm x 45cm for all my dogs. the pets shops will try and talk you into a huge crate – but your cocker will curl up and go to sleep so really doesn’t need all that room – Also this size fits in most cars – so is handy when travelling. Plus, it doesn’t talk up so much room if you are using it inside long-term.
The best place to buy a crate is on Trade me – you’ll find a good used one at ¼ of the price.