Tips on adopting the right rescue dog

Rescuing a dog is a wonderful thing. There are many dogs that are in shelters because the owner moved, had a baby, didn’t have time or money to train the dog, the dog made one mistake or had one scary moment with a human or animal. Most of these dogs are very trainable and it is wonderful to give them a good home. When people ask what my favorite breed of dog is, I always say “a good dog,” but my real favorite dog is a good old fashioned mutt. With bad breeding abounding, my experience is that mutts are generally healthier and it’s fun to see the unique looks that come from accidental breedings.

Rescue organizations are not all as wonderful as they seem. Before I got Harley, I tried to adopt several dogs from different rescues and I was turned down over and over again. I was between jobs so I had the time, I was living with a dog trainer and studying dog training and I had carefully researched every breed so I knew exactly what I wanted and what kind of dog would be the best fit for me and my lifestyle. I got turned down because I had never owned a dog before, because I wasn’t working so I couldn’t afford one, because I was renting a room in a house and there was no assurance I wouldn’t move and return my dog if my new accommodation wasn’t dog friendly. Eventually I got on Craigslist and bought the most wonderful Miniature Dapple Dachshund from a backyard breeder in a trailer park outside of Phoenix, AZ.

My tips for beginning the adoption process:

• Don’t take the first dog you look at and like. I have experienced love at first sight, as I’m sure you have, and how often did that last? Finding the right dog is a process where you have to be smart and use discernment. When emotions lead, we may bite off more than we can chew, then both the owner and dog suffer. Tell the rescue you will be back later and sleep on it or loop back at the end of your search day. 

• I have had clients and friends find incredible dogs through Facebook, Craigslist, Next-door and other community websites or message boards or their personal social network. Tell your friends what you want and ask them to keep and eye out for you. This article focuses on shelters, but many of the same tips apply wherever your dog may come from.

• Drive out of the city you live in. As far as you can. On my hunt for the right rescue I looked up all the shelters in the surrounding 50 miles, created a route to hit all of them in order, and spent a day looking at dogs. There are amazing dogs at shelters in the country!  Urban rescues can be picked over and more expensive. Dogs are often misrepresented in their description, claiming to be friendly with kids, cats, other dogs, when they are not. These overfull rescues can care more about moving dogs out than about finding the right fit. Country shelters likely won’t have the resources to create these descriptions, forcing you to do these evaluations for yourself. My experience is that these shelters have amazing dogs who were dumped or just wandered out of an unfenced farm and no one came for them. This is the dog you want! A dog whose only fault was escaping a yard or slipping out of a property.

• When you arrive, remember that shelters are a really intense and stressful environment. A dog who is comfortable in that environment isn't the dog you want. It's easy to be seduced by the one dog who is happy and playful, wagging their tail and willing to fetch. Try to find balance between a dog that is calm and curious, but also not totally at ease in that environment.

• Think about what you want in terms of care throughout the dog’s life:

  • Long hair needs brushing and requires you to pay a groomer at regular intervals. 

  • Young puppies require starting from scratch with housebreaking, crate training, and will need more exercise for the first few years of their life. 

  • Working dogs and very intelligent breeds should only be adopted by experienced owners and need more activity and training. 

Did you know cattle dogs, Border Collies and Australian Shepherds, among others, really should get out 4-6 hours a day! That’s why they are perfect for ranch or farm work. Do you have time for that? Even I don’t! Not to mention they were trained to herd! That is their job. Do you have small children or other pets who will not appreciate this behavior? 

Be realistic about your lifestyle and what you can do day in and day out.

• If you already have a pup, it can be a good idea to come back for another visit with your dog to see if they get along. Dog’s don’t have to be best friends right away, but their temperaments should be moderately compatible. 

• A puppy and an older dog can be a mismatch, just as having your aging grandmother watch your toddler every day wouldn’t be very pleasant.

• Two dogs that are status seeking or anxious won’t make life easier. A good rule of thumb for getting a second dog is to pick a dog with equal or lesser energy than the first dog. 

  • Set yourself up for success in the first greeting by walking them together in the same direction on leash for a few minutes before letting them greet or sniff each other. This will help them acclimate a bit and create a calmer greeting than setting them loose in a pen.

It's okay to like a certain look in a dog! I knew I wanted a Hound dog with short hair and floppy ears. I happened to find the right one at the right age and size. Remember, I went to about 10 shelters and fostered two dogs before I found her. Take your time, look around, don't go home with the first dog you see.

