Owning a dog is a wonderful experience that can provide you with many years of companionship. In many ways, owning a dog is like being a parent – it is a big responsibility but one that has endless rewards as you watch it play, learn and grow. This booklet is full of useful tips on how to feed and care for your new companion.
We recommend dogs are made part of the family and have access to an area inside the house. If your dog sleeps outside a dry, draught-free kennel should be provided. Pups will need to sleep inside and be provided with a cosy place to snuggle, such as a blanket in a cosy bed. A laundry where newspaper can be placed on the floor is ideal. You can set up their bed, toys and water bowl in there. Dogs need to wear a collar and identification tag at all times. Choke chains and slip collars are not suitable for this, they are training devices only. Dogs over the age of 3 months must be registered and micro-chipping is a legal requirement.
When you get your dog home for the first time, walk it around the property on a lead several times. Then introduce it to the area inside it is allowed access to.
Your dog should be on a leash whenever meeting children.
Let the dog come to the child - not the other way around.
Praise and reward your pet for good behaviour.
Never leave children and dogs together unsupervised.
If the new arrival is a baby, you will have some time to prepare your dog. A baby brings a lot of excitement and emotion into the home, and no doubt your sensitive pet is aware of the change in atmosphere.
You can prepare your dog by anticipating changes to the routine. For example, if your dog has been sleeping in your room, and will be moved to another area after the stork arrives, make the move now, not later. This will feel a little like being 'demoted' to your dog, and it's important they don't associate the baby with the change of sleeping quarters.
If the nursery is set up, and you don't want your dog to enter, teach your dog that this is a 'no go' area. Do all of this firmly but fairly, and don't let your pet feel like it's punishment. Get your dog out and about to meet as many children as possible, and do some extra training to increase your control. Introduce your pet to the baby with a minimum of fuss. Give your dogs lots of praise for good behaviour, and reward them with calm pats, a walk or a play session outside. The main principle is for your pet to associate your baby with pleasurable things. Let your dog learn it's OK to be near and sniff your baby, but not to touch.
If your pet is fearful or anxious around the baby, or shows signs of aggression, seek training advice from a dog behaviourist. Any sign of aggression must be professionally treated before anything gets out of hand.
Your pet may have been the centre of the home prior to the baby's arrival. A little commonsense and an awareness of your dog's feelings are all you really need to make the arrival as joyful for your pet as it is for you.
If you're introducing a new dog into a home where one already resides, there will be a few things to be aware of.
The best place to introduce dogs is on neutral territory, ideally in a park. Enlist a family member or friend to give your resident pet a good long walk before meeting you and the new dog.
If you've already brought the dog home, keep the two dogs separated for a few days, allowing the older dog to get used to the new smells and changed atmosphere. This also helps give the new dog time to bond with you as its leader. Give the dogs each other's bedding to sniff, while speaking in calm friendly tones.
Your resident dog may not take too kindly to this new arrival, who threatens to take your attention away. You want your older dog to think that when this new dog is around, they can expect lots of attention, it's a good thing! If you have two resident dogs, let them meet the new dog one at a time.
Before the dog and existing dog meet, you can minimise the risk of possessive behaviour by keeping all toys, bones and bowls out of sight. These things should be kept in your possession - it'll help your dogs to see you as the boss.
Opinions vary as to whether the dogs should be on or off the leash for the first meeting. You know your existing dog, and you're the best judge, but if in doubt use a leash.
The dogs should be allowed to approach each other at their own pace. If one or both appears agitated, correct them, and encourage them move away then try again. If they become playful with each other, don't let the play get too rough.
Don't be too concerned if the existing dog growls or nips at the new dog - the existing dog is establishing boundaries. But if there is an ongoing problem with rivalry or aggression, consult a professional dog trainer.
The solution to potential jealousy or rivalry is for the dogs to associate each other with positive and fun things. You want to create a win-win situation for them, so give both dogs plenty of praise for behaving in each other's presence. Even if your dogs aren't doing much, just lying peacefully near each other, this is something to praise.
Until you're confident there aren't any problems, separate the dogs when you leave the house, and supervise them when they're together. Also feed them in separate areas.
