(upbeat music)

Dog shaking it’s head.
[onscreen text] Crate Training.

[onscreen action] Woman leading a puppy into a crate.

[female narrator] Using a crate is one of the best ways to train your dog
through critical behaviors like housetraining and chewing.

[onscreen action] Dog sitting in a crate.

[narrator] Your dog's crate will be used
just like a playpen for a baby.

During times when you can't supervise them,
or when you just need a break.

[onscreen action] Dog playing in crate.

[narrator] When your dog's in his crate,
you won't have to worry about him chewing on your furniture
or other valuable items.

[onscreen action] Woman letting dog out of crate.
Thought bubble appears above dog.

[onscreen text] I’m ready to potty.

[narrator] When used correctly,
the crate will play a critical role in house training,
because it will teach your dog to wait to potty
until you let him out.

[onscreen action] Dog sitting in crate.

[narrator] It's also a great place for your dog to hang out
when you have company over.

[onscreen action] Dog sitting in corner.
Dog under coffee table.
Another dog sitting in a corner.

[narrator] Now you've probably noticed that dogs
often like hideaway places like under a coffee table
or maybe a space in the corner of a room.

[onscreen action] dog opening crate and climbing in.

[narrator] That's because they're den animals by nature,
so when they're introduced the right way,
dogs usually love their crates.

[onscreen action] Woman assembling a dog crate.

[narrator] The first thing you need to do
is find the right size crate for your dog.

[onscreen action] dog in crate walking around.
Thought bubble appears above the dog.

[onscreen text] This works for me.

[narrator] To prevent him from creating a bathroom area in his crate,
you want it to be just big enough for your dog
to comfortably stand up, turn around, and lie down.

[onscreen action] Woman assembling a larger dog crate.

[narrator] If you have a puppy who's going to grow considerably,
you can buy a crate that will fit him when he's an adult.

[onscreen action] Woman puts a divider in the crate.

[narrator] For now, you'll need to block off a section of it
with a divider panel or something like
a weighted down cooler.

[onscreen action] man walking carrying collapsed crate.
Man assembling the crate.

[narrator] Make sure you put the crate in an area of your home
where your family spends a lot of their time,
like your family room.

[onscreen action] Woman sitting on couch.
Dog watching the woman.

[narrator] This way your dog will still feel like he's with the family
even when he's in his crate.

[onscreen action] Woman playing with dog near crate.

[narrator] If your dog's not house trained yet,
hold off on putting bedding or soft toys in his crate.

Because dogs like to potty on absorbent surfaces,
bedding and soft toys can actually encourage them
to potty in their crate,
and soft toys can be a choking hazard.

[onscreen action] Woman putting bedding in crate.

[narrator] Once your dog's reliably house trained
and comfortable in his crate,
you can then give him some bedding.

[onscreen action] Woman giving treats to a dog in a crate.

[narrator] The next step is teaching your dog to love his crate.

[onscreen action] Woman placing treats in an empty crate.

[narrator] Start by placing a few treats just inside the crate.

[onscreen action] Dog enters crate and is praised by a woman.

[narrator] When your dog enters it, praise him
and immediately reward him with more treats.

[onscreen action] Woman tosses treats in crate.
Dog climbs further into crate.

[narrator] Gradually toss the treats a little further back in the crate
to get him used to going in and out.

As your dog steps inside, start using a word like bedtime.

[onscreen action] Dog walking around in crate.
Thought bubble appear above the dog.

[onscreen text] Going into my crate is rewarding.

[narrator] In just a short time your dog will understand
what the word means, and when he hears it
he'll go in on his own.

[onscreen action] Man leads dog into crate and closes the door.

[narrator] Once your dog seems comfortable walking in and out
of the crate without hesitation,
start closing the door for just a few seconds.

[onscreen action] Man giving dog treat through the bars of the crate.

[narrator] Reward him with praise and treats when he's being quiet.

[onscreen action] Man waiting for dog to be quiet.

[narrator] If your dog barks or whines,
wait until he's quiet before letting him back out.

[onscreen action] Dog standing in crate.

[narrator] You don't want your dog to learn that barking or whining
means that you'll let him out of the crate.

Slowly build up the time he spends in his crate
with the door closed.

Starting with two to three minute intervals
and building up to a few hours.

[onscreen action] Man giving a toy to the dog in the crate.
Dog playing with toy.

[narrator] Continue to make the crate fun for your dog,
and before you know it, he'll love having a den of his own.