Get a dog that is just smart enough. Everyone wants a very, very smart dog, but I can assure you it isn't fun having a partner that questions your every decision or works to intentionally manipulate or circumvent you. My favorite dog is juuuust smart enough to learn the rules, but doesn't have a strong desire to break them. Find a dog that is eager to please versus one that is more aloof and independent.

It can be smart to do a foster to adopt so you get a sense of how the dog will be in your home. When I did that, I was able to determine that  a very shy dog who was scared of men that I loved the look of wouldn't have a happy life with me, because I knew I wanted a dog I could take anywhere. There is a perfect home for every dog, and for that one, my home wasn't it. 

Know that it takes a few weeks or months for a dog to settle in and get comfortable enough to show their true colors, so what you see the first day isn't always what you get.

I recommend most people adopt a slightly older dog. 2-3 is a great age! It's a wonderful thing to adopt an adult dog (5+). These dogs sit longer in the shelter and can still share many good years with you. Don't worry about an older dog having baggage, many dogs are in the shelter through no fault of their own and adjust very quickly in a new situation with the right guidance.

Speaking of guidance, hire a dog trainer! I LOVE clients who call me in the week they get a dog so they can get out on the right foot. It's easier to prevent mistakes than to fix them. 

For instance, when you first bring your dog home, don't shower them with attention and stay home with them 24/7. Get a crate the day your dog comes home and leave for at least a few minutes, if not longer, the very first day. That is what life will be like, with you coming and going, so best to start out showing your dog what is normal and letting them acclimate to that. 

I like to let a dog do their own thing the first few days in my home and not put too much attention on them while they explore and get comfortable. A good rule is that I want my dog to look to me more than I look to them, even though I am keeping tabs on them pretty much all the time with my peripheral vision. I don’t force a dog to interact or immediately be my best friend. In fact, too much attention or letting my dog on the furniture right away can set the wrong tone. 

This is explained more thoroughly  in my training sessions!

Much of dog training is counter-intuitive. Dog culture is different from our human culture and what is polite or impolite in each of these cultures can be the reverse, leading to miscommunications and sometimes, larger and more serious issues.

Be sure to take your time once your dog comes home. Many new owners are in a rush to get their dog out of the crate, take their dog to a patio, a dog park, or teach them to go off leash. All of this should wait a few weeks, months, or even years! You will have many, many great years together. I have never gone wrong going too slow with a dog, but I have definitely made mistakes going too fast.

If the dog you brought home ends up not being a good fit and is making your life unmanageable or causing you stress, you should not feel guilty about bringing them back or working to rehome them. Calling a trainer can help, but sometimes it truly isn’t the right fit. Let this dog find their right owner versus having both your and their quality of life diminished. People feel very very bad about this and end up living in what I see as a truly awful situation for both dog and owner. This stigma makes me sad. There are a lot of ridiculous reasons to give away a pet, but there are some really good ones. Some of the dogs in our pack had been rehomed and their personality, as well as their lives, changed for the better.

Good luck in your adoption journey! With so many dogs needing homes, it is a really wonderful thing.

Choosing the right breeder

When choosing a breed, it’s important to do your research. Some breeds have a lot of energy and exercising them can be a full time job, especially in the puppy years. A very intelligent dog is appealing in theory, but can be very challenging to own and train versus a dog who is smart enough to learn and obey commands, but doesn’t need a job to be happy or require mental stimulation on a daily basis in addition to exercise. Even my most active clients have enlisted our hiking service because their working dog has more energy than it’s possible for them to drain with a full-time job - even my ultra marathoner couldn’t run her Pointer enough to keep him happy and sane.

A breed that becomes very popular quickly is easily capitalized on and attracts non-reputable breeders who are looking to make money and not to produce healthy or mentally sound dogs because of their lack of experience or simply not caring. Often, you get what you pay for. The cheapest dog available may be prone to health problems. 

If your goal is to have a pet or companion, a working breed, however attractive, may not be the best fit. Picking the right breed will ensure you both have the happiest life possible. If you chose to buy from a breeder, which is the right choice for some people, we have some tips on how to pick the right one.

Our guest expert, Annie Angello, knows dogs. She has rescued in the past, but competes in several disciplines and has worked with many breeders to find the right dogs for her. I asked her to share her process to give you the best chance of picking a reputable breeder so your dog has the health and temperament they need to be a great pet for you for years to come.

Initially, there are three things to consider.

• Bloodlines: Is your chosen breed one where there's a distinct divide between show and working line? What are your goals with this dog? What do you consider important or desirable? What are your deal breakers?

