Crate Training Chihuahuas
For many dog owners, the process of how to crate train a Chihuahua can be confusing and frustrating. After all, one of the most basic things any dog owner can do is to house train their pet. Crating dogs has been around for centuries.
But some dog owners still don’t understand how it’s done and are willing to spend lots of money and even go through unnecessary pain to try and accomplish this task. This article is intended to show you how to crate train a Chihuahua with only a little bit of effort on your part.
The first thing you should do before anything else is to make sure your dog can actually get into his crate. Many dogs refuse to enter because they feel safer in their crate. However, if he’s in his crate with the door closed, he may feel more secure because he knows that if someone were to come in he would be alone.
To help your dog get used to being alone, you should give him an extra treat when he shows a willingness to enter his crate. Once he begins to go into his crate on his own, you can begin to condition him to go into his crate without any negative motivation.
One of the easiest ways to start the process of how to crate train a Chihuahua is by making his crate a fun place.
Place a favorite toy or book inside the crate. Your dog will associate the crate with the action of playing and this will help him start to associate the crate with playtime. You can also take him out of his crate to play or let him out to run around once in a while.
Another great thing to do when learning how to crate train a Chihuahua is to provide distractions for him when he is inside the crate. If there are other dogs in his house, don’t let him waste all his time staring at them. Try to find something he can do while he is indoors, such as sleeping, or playing some games on a computer, so that he has things to do when he gets home.
Also, keep in mind that dogs are like young children who want to be in activities that interest them, so keep their toys and activities out of the crate during crate training.
In addition to making sure that your dog’s toys and activities are out of the way when he is in his crate, you should also take some special care when you are cleaning up his play area.
You may need to do some “doggie cleaning” to make sure his nails and skin are taking care of. Before you clean his play area, you should first put a puppy bowl, some dog food, and some treats in it so that your dog will start to trust you and will go into his play area when you give the appropriate cues. This way, you will know that he is getting what he needs. It is also important to take him out of his play area once you are finished with cleaning it because if you do not, he could get hurt.
After learning how to crate train a Chihuahua, the next step will be to limit the number of times he is left alone in the crate. If possible, you should only leave him in the crate for an hour or so at a time and make sure you make him familiar with it beforehand by leaving some favorite toys in it, or leaving a favorite scented oil so that he will know it is his crate. When he becomes used to being alone in the crate, you can then increase the amount of time.
Some people worry about how to crate train a Chihuahua because they think that dogs cannot be left alone for long periods of time, but this simply is not true.
If you leave a new toy in the crate with him while he is in there, he will become accustomed to the smell, and you won’t have to worry about leaving him in there much longer. You should also remember to put a dog bowl with water and food in it so that he can go feed himself while you are away. Your dog will become less anxious about being alone if he knows that he will get food or water when he wants them.
If you would like to know more about crate training a Chihuahua, there are a few books available that you can purchase. The American Kennel Club offers some great books on dog training, including “The Complete Guide to Dog Training,” which is by far the most complete and easy-to-understand book on dog training out there today.
Some excellent websites on the internet have some very good crate training information, as well as advice for how to crate train a Chihuahua. Once you begin crate training your dog, you may soon find that your dog begins to trust you, and enjoys spending time in his crate.
Just make sure that you always have enough toys in the crate for him, so that he doesn’t become bored. Once he knows that when he goes into his crate he’ll be getting something good to play with, you’ll find that crate training a Chihuahua is truly the easiest way to train your dog.
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