Over time, you may observe that one of the dogs seems more dominant than the other. Until recently, owners were instructed to support the dominant dog's role. New research indicates that dogs should be treated equally, especially when they are both adults. Give them turns at exercise and pats first, and reinforce your role as the pack leader. If you're thinking about adding another dog to the household but have not yet done so, consider getting a personality match for your existing pet. While same sex canine pairs can and do get along, a male and a female is usually the best match and will decrease the chance of rivalry.
If you’re wondering how to introduce a dog to a cat, the answer is: very slowly. Patience and supervision are paramount. A dog’s natural instinct is to chase, while the cat is most likely to be fearful and defensive. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to assist that first meeting, and canines and felines almost always learn to enjoy each other’s company and happily share the home.
It’s crucial that the first few meetings between dog and cat are supervised. Keep the pets separated at first, but allow them to sniff each other’s bedding or toys to assist in the ‘getting-to-know-you’ process.
Confine the dog to one room at this stage, and let your cat sniff around the door, plus other areas where the puppy has left their mark. If the cat is outdoors, allow the puppy the same sniffing privileges.
Once your cat appears to be accepting, or at least tolerating, the canine presence, it’s time for them to meet face-to-face.
Be ready with praise for both pets. You want the pets to feel that when they are in each other’s presence, good things happen.
It will be easier if you have someone assisting you. Keeping your dog on a leash, open the door, and allow your cat to approach the room at his or her own pace.
Don’t be alarmed if your cat hisses or tries to scratch the dog – it’s a normal reaction, and your cat should not be reprimanded. Avoid a situation where the cat is close enough to hurt the dog.
If your dog shows signs of intense focus (eg whining, straining at lead and alert ears) correct this behaviour by pouring a glass of water over the head of your dog or using a firm correction on the lead. When the dog turns its attention back to you praise it with calm pats and a soothing tone of voice.
Whenever the pets appear to be coping with each other, this qualifies as good behaviour, so praise them lavishly – even if they’re doing nothing. Be cool and calm – avoid exciting them.
If your cat runs off to hide, rest assured this is a normal behaviour that will subside as the pair gets to know each other. If your cat is holing up in the wardrobe, let them emerge in their own time.
Keep the first few meetings short, gradually increasing the amount of time. Don’t leave your pets alone together until you are genuinely confident that they are getting along, and remember to always have that ‘escape clause’ for your cat.
Never allow you dog to chase the cat, as this creates a behaviour that is hard to break.
Feeding dogs & puppies
What you feed will affect the way dogs and puppies grow aswell as their overall health so it is very important they are fed correctly.
What should I feed my puppy?
While your puppy is growing, it is essential that he receives a special high calorie diet. With such a small stomach, your puppy food needs to be concentrated to provide the right amounts of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.
Fresh meat, leftovers and adult dog foods will not provide the necessary nutrients for your puppy to grow up healthy and strong. The best way to ensure his nutritional requirements are met is to feed him specially developed puppy food. What you feed your puppy now will affect his development for the rest of his life.
The puppy should be fed this growth or puppy formula food until 12 months of age when you can change to adult dog or maintenance food.
For large breed puppies such as Mastiffs and Great Danes, nutrition during growth is particularly important. They need to be fed very carefully to avoid growing too fast as this can harm both bones and joints. See your vet to advise you on exactly how to feed this type of pup.
What should I feed my dog?
Dogs reach adulthood at different ages according to their size and breed. Once he is fully grown, your dog’s dietary requirements will change as he won’t need as many calories. At this stage, we recommend moving onto an adult dog or maintenance food. This will help maintain your adult dog’s ideal bodyweight and composition. Adult dog food will continue to deliver the specific nutrients your dog needs in this new stage of life.
When it is time to move your dog onto adult dog food, it is best to gradually introduce the new food into his diet over 3 or 4 days to avoid stomach upsets.
How much & how often?
How much you feed your dog at each meal will vary. Puppies need to be fed small meals often, whereas dogs get a bigger meal. Carefully read the packaging of your food to get an idea of how much to feed, as it will vary with the type of food.
At SPCA Auckland our puppies are fed at 8:30am, 11:30am and 3:00pm. Our adult dogs are fed at 8:30am and 3:00pm. However, you may wish to alter these times to suit your routine.
Health
Vaccination
Disease prevention is one of the most important parts of responsible pet ownership and that means regular vaccinations to ensure they live a full and healthy life.