• Distance: If you want a dog from a particular type of bloodline, there may not be anyone local. Are you willing to travel to pick up or work with the breeder to ship the puppy?

• Health testing: Every breed will, through the CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) program will have a battery of health tests which run through the known issues in the breed. Examples include PRA in the Collie breeds, Wobbler's in Dobermans, and congenital heart defects in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

From there, begin the interview phase. For me this is basically emailing/facebook messaging/otherwise contacting a series of breeders, requesting information based around:

• If they feel their dogs would be a good fit for what I'm trying to accomplish

• What health testing they perform on their breeding stock

• Do they trial or show their dogs and if so in what venues

• What the goals are of their upcoming litter/what are they intending to produce (for example, working line GSDs come in a pretty wide array of levels of drive - a dog that is suitable for a pet home would probably not be the best dog for high-level IPO competition), 

• What do they like to see in the people who are considering one of their puppies

Asking for referrals and speaking to owners who have bought dogs from that breeder before is a good idea to be sure you know what other owner’s experiences have been. 

Does the breeder have a policy on returning a puppy/dog if he has health problems for some reason you cannot keep it? 

What's the long-term relationship like? Many good breeders stay in touch with clients for years to come if not the lifetime of the dog.

Make sure your breeder hits all of these bullets:

• Health test their breeding stock

• Acquisition of dogs that meet their criteria and breeding to complementary bloodlines

• Showing in whatever venues they choose

• Prenatal care...... this isn't cheap and neither are the puppies

Other questions you may want to ask:  

• Do they have any particular puppy raising protocol (like Puppy Culture) they follow? 

• What can I expect my puppy to have been exposed to or learned by the time they come home.

A breeder who hits all these points would be a perfect scenario but the right breeder for a given person might not meet ALL those criteria. It's important to decide what's most important to you as a puppy person and then do the research to find someone who lines up with your needs and values.

A good resource for locating reputable breeders are the parent club for the breed, sporting clubs for whatever you're interested in, and rankings. For instance if you wanted to get a Border Collie to do agility with, you might take a look at the USDAA or AKC agility rankings to see if there was any one breeder who has had dogs show up in the rankings there over the years. Know that it's different for every breed and sport. Show-line dogs tend to have lower drive and more likely to be ideal for pet-centric owners vs those looking to show. Also be aware that the AKC focuses on look more than temperament, so that shouldn’t be an endorsement for your pet as breeding for appearance can lead to health problems.

How to potty train your dog: a very thorough guide to housebreaking

Taking the time to properly housebreak your puppy is one of the most important things you can do! Whether from a breeder or from a shelter, it’s likely your dog has only had the experience of going potty inside or on man made surfaces. Transitioning to a new home is the perfect opportunity to change where your dog understands they are meant to use the bathroom. As is always my feeling with dogs, it’s easier to get out on the right foot than to make mistakes and spend time undoing them. 

Download our potty training sheet here.

• In the style of potty breaking I teach, if your dog has an accident, think of it as your fault versus theirs. Your puppy has no idea where they are supposed to eliminate. All they know is that when they have to go, the emptying of their bladder or bowels feels great! Mission accomplished. They walk away happy, leaving the mess behind where it doesn’t affect their life. Because housebreaking is something you need your dog to learn, it’s up to you to take the time and give your dog the guidance they need to get with the potty program.

How We Do It

-My program involves three different stages: Free time, Restricted time and Lock Down. After your dog potties, they get some free time in the house. When enough time has passed and I’m no longer positive that they are safe from potential accidents, I put them on restricted time. 

Restricted time can look like:

-Being in a puppy pen

-Tethering a leash to a heavy piece of furniture

-Looping a leash around your foot or wrist or clipping to a belt loop - known as an umbilical leash

-Being in a room with you if you can actively watch them - really watch them, not just sort of watch them while you focus on something else

-Or, going in their crate

Depending on where you are in building your dog’s bladder control, they can go out after free time or after a little while of restricted time. We are trying to build their bladder control, but not allow it to go past capacity. Having your dog in your sight while on restricted time will allow you to notice the signals of having to go and get your pup outside right away. 

If you are unable to watch your pup, go straight from free time to lock down in a crate until the next potty break! Two hours tends to be a good guide for most puppies, but adjust the timeline in accordance with their feeding schedule, water intake, vigorous play or waking up from a heavy nap. You should take your pup out after every big shift in energy.

How Do You Know If Your Pup Needs To Go?

