As any dog trainer will attest to, it's best to start crate training when a dog is still a puppy. Of course, they might illustrate just a little opposition in the beginning, and they may not totally approve, but they adapt very quickly. In addition, if a pup knows no other sleeping spot, then it will not have anything to miss. A more mature dog on the other hand, may perhaps misinterpret being put in a crate as being punishment, and as such, they could become anxious. They can also be taught, but it will take longer.

When crate training petite dogs, it's best to place their crate right there in the front room with the rest of the household, and once everyone retires for the night, the crate should be moved to your bedroom. Being in close proximity to its owners, your dog will without doubt feel safer, especially for the initial few weeks. After about a month or so the crate can be left in a single area without anyone having to be nearby.

One very important thing to remember when crate training miniature dogs, is that the crate should be kept impeccably clean. The crate also needs to contain a nice soft blanket, clean water, as well as an appropriate toy for chewing on. Numerous dog owners make the error of obtaining a crate which is essentially too large for the type of dog they have. Basically, the crate should only be large enough for the dog to sleep in, bearing in mind that if your pet can walk around inside the crate, you'll almost definitely find yourself cleaning up countless mess.

Crate training miniature dogs also occasionally requires a stiff hand on the owner's part, in that they must never remove their dog from its crate simply because the dog displays signs of being displeased. If your dog or puppy begins whining or barking as soon as you put him in the crate, and you then accede to him out, you'll be training him that he can have is own way simply by making a fuss. Only ever permit your pet out of the crate once it has settled down and stopped complaining, which generally takes no longer than about five minutes.

Ideally, you should have a crate standing by before you even bring your new puppy home, and in the beginning, make sure you only put him in the crate for brief durations of time. An hour or two is more than adequate, after which as time goes on, you can set in motion leaving him for a little longer every time, until you get to the point where he can stay in all through the night.

Crate training miniature pet dogs has several benefits, particularly if you want to hinder specific behaviors for instance barking and separation anxiety, which in itself can cause a dog to become damaging. If you actually do plan to do what's best for his or her pet dogs, crate training is the way to go.