Your new dog will have had at least one of its first course of vaccinations. The date it is due for its next shot will be recorded in the Animal Vaccination Card, which you will be provided with.
IMPORTANT: Until your puppy has received its full initial course of vaccinations, it is important to avoid exposing it to disease.
This means the pup should not be taken to parks, beaches or any other public area where other dogs may have been. It should also not be allowed to mix with other unvaccinated dogs. Not continuing with the vaccinations may result in your dog catching a fatal disease.
What diseases is my dog vaccinated against?
At the SPCA, we use two of the highest quality vaccines available to protect our dogs against several serious diseases:
- Parvovirus or “Parvo”: is a very serious disease of puppies and dogs, which is fairly common in some areas of Auckland. It causes very severe vomiting and diarrhoea and is usually fatal.
- Distemper: is another disease, which can be fatal to dogs. It is not as common as parvo, but can cause brain disease if contracted.
- Infectious Canine Hepatitis: is a virus, which causes liver disease in affected dogs. It can also be fatal.
- Kennel Cough: is quite a common disease in dogs. It is not as serious as some of the other diseases dogs are vaccinated for, but it can cause a nasty dry, hacking cough.
There is another vaccine dogs can receive in New Zealand, against Leptospirosis. This disease affects many different species of animal, including many farm animals and also humans. The most likely way for dogs to catch it is by contact with dairy cattle, or with rats. If your new dog is likely to go onto farms a lot, we recommend you discuss leptospirosis vaccination with your vet.
When should my dog be vaccinated?
All dogs should receive an initial course of vaccinations as a puppy. The last of these should be given at around 12 weeks of age. If your dog missed out on puppy vaccinations, it will have received its initial vaccine here as an adult. After this, your dog will need a booster shot every year to keep its immunity.
Why do I need to worm my dog?
There are several types of worms that dogs can get. The worms live in the gut of the dog, feeding off their food and also sometimes from the blood of the dog. They can cause the animal to feel tired, to have a dull coat and a pot-bellied appearance, and often to become thin. In young animals with severe cases of worms, they may become anaemic, and may even die.
When should I worm my dog?
Your new pet will have had at least one worming treatment here at the Auckland SPCA. The date it is due for its next worming treatment will be recorded on the Animal Vaccination Card.
As with most things, prevention is better than cure, so you should follow a good worming plan through your dog’s life, rather than waiting until they become sick.
As a general rule, puppies should be wormed every two weeks until they are 3 months of age. After three months of age dogs should be wormed every three months for the rest of their lives.
Flea Treatment & Prevention
An important part of keeping your dog happy and healthy is regularly treating him for parasites. Fleas become a particular nuisance in the warmer months when they become active, so it’s a good idea to implement an integrated flea control program as soon as possible to ensure your dog stays flea-free. Remember dogs can quickly become re-infested so be sure to also treat its bedding, surrounding environment, and your other pets.
How do I tell if my pet has fleas?
- The pet may be itching and scratching at itself a lot.
- You may be able to see the fleas in the pet’s coat by parting the hair and looking carefully.
- You may see “flea dirt” in the pets’ coat. This is the flea’s excrement, and it looks a little like ground coffee - small, black, crumbly stuff. Most often found at the base of the tail.
How do I get rid of the fleas?
There are many products on the market to treat fleas, and they vary greatly in their effectiveness.
‘Advantage’ and ‘Frontline’: We would recommend one of these two products for the best and safest way to control fleas on your pet. They are both very safe, easy to apply, and kill 100% of the fleas on your pet for 4 to 8 weeks after each application (depending on the product).
Both these products are available from most veterinary clinics, and from the SPCA shop.
‘Advocate’: is a product that is available to protect dogs against fleas and roundworms. It is a world first in parasite control for dogs and gives dog owners the ability to control both internal and external parasites with one easy topical application, once a month. Advocate provides broad protection against internal and external parasites including roundworm and ear mites, as well as adult fleas, eggs, larvae and flea allergy dermatitis. Once applied to the skin it is rapidly absorbed and distributed throughout the body within the blood stream to protect against both internal and external parasites.