A puppy won’t be able to cue you the way an adult dog may, so don’t expect a formal invitation from your dog to go outside. With puppies, start to go on alert when your dog:

-wakes up from a nap

-stops play

-starts to sniff or move towards carpet

-circles

-goes into a squat

-wanders into another room or around a corner

Do your best to preempt an accident by bringing your dog outside before anything can go wrong. Usually, if your dog does have to go and you bring them outside and cue the potty, they will go within a few minutes.

 How Long To Stay Outside

It can be tempting to stay outside until your dog goes, but this can be trouble in the long term. You want your dog to know that they only have a short window to use the bathroom instead of holding their bladder as leverage to stay outside longer. This can really get you in trouble when you are in a hurry to leave the house and need your pup to go so you can go. 

Limit each potty break to 5 minutes and keep poty walks under 15 minutes. If your dog doesn’t go, they can hang out in their crate and you can try again in 10 to 30 minutes. By keeping each break short, your dog learns that they need to take this chance to go or else they will be stuck with a full bladder. 

Getting With The Program

Potty training begins first thing in the morning. When you wake up, immediately take your dog outside. This will be known as zero hour. 

If possible, try to have your pup walk instead of being carried. This can be tricky in apartment complexes or anywhere that they will have a chance to squat and potty along the way. 

Leashing from the crate to the yard is a good idea to help your dog hustle outside without squatting in the house. You should always try to use the leash in pulses, giving your dog the opportunity to follow along of their own volition instead of dragging them with steady pressure. This will help your dog figure out that when they trot along with you, the pressure goes away and therefore encourages more of that behavior in the future.

Cue The Potty

Go outside with your dog and use your cue word to indicate this is the time to eliminate. I like ‘go potty’ because it has a unique cadence and can be said in a sing-song voice. 

Have your dog on leash, even in a fenced yard, because then you can touch the leash to encourage your pup to stay focused on the task and keep sniffing around to find a spot instead of looking around or sniffing the air or playing with a leaf or chasing a butterfly - you get it, puppies are cute. When you are on a potty mission, pinch the very tip of the leash handle and follow along with your dog, keeping the leash slack.  You want them to have the space to explore and find that perfect potty spot, as long as  don’t drag you or dive bomb into a smell,

How Much Is Enough

Your dog will likely pee first. Over time you will get used to how much your dog pees so you can tell if it’s a mark, a partial pee or a full bladder empty. Ideally, first thing in the morning, you get the full bladder. After the pee, reward your pup, but do it in a way that will allow them to stay focused on doing a full system empty and get a poo in, too. Not every dog wants to poo first thing in the morning. Give your dog 5-10 minutes of walking and sniffing around to have a chance to go.

When you go back inside, you should be pretty sure your dog is empty and won’t eliminate while you are feeding breakfast. If you suspect that your dog isn’t empty, keep them on restricted time when you come back in. This could mean being on the leash, in a crate or in a sectioned off part of the house, ideally without carpet.  If you feel confident your dog is empty, they can have free time! You want your dog to start associating going potty outside, with being free to have fun inside.

A Sample Schedule

7:00am Wake up

7:00-7:10 Outside, ideally pee and poo

7:10 Feed breakfast at this time

7:15 Take a trip outside right away

7:30-7:40 Another potty break if your pup didn’t go

7:40-8:40 Free time if empty or restricted time if he didn’t 

8:40 Potty break - record when he goes and what in your potty journal!

8:45-9:30 Free time

9:30-10:30 Restricted time

10:30-10:40 Potty break

10:40 - If he goes, free time, if not ask him to kennel up

10:55-11:00 Potty break, no potty

11:00-11:15 Kennel with water

11:15-11:20 Potty break, potty!

11:20-12:30 Free time!

Hopefully this gives you an idea of what to do. After a potty, your dog gets free time. When they are not 100% safe, they go on restricted time or go escorted outside. If they potty, great! Back to free time. If not, they should go in the kennel. We want your pup to associate not going potty when taken outside with being put in the kennel and going potty with getting to be free to have fun in the house!

Learning Your Pup’s Timeline

It takes time to learn your dog’s body language, cues, schedule and preferences. Don’t worry that it takes some time to get to know them. That is totally normal! The potty schedule will help you stay on track so you are giving your pup plenty of chances to go,and you are keeping them contained when you are worried they need to go, but haven't yet.

 Keeping a potty journal will help you see how often your pup is going so you can adjust your schedule to their current bladder capacity. Luckily, as your dog grows, so will their bladder and the space between potty breaks gets longer and longer. For your adult dog, you should try and get them out every 4-6 hours, after a nap, or after getting home if they exercised and drank while you were out.

