How to Kennel Train a Puppy with 11 Easy-to-Follow Steps

First of all, congratulations on your new furry bundle of joy.

Don’t worry training won’t be as hard as you might think.

With a little patience, caring, and kindness, your journey with your four-legged pal will be as smooth as possible

You have to know that training your puppy to kennel takes advantage of your dog’s natural instincts as a den animal. So it’s his nature and his DNA that will do most of the work here, you will only have to guide him through it

Why The Kennel?

For first-time dog parents, a kennel or (a crate) is the perfect solution to manage your new puppy until he is ready to be trusted in your home.

It’s not like a prison, it’s a place of rest and safety for your dog. The kennel becomes your puppy’s den, where he can find comfort and solitude while you know he is safe and secure (and not messing your house while you’re out running errands).

How to Kennel or crate train a puppy is an essential part of your puppy’s housebreaking process that you need to master as a dog parent

In this article, we gonna talk about several proven to work ways that will help you to kennel train your puppy within the first few weeks of his life.

So here we go,

Step-by-Step Guide to Kennel Train Your Puppy

Selecting and Preparing The Right Kennel

Step 1. Be Mindful with The Size

The kennel you choose for your puppy should have enough room for him to stand, sit and stretch out. Also, it should be large enough for him to walk in, turn around, and lay down comfortably.

However, the crate should not be so big that your puppy can turn a certain section of it to his bathroom.

Keep in mind that your puppy is growing. So it’s advisable to buy a large crate at first and then modify it for your puppy by blocking off excess parts and spaces of it to adjust it to your puppy’s size

Unless you have the ability to buy 2 crates one smaller size for your puppy and a bigger one for when he is a grown-up dog

Step 2. Choose The Type Best-Suited for Your Puppy

There are several available kennel types to choose from:

• Wire kennel
• Airline Crate (often called “flight kennels”)
• Fabric on a collapsible, rigid frame
• Collapsible, metal pens
• Soft Sided kennel
• High Impact travel kennel
• Kennels that blend with your furniture

All these types and sizes are available and can be purchased at most pet supply stores or pet supply catalogs.

Step 3. Placing The Kennel.

Put the crate in a consistent location.

This may be a high-traffic area where you and your family spends a lot of time, but you may consider that your puppy may need some rest time removed from activity, especially at night.

Step 4. Luring The Puppy.

You want the puppy to go into the kennel all by himself. One of the best ways to do that is to place his favorite toy or comforter inside the crate in order to give him the idea that it is a nice place.

Another way of luring your puppy is by Placing treats inside the crate.

It helps with the puppy training process to seed the crate with tasty treats, again so that the dog associates it as a great location where nice things happen

We will have more on that later in the actual training steps

Also, put a soft blanket or towel in the crate for his comfort

The Training Process

As we said before you need your puppy to get into the crate with his own will. Do not force your puppy into it or it will be like a sort of punishment for him, a prison.

You need your puppy to feel safe in the crate and to know that nice things can happen to him in there. you can achieve that by doing the following:

Step 5. Restrict Your Puppy Exploration to One Room at First.

You want your puppy to “accidentally find” the crate on his own accord so that he is more likely to return to it.

Keep your puppy’s movement in your house restricted to the room that contains the crate. by doing this, your puppy will be more likely to find and explore the crate on his own terms.

Some dogs will be naturally curious and start sleeping in the crate right away, if your dog is not one of them, move on to the next step

Step 6. Familiarize Your puppy with The Crate.

Place your puppy near the crate and leave the door open, talk to him in a happy tone of voice. Make sure to put a blanket that smells of his mother and littermates into the crate, so there’s a reason for him to investigate

Step 7. Treats, Lots and Lots of Treats

Put a treat just outside the entrance of the crate, let your dog go and get it and allow him to retreat.

Next, place a treat inside the kennel, let him go and get it.

Gradually, place the treats further and further inside the kennel until, in his mind, he connects the kennel with having a happy good time.

Step 8. Use a Command Word

Decide on a commanding word to use when you want your puppy to go to his kennel such as “kennel up” or “crate”. While doing the previous step “Treats”, make sure every time he goes for the treat inside the kennel to say the command word until in his mind he associates the command with the action of going inside the kennel

After a number of times of doing so, your puppy will start going into his kennel whenever you ask him to

Make sure your puppy’s favorite toys are inside the kennel as well

Step 9. Feed Your Puppy in The kennel

After your puppy is familiar with the crate, begin feeding him his regular meals inside the crate.

Put his bowl or his dish as far inside the kennel as possible. Again, the association with food makes it a great place. Repeat this step over and over until your puppy is comfortable eating in the crate

Step 10. Closed Doors!!

When he is eating his meals, begin closing the door on him and open it up immediately after he finishes at first.

After several times, with each meal, leave the door closed a few minutes longer. Until he is staying in the crate for 10 minutes or so after eating with the door closed. This is a good way to make your puppy feel safe and comfortable with the doors closed without feeling that he is being punished or imprisoned.

Open the doors immediately whenever your puppy begins to whine to be let out

Step 11. Practice More with The Door-Closed Crate Time

Gradually increase the time with the doors closed during which leave the room and come back later until he feels comfortable with your absence while the doors closed.

That’s it, that was how to kennel train a puppy guide for you ladies and gentlemen!

Remember, the main purpose of a kennel or a crate is to house train your puppy, because dogs naturally, as we said before, don’t like to soil their dens.

The crate can buy you the trainer some time and limit access to the rest of the house while your puppy learns other rules, like not to chew on your shoes. Crates also can be a safe way to transport your puppy in the car.

Now your puppy is ready and set to face his new life well trained

Remember love is the most important ingredient of this equation, So for this to work make sure he feels your love

If you enjoyed this article share it with a friend

What did you think of the kennel puppy training guide, whatever you think comment below and let me know

And as always if you liked what you read here and you wanna read more feel free to check my other articles on Top 5 Easy-to-Train Dogs or How to Train a Dog to Attack

If you got any more tips or suggestions regarding puppy training please share it with us and the readers in the comments, we are all here to learn!

If you have any questions leave them in the comments, We will respond ASAP

Have a nice day and Read you next time