When your pet is sick or injured
If at any point you are concerned about the health or well-being of your pet, contact your local veterinarian. All animals should see their vet for a check-up once a year. This generally can be done at the time of the annual vaccination, and is important so that any health problems can be detected early.
Where all care has been taken to ensure the health of adopted animals; there is always the possibility of a disease in incubation that will not manifest itself until after adoption.
NEVER give an animal human medicine such as Panadol or Aspirin, as these may harm or even kill the pet.
Dog & puppy training
Socialising is very important to develop an even, sound temperament in your dog. We recommend you take your puppy or dog to an obedience school. We have included a list of these at the rear of this handout. Get them used to other people, dogs and their urban environment. The more time you put into your new dog the more pleasure he or she will give you back.
When the dog is used to being trained with positive reinforcement, he will respond to it for the rest of his life. It is also important to note that teaching your dog a few basic commands can make it far easier to remedy behaviour problems or bad habits. For example, a dog that scratches at a door can be made to sit before the door is opened; soon he will associate sitting with getting through the door instead of scratching. This can be a far more effective method of behaviour modification than reprimanding alone.
Shyness/Socialisation
Many people think of shyness and fearfulness as negative traits. On the contrary, shyness is quite normal, necessary and adaptive for all dogs. It is natural for dogs to be wary of things that are novel and unfamiliar. Normally, during development, the dog becomes socialised with familiar people, animals, objects and situations. Nonetheless, they will still tend to shy away from the things to which they are not familiar.
Shyness in itself is not a problem. It is only a problem if the dog’s shyness inhibits your lifestyle, or if the dog develops other behaviour problems that are often related to shyness. Fear-biting or submissive urination, for example. The fact that a shy or fearful animal may resort to growling, snapping or biting to defend itself makes fearfulness an extremely important concern.
The first principle of treatment is not to make matters worse. Be careful not to reinforce the dog’s shy or fearful ways. By offering reassurance to help the dog build its confidence, you may actually end up doing the opposite and unintentionally encouraging the dog to be more shy. When the timid dog hides, barks defensively, whines, screams or snaps our response is invariably the same. It is only human nature for us to feel protective and try to reassure the dog by talking soothingly, or petting the dog and perhaps even picking it up for a big hug. These actions inadvertently reward the dog for fearful behaviour.
Socialising a dog and helping it to build its confidence is a time-consuming task. It should always be left to the dog to make the first contact. If the dog is not keen on approaching, that is okay. Just give it plenty of time to 'hide and peek' and eventually it will come out of hiding. When it does this, it needs to be rewarded with calm verbal and physical praise. Forcing the dog to interact invariably makes matters worse. Let the dog proceed at its own speed.
Training can be of great help when socialising a shy dog. Simply instructing the dog to heel, sit and lie down each time it encounters a person or another dog, helps to take its mind off the stress of the meeting. The dog feels more secure since it does not have to worry about how to act. It only has to follow your instructions. In addition, instructing the dog to sit or lay down eases the tension during an encounter. A dog that is sitting or lying down is perceived as a relaxed, calm and cool customer. Consequently, another dog will be less likely to feel threatened by your dog. In turn, the shy dog will feel less threatened, so the meeting is more likely to go well. This simple procedure helps to diffuse potential stressful situations.
“Sit”
Sit is a wonderful command as dogs simply cannot get into mischief when sitting. With a bit of time and patience, dogs of all kinds can be taught to sit in a matter of days. To teach this command put your dog on a lead, gently tighten the lead while pushing its bottom down. Say "sit" as you see it start to lower. This will help your little student learn to associate the act of sitting with the word. Release tension on lead and praise calmly when dog is sitting. Practice this whenever you give your dog a toy or feeding or when you open a door or remove the leash.
“Stay”
Teaching your dog to 'stay' is important to your dog's safety, and is very useful in daily activities. For the best effect, your dog will need to have mastered the 'sit' command first. The 'stay' command teaches your dog to remain still until you allow it to move again. To begin with, attach the leash and hold it in your right hand with your dog on your left side. Next, say 'stay' in a firm voice, then step forward leaving the lead loose. Wait a few seconds and then return to its side. Praise calmly. If the dog moves tighten the lead, move the dog back in to its stay position and repeat Practice this for 10 minutes each day, gradually backing away to the full extent of the leash and giving plenty of praise for every successful attempt.