Rewarding Potties

It’s a great idea to use treats, physical affection, and verbal praise to make going potty outside as fun and exciting as possible. This is a place where you can throw your dog a parade! Make going outside the BEST thing. 

It can be hard to grab a treat on the way outside, especially if you are in a hurry, so keep a sealed and hard-sided container of treats by the door. Ideally, you are putting a treat in your dog’s mouth within 3 seconds of when they finish going. If you don’t have a treat, praise, pet, and play with your voice, touch and energy. Getting low, making high pitched sounds, and running around while they join in are all happy and exciting. 

Punishing Accidents?

Dogs do not understand punishment, but dogs do understand an in-the-moment consequence. If you find an accident, do not rub your dog’s nose in it or bring them over and spank them. They won’t be able to put together that the bad part was before, when they created that mess. This is where your schedule with free time and restricted time comes in! It’s on you if they sneak off and got an accident in.

The best thing is to prevent any accidents and teach your dog right away going potty happens outside. The next best thing is if you can catch your dog in the act. If you see your dog going potty inside, you want to make it unpleasant and a little scary. The association with going potty inside should be a bad one. You want to run up on my dog quickly and loudly yelling “NOOOOOO” then scoop them up or lead them outside by the collar as fast as you can. If you were fast enough, they should still have some pee left and finish going outside, for which you will then reward them. 

Preventing Accidents

Your pup waking up, stopping playing or walking out of sight are all things that should set your alarm off to go watch them, call them back, or get them outside. It takes time to develop that sensitivity and sixth sense. 

Having a collar with a bell or a thin leash on in the house will help get your attention when your pup is on the move. 

Don’t leave your dog alone out of the crate. 

Pick up all rugs that can come up for at least a month or until your pup is pretty solid on being able to hold his bladder and knowing where the bathroom is. Rugs are great to go on because they absorb the urine, whereas hard floors splatter and spread onto your pup’s toes. 

Cleaning Accidents

The same way we know where the bathroom is because it’s the tiled room with porcelain furniture, your dog knows the bathroom by scent. This is why it’s important to clean pee stains by fully sopping up as much urine as you can with paper towels then soaking the area with an enzyme dissolving cleanser like Nature’s Miracle. It is very important to erase the potty smell so your dog doesn’t start to associate that spot with bathroom activities. Even poo stains need a scrub with Nature’s Miracle. Antibacterial spray is good, but it won’t dissolve all those enzymes and our dogs have much more sensitive noses than we do.

Using the Crate

Most crates come with a puppy divider to gradually increase the size of your crate as your dog grows. This is so your puppy doesn’t have a mansion of a crate where one corner can be the bathroom and they can walk to the other side to get away from their mess. 

Most dogs won’t want to mess where they sleep, so being in just enough space to spread out and lay flat is a good way to dissuade them from going in their crate. 

Again, if you find an accident after the fact, it’s too late to correct them for it. Just take them outside and wash the bedding. Dog bedding is a privilege, not a necessity. It can be a good idea to start with a cheap towel instead of jumping in with a luxury sheepskin crate pad right away. If you dog messes in the crate a few times, leave them in there with no bedding so there is nothing to absorb the pee. Just like how your dog happily naps on the floor, they won’t find a plain crate as offensive as we do. Bedding is a privilege they can earn by holding theri bladder in the crate. 

Limiting Water

It’s a good idea to monitor your dog’s water intake. For new puppies, limiting water in the evening to help them sleep through the night is very helpful. 

I advise doing a 3-meal schedule where dinner is fed around 5/6pm. Dogs need water to hydrate their kibble, so be sure that as your puppy eats they have full access to water for about an hour to an hour and half. After that, pick up the water, giving them three chances to drink before bed. Only let them have a few sips, the way you drink when you go on a road trip. 

While your puppy is housebreaking and crate training, you have to do what you can to help them gain bladder control. If your dog doesn’t know they will be contained for 6-8 hours while you sleep, they will drink to their heart’s content then need to go in the middle of the night. Limiting water will help them have a manageable amount in their bladder so they can start to sleep through the night. 

If you are worried they aren’t getting enough water, lifting the skin on the back of their neck is a good hydration test. If the skin quickly slips back into place, they are well hydrated. If it stays peaked and is slow to slide down, they need more water. Water restricting at night should not be dehydrating. Be sure you are finding the balance between enough water and too much water.

Visiting Friends

When going over to someone else’s house, it’s a good practice to ask your pup to go potty before going inside. An empty dog is a safe dog. It’s easy for a pup to sneak off in a new space. When you go somewhere new, close all the doors and keep your dog on-leash for a while. Your dog will learn that the way to get inside a new place is to go potty outside- then we go right in. This is a great association to make! We don’t go inside till you squeeze out a little potty.

Be careful of rugs, blind corners or hallways, and, as always, food, cat food, and litter boxes. 

If your pup doesn’t potty outside before going in, keep them on a leash in the house so they can’t wander off then go back out after 10-15 minutes. Just like with the crate at home, the way you earn your freedom is to go potty in the right place.

Bringing your pup over to a friend’s house with a healthy and polite dog who enjoys or tolerates puppies can be a great double hitter for socialization and potty breaking. Dogs will instinctively want to pee on another dog’s pee, so if the dogs play then go for a potty together, your puppy will likely copy the older, housebroken dog and go outside. 

Just like exercise, play gets the pipes moving, so be sure to take your pup out more often, especially if they are drinking more than usual.

Dog Doors

Dog doors are convenient, but often create a dog that isn’t fully housebroken. Just like a baby in diapers, a dog with a dog door never learns to hold their bladder because they can go potty whenever they want. If you move, if you board your dog, or if the dog door is closed, your dog likely won’t be able to hold their bladder. 

Dog doors also prevent you from knowing if and when your dog has gone. When first potty breaking, I recommend not using dog doors so you can go out with your pup every time and make note of what they do and when. There is always time to add on extras like dog doors later on, but for the initial potty training process, it’s important to avoid them.

Pee Pads

Pee pads are tough! Unless you live in an apartment and plan on using pee pads throughout your dog’s life, it’s better to not use them at all. 

When you bring your dog home, it’s important to create a distinction from the breeder or kennel they came from and their new life, where they only potty outside. 

While potty pads can be an easy option at first, they are a hindrance for long-term house breaking as it will be another hurdle weaning your dog off them when you eventually pick them up. 

They are unsightly, smelly, and, unless your dog has perfect aim, are prone to having pee spill off the edges. 

Pee pads are too similar to rugs, which we don’t want our dogs to potty on and create too much nuance between going ‘here’ inside, but not ‘there.’ 

Free Feeding

The way that dog’s stomachs are designed, grazing is particularly bad for them. Instead of leaving food down all the time, offer oury puppy 3 meals a day. Put the food bowl down for 15 minutes, saying “are you hungry?” then pick it up until the next meal. This will teach your dog to eat when food is down or else they will go hungry. 

Feeding on a schedule will also help you estimate when your pup is likely to poo. If your puppy can free feed, it’s hard to know when they will need to go out since you don’t know how much they ate and when.

Health Risks

It’s hard to balance the advice of your veterinarian and trainer. A vet will say that the risks of exposing your not fully vaccinated dog to the diseases that can be passed through the environment or contact with other dogs is not worth the risk. A trainer will say that the socialization and potty training dogs get in those first four to eight weeks at home is invaluable. Having a yard is a huge help in keeping your dog safe from environmental diseases. If you don’t have a yard, try to pick a quieter out of the way area where you can take your dog to potty.

How to make your dog’s crate a great place

That is a fabulous idea! When determining if a dog was eligible to board with us, we always ask if the dog is crate trained. Trainers do it. Vets do it. Groomers do it. Airplanes do it. Boarding facilities do it. At some point, your dog’s life will include being crated, so you should do it, too.

I am a trainer who loves crates! I love them because I know that my dog and my home are both safe when I’m out. Dogs love being in crates  when the crate is comfortable, covered with a sheet, and feels like a den. As long as your dog is getting enough exercise every day, they don’t need to be free in the house while you’re out. Being free in the house can sometimes be stressful for a dog. Especially when our dogs are home alone. Having free run of the house can feel like we are asking them to protect the house. This can be taxing and exacerbate stress barking or separation anxiety. It can also lead to scratched doors, chewed furniture and potty accidents.

No dog is too old: but it's a good idea to introduce your dog to the crate as a puppy. 

It’s better to create a positive experience than to try to fix a bad one, so take your time. 

Picking the right crate

As you can see in the photos, my favorite crate is wire because it allows for maximum airflow. Unless you are conditioning your dog to fly in an airplane there is no need to get a solid plastic sided crate. The soft crates are relatively useless because they are so easy to get out of and should be avoided. Expensive heavy duty crates are only necessary for true escape artists - which your dog isn’t likely to become if you introduce them to the crate in the way I describe.