“Come”
When teaching your dog commands it's important that it reacts to you and comes when called. That's why the command ‘come’ is an excellent one to teach early on. When training your dog, try to use the same command word consistently, so as not to confuse him. Choose a short, one-word command, not a long sentence. For example, "Come here!" is actually too long, whereas "Come!" is just the right length. This training process should begin in your backyard. Once you can consistently call your dog back, try at the local park. Begin by calling your dog once or twice while crouched down, it will probably come running to you no doubt with a furiously wagging tail! Give your dog a lot of praise every time it successfully obeys your command so he or she knows that these actions pleased you. Once he has responded a couple of times in crouched position begin calling while standing. If your dog doesn’t respond, walk after it calmly. Once you have caught them take hold of the collar firmly, move back to the original position you were in while calling, then praise.
Toilet training
When you begin toilet training, you must let your dog know where you would like him to go. Whenever he wakes up from sleeping, take him to that area and when he does anything, reward him with lots of praise. Whenever you see him sniffing the floor and after eating, do the same thing. It is advisable to add a command to this process as this makes toileting easier in the long run as dog will go on command.
It is inevitable that he will make mistakes. Whenever he urinates inside, soak it up in some paper towel. When he defecates, pick it up in paper towel, with the dog present and then take the dog and his mistake outside and put it in the area he is to use for his toilet. Let him sniff it and then reward him.
Punishing the dog or ‘rubbing his nose in it’ won’t indicate to him that he’s not supposed to toilet inside, but it will make him think he shouldn’t toilet at all, and he will never learn that he should do it outside. So please, give him an alternative when he does make a mistake and he will respond.
Five steps to successful toilet training:
1. Watch for signs that your dog has to go to the toilet (sniffing, circling etc), then take it outside immediately.
2. A young puppy has no bladder control and will need a toilet break after eating, drinking, sleeping or playing. At night, your puppy will need to go at least every three hours.
3. Punishment is not the way to deal with 'accidents' - your dog won't understand and may even find a 'secret spot' to relieve itself when you're out of sight.
4. Praise your dog every time it 'goes' in the right spot.
5. Treat your dog in the same way you would your own infant - with patience, constant supervision and a gentle touch.
Crate training or restricting you dog/pup to a small area when he sleeps helps with toilet training as dogs shouldn’t defecate where they sleep. Ask your veterinarian or the Auckland SPCA for more advice.
Dealing with normal puppy behaviour
When puppies play with each other, they use their mouths, so they may also be inclined to bite or "mouth" your hand during play or when being petted. This is rarely aggressive behaviour meant to do harm, but it is a difficult habit to break unless you encourage your puppy to try an acceptable alternative behaviour. The goal is to redirect your puppy's energy onto acceptable chew toys, and to teach her to be gentle when a hand is in or near her mouth.
Encourage Acceptable Behaviour
Redirect your puppy's penchant for nipping and biting by offering her more acceptable objects (such as chew toys) whenever you pet her. This technique can be especially effective when children want to pet her. As you or the child reaches out to scratch her behind the ears with one hand, offer the chew toy with the other. This will not only help your puppy learn that people and petting are wonderful, but will also keep her mouth busy while she's being petted. Alternate which hand does the petting and which one has the chew toy. Remember to keep the pats calm and stroke the way the fur lies as stroking the other way will excite the puppy. You may need to start off by petting or scratching your puppy for short periods of time, since the longer she's petted, the more likely she is to get excited and start to nip.
Discourage unacceptable behaviour
You must also teach your puppy to be gentle with hands, and show her that nipping results in unpleasant consequences. Teach your puppy that nipping "turns off" any attention and social interaction with you. As soon as a nip occurs scruff the puppy, do not release until pup is calm then reward with verbal and physical praise. Repeat as necessary.
Jumping up
When your puppy jumps up on you, she wants attention. Even if you push her away, she is still getting attention (even if it is a response that you might consider negative).
When your puppy jumps up:
• Turn away from her, and say "off."
• Continue to turn away from her until all four paws are on the ground, then quietly praise her. If she knows the "sit" command, give the command when all four paws are on the ground, then quietly praise her while she's in the sitting position.
• If she begins to jump while you're praising her, simply turn away and repeat the second step, above. Remember to keep your praise low-key.
• When your puppy realizes that she gets no attention from you while she's jumping up, but does get attention when she sits, she'll stop jumping up. Remember, once you've taught her to come and sit quietly for attention, you must reward her behaviour. Be careful not to ignore her when she comes and sits politely, waiting for your attention.
What not to do
Attempts to tap, slap, or hit your puppy in the face for nipping or jumping up are almost guaranteed to
backfire. Several things may happen, depending on your puppy's temperament and the severity of the
correction:
• She could become "hand-shy" and cringe or cower whenever a hand comes toward her face.
• She could become afraid of you, and refuse to come to you or approach you at all.
• She could respond in a defensive manner and attempt to bite you to defend herself.
• She could interpret a mild slap as an invitation to play, causing her to become more excited and even more likely to nip.
• You should not play "tug-of-war" games with your puppy. This can encourage the dog to become dominant.
Be consistent
It's important that all behaviours, acceptable and unacceptable, be managed consistently by all family members. And remember that any method you try will probably not be effective unless you work hard to teach your puppy an acceptable alternative behaviour.
A note about children & puppies
It's very difficult for children under eight or nine years old to practice the kind of behaviour modification outlined here. Children's first reaction to being nipped or mouthed by a puppy is to push the puppy away with their hands and arms. This will be interpreted by the puppy as play and will probably cause the puppy to nip and mouth even more. Adults should closely monitor all interactions between their children and dogs.
Behavioural problems
Should you experience any behavioural problems with your dog or puppy please contact SPCA Auckland. If we are not able to assist you then we can suggest a professional behaviourist for you to contact.
Helping your dog to cope with being alone
Dogs with separation anxiety tend to display behaviours that reflect a strong attachment to their owners. This includes following you from room to room, frantic greetings, and anxious responses whenever you prepare to leave the house. Factors that can precipitate a separation anxiety problem include:
• A change in the family's schedule that leaves your dog at home alone more often.
• A move to a new home.
• The death or loss of a family member or another family pet.
• A period at a shelter or boarding kennel.
Again, remember that these behaviours are not motivated by spite or revenge, but by anxiety. Punishment will only make the problem worse. Separation anxiety can be resolved by using counter-conditioning and desensitization techniques.
Here are some short-term strategies that can help your dog cope:
Departure routines – many dogs will readily identify departure routines and use these as cues to become distressed. Ideally we need to try and identify ways that will relax the dog and help him better tolerate your departures. It is useful to carry out activities such as picking up keys but then staying home. Practice these “mock” departures many times.
Relaxation cues – on days when you are leaving for short periods only, you can start to develop some specific cues that indicate your return is imminent. This could include such things as a particular piece of music. This signals to the dog that the departures are “safe” and that you will be back very soon and can be provided during the desensitisation programme set out in small steps towards a final goal. These items must be removed at other times or they loose their significance.
Greetings and departures – greetings and departures should be downplayed. The dog should be ignored 15 minutes before you leave and for 15 minutes on your return. This helps to avoid the intense highs and lows that are contributing to the anxiety levels your pet is experiencing.
Guilt – in the case of dogs with separation anxiety we often come home to find precious things destroyed or urine or faeces on the carpet. Our bodies get tense and we speak with loud, stern voice. Dogs are very sensitive to body language – this is a large part of their communication to each other. You think your dog looks “guilty” for what he has done! But, in reality he is just responding to your angry body language and submitting to your authority. Some dogs will cower before you even have the opportunity to assess if any damage has been done. This is because they have learnt from past experience that you are displeased if there is destruction or soiling, not as a result of guilt about making the mess. Punishment in these circumstances will only make him more anxious and the signs of distress will get worse.
Do not have the dog with you at all times. When you are home get it used to being alone. For example, put the dog out in the backyard while you are in the house. This will allow you to reprimand unacceptable behaviour while you are home and also help the dog realise it can be alone while you are still near by.
Crate training your dog
Crate training your dog may take some time and effort, but can be useful in a variety of situations. If you have a new dog or puppy, you can use the crate to limit his access to the house until he learns all the house rules, such as what he can and can’t chew and where he can and can’t toliet. A crate is also a safe way of transporting your dog in the car, as well as a way of taking him places where he may not be welcome to run freely. If you properly train your dog to use the crate, he will think of it as his safe place and will be happy to spend time there when needed.