You can easily find a used wire crate on Craigslist, Nextdoor or Facebook Marketplace for under $50 and disinfect it with a diluted bleach solution that you then rinse off and let dry in the sun. If you have a growing puppy this can be the best option. You might buy a larger crate for the size you expect them to be and block off unneeded space as they grow, but if you err on the side of too large you may end up trading it out anyway.

To find the right size measure your dog from nose to tail and top of head to the floor. That should be the bottom dimensions so your dog can lay flat on their side with their legs extended. You also want to make sure the height allows for them to stand without ducking. You don’t need to feel guilty leaving a dog in a well sized crate because they can’t be more comfortable than that outside of it. If your crate is so small that your dog has to curl their legs to lay down and they don’t have room to stretch that is similar to trying to sleep in the backseat of a small car with no room to stretch your legs and it would be understandable if they didn’t like spending time in there.

Generous pet owners may try to get a larger crate, but your dog doesn’t really need room to take any steps and for potty training puppies more space could allow them to designate one side as the bathroom and the other as the bedroom, which we don’t want.

Start by making your crate a nice cozy space in the common area. You could even pick up your other dog beds so the crate is the comfiest place in the room. Think of it like their bedroom or a little dog cave. 

• You can get a cute vintage sheet from a second hand store large enough to drape over your crate so it reaches the floor. A nice color or pattern keeps the crate from being an eyesore and a covered space feels more contained to your pup, like a bedroom or cave. You want to be sure you invest minimally at this point because your crate cover could get torn up in a frustrated moment during the learning process. Do NOT use a blanket or towel or custom crate cover because these do not allow for as much airflow and trap the body heat dogs let off. You want your dog’s space to be the same temperature as the climate controlled room they are in.

• For the bedding, start simple with a bed or towel. There is a chance that it may get chewed in the learning stages, so don’t start out by putting your finest dog bedding in there. 

  • Lots of owners wash blankets before it goes in the crate. I can assure you that your dog does not appreciate the fresh scent of Tide. The best bedding is something you have slept with, sat on or otherwise gotten your scent on. Shoving new blankets in the dirty clothes bin (after an initial wash for chemical residue) is heavenly for a dog. Don’t judge ‘em! Show your love by giving the pup the stinky bedding they want.

After you have made the crate as cozy as possible, start making it happy by building positive associations.

• First get some really high quality treats. From now on, at least for a while, this will be a crate only delicacy - gotta be in the crate if you want to enjoy it! 

  • For this I like freeze dried treats, bully sticks, pigs ears, frozen marrow bones or whatever else makes your dog happy.

• Lead your dog to the crate, toss the treat in the back, then help guide your dog in with encouraging words, and happy energy. You can stick your arm inside to pat the bedding and wave the treat. Once they pop in, give pets, scratches and verbal praise,

  • If this doesn’t work, you can add a few little leading tugs on the collar or ‘pulsing’ pushes on your dog’s booty. 

• Then, once they are able to stand in there for a few seconds without you holding or blocking them, slowly let them out. You don’t want a starting gate break, just a casual saunter. 

  • If you are feeding a long chewing treat like a bully stick or marrow bone, toss it back into the crate if they try to bring it out to enjoy. 

  • You can sit by the open crate or close it and stay within the view of the opening that isn’t covered by the sheet.

  • If the treat isn’t enough to keep your dog occupied, take time sitting with them by the open crate and petting them while they are inside. *Whatever motivates your dog, reserve it and try to associate it with the crate. 

Once your pup is comfortable with the space, start feeding all meals in the crate. For most dogs, you haven’t shut the door yet as we are just acclimating. 

• Food should be placed against the back wall. 

  • If your dog chooses to miss a meal avoiding the crate, that is okay! Sometimes people skip meals too and they’re alright. Your dog will likely eat the next one. Good things come to those who get in their crate.

When your dog has a meal or two in the crate, go ahead and try shutting the door while they eat, first staying in the room. 

• Shut the door. Open the door. 

  • The door is shut momentarily at first so your dog knows they won’t be in there forever. You can do this many times a day, leaving the door shut for seconds, then minutes, growing longer each time.

• Shut the door for the whole meal and let your dog out after they are done but before they whine or fuss. 

  • If your dog does start to whine, it’s very important that you don’t let them out till they have settled for at least 5-10 seconds. Otherwise you teach them the way out is to whine and you will very much regret creating that association! An important factor in crate training success is how tired your dog is. Trying to get an energetic dog to settle and be happy in a crate is an uphill journey.

• Try to work your crate training schedule to follow some good vigorous exercise, some water drinking, then potty time. Your dog should be happy to kennel up at that point!

  • If you have a lot of energy, you don't want to be forced to sit still! If you are exhausted, however, you are happy to bring on a comfy place to rest where you don’t have to worry about being bothered. The first time you leave your house, it’s only going to be for a second. Literally a second. 

• Crate your dog, walk around the house for a few minutes doing chores or something other than your ‘getting ready to leave’ routine. Then without saying anything to your dog, walk out your door, shut it, take one breath, then walk back in, again not saying anything to your dog. 

  • If your dog is alert, but not whining, you can let them out, being sure to ignore any excited behavior. 

  • If they are whining, wait for them to settle. 

  • If they are pretty content, maybe try leaving them in and going outside for another round. 

• You want to briefly crate your dog then go in and out of your door as many times as possible this week, making it longer and longer till you can sit outside for 15 minutes playing on your phone or doing those push ups you have been putting off. 

• After that, try to go run a quick errand.

Coming out of the crate is a great opportunity to practice the ‘wait’ command. In our training sessions we talk about impulse inhibition, your dog’s ability to regulate himself and his emotions. 

• Wait until your dog has calmed themself before you even approach the crate. 

  • If your dog’s excitement level rises as you approach, stop, turn away, take a few steps back, or even leave the room so your dog can calm down.

  • You want to teach your dog that only a calm pup gets let out.”Calming down is the toll you have to pay at the crate door.”

• Lean down to unlatch the door and say “waaaait” in a calm, low voice. 

  • If your dog is overly excited they won't do very well here, so their excitement level has to be at a moderately contained stage before we begin.

• Start to open the door,  and say, “wait” again, and slowly increase the size of the gap, staring at the base of the crate and watching your dog from your peripheral vision. 

  • If your dog makes a move for the opening,quickly close it. Even if your dog has squeezed part way through, grab them and put them back in. 

  • It is really important that they don’t dart out of crates, or out of any doors. To be honest, there should not be a lot of darting going on, period. 

  • Frantically rushing out the opening can make your dog feel more anxious about being in and let out of your crate. 

• Once the door is fully open, slowly stand up, still watching your dog out of the corner of your eye. Be ready to shut that door if your dog makes a run for it. 

• After you get all the way up, I’ll take a breath and wiggle your shoulders to be sure your tension isn’t what is holding your dog in place. 

• Then, with calm energy say “okay” or “let’s go” and slowly start to walk away, ready to correct any jumping, whining or over excitement.

 Many a crate training has been disrupted by whining. When people hear a dog whine, they associate it with crying and assume their dog is distressed. Most of the time it’s more of a temper tantrum. Your dog is frustrated because, likely, they almost always get what they want and right now they want to be with you instead of in their crate. When we let our dog out in response to whining we teach them that they can have their way and that whining is the way to get there. You will surely earn yourself more whining by responding favorably to it. Even though, whining is unpleasant, your dog needs to understand, just like a toddler, that ‘go to bed’ means ‘go to bed’ and it isn't a negotiation. 

• First ignore the whine, go about your business. This is called waiting for the behavior to go extinct by not rewarding it. Sometimes it works, so always try it first, but often this alone won’t do the job.

  • Be prepared for the ‘extinction burst.’ This is another term that means it will get worse before it gets better. Basically, your dog is going to pull out all of the stops, and if not even that works, then, and only then will they extinguish the behavior.  

If ignoring the whining doesn’t make it stop,don’t suffer in silence. Try to find a way to express to your dog that nothing bad is happening and they need to accept that the crate, like a dentist appointment, is just part of life. 

• Start with a verbal correction that you will deliver without going into the room or, ideally, even stopping what you are doing. Call out a firm, but gentle “eh’eh” or say “dog no” or “quit” and then wait a beat to see what happens.

  • If your dog stops, great! If not, increase the pressure. Call again with more intensity from another room. 

  • If your dog is really fussing, go right into the room where the crate is and repeat your verbal correction. 

  • It’s important to remember that your dog wants you to come into the room to let them out, so you need to be sure that your dog knows the moment you cross the threshold that the desired result has not been achieved. In fact, this isn’t a version of you he recognizes at all. You have booty kicking energy and should not be messed with. Say “QUIT” in a loud, sharp voice then stomp out of the room, closing the door. 

  • If this doesn’t work, it’s trainer time! Give us a call to get a hand dealing with the tough to train pup who seems resistant to my ‘best of crate training’ suggestions. Sometimes there are relational cues that we give our dog in other areas that can undermine our training results.