Selecting a crate
Crates may be plastic (often called “flight kennels”) or collapsible, metal pens. Collapsible fabric kennels are designed for use when the owner is present and will not contain a dog for long periods while unsupervised. Crates come in different sizes and can be purchased at most pet supply stores. Your dog’s crate should be large enough for him to stand up and turn around in.
The crate training process
Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog’s age, temperament and past experiences. It’s important to keep two things in mind while crate training; one, the crate should always be associated with something pleasant; and two, training should take place in a series of small steps – don’t go too fast.
Step 1: Introducing your dog to the crate
• Put the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Bring your dog over to the crate and talk to him in a happy tone of voice.
• Encourage the pup to enter on his own, if required throw in his favourite toy to entice him to enter. If at first he is shy do not force him in let him enter at his own pace. Leaving door open for the first few times he enters.
• Once he feels secure in his crate, shut the door for a couple of minutes with his favourite toy or a chew while praising him with voice. Then open crate and give calm pats. Slowly work up to a longer period during the day eg, half an hour.
• If puppy vocalises by whining or barking, take a squirt bottle filled with water, and every time the pup makes a noise squirt him in the face while staying silent. Repeat as necessary
• Put pup in crate over night; remember to toilet puppy before putting in the crate for the night. Cover with sheet so it feels more secure. If there is whining walk quietly as possible into room where pup is contained, pick up corner of crate an inch off the ground and drop while staying silent then walk away. This teaches pup that when they whine they get a fright and staying silent is better. Repeat as necessary.
• Remember your pup may be letting you know that it needs to go to the toilet if it hasn’t gone in a while as puppies have small bladders.
Step 2: Feeding your dog his meals in the crate.
• After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding him his regular meals at the front of the crate with the door open. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, put the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If your dog is still reluctant to enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as he will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed him, place the dish a little further back in the crate.
• Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat his meal, you can close the door while he’s eating. At first, open the door as soon as he finishes his meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until he’s staying in the crate for 10 minutes or so after eating. If he begins to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving him in the crate for a shorter time period. If he does whine or cry in the crate, it’s imperative that you not let him out until he stops. Otherwise, he’ll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine and he’ll keep doing it.
Step 3:– Crating your dog when left alone
After your dog is spending about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving him crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put him in the crate using your regular command and calm praise. You might also want to leave him with a few safe toys in the crate. You’ll want to vary at what point in your “getting ready to leave” routine you put your dog in the crate. Although he shouldn’t be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate him anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving.
Don’t make your departures emotional and prolonged, but matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly for entering the crate and then leave quietly. When you return home, don’t reward your dog for excited behaviour by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low key. Let dog out when behaviour is calm and praise. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you’re home so he doesn’t associate crating with being left alone.
Potential Problems: Too much time in the crate
A crate isn’t a magical solution. If not used correctly, a dog can feel trapped and frustrated. For example, if your dog is crated all day while you’re at work and then crated again all night, he’s spending too much time in too small a space. Other arrangements should be made to accommodate his physical and emotional needs. Also, remember that puppies under 6 months of age shouldn’t stay in a crate for more than two hours at a time unless at night. They can’t control their bladders and bowels for longer periods.
Potential Problems: Whining
If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether he’s whining to be let out of the crate, or whether he needs to be let outside to toilet. If you followed the training procedures outlined above, your dog hasn’t been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from his crate. Try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, he’ll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at him or banging on the crate will only make things worse. If the whining continues after you’ve ignored him for several minutes, take a squirt bottle filled with water, and every time the pup makes a noise squirt him in the face while staying silent. Repeat as necessary
Do not give in, otherwise you’ll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what he wants. If you’ve progressed gradually through the training steps, and haven’t done too much too fast, you will be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again or contact a behaviourist.
Other benefits for a crate
1. Controls chewing
2. Puppy’s safety when you are not home
3. Great for travelling
4. If dog gets sick or injured, perfect recovery space
5. Less behavioural problems
Potential Problems: Separation anxiety
Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety will not solve the problem, but will assist if done correctly. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but he may injure himself in an attempt to escape from the crate if not trained correctly. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counter-conditioning and desensitisation procedures.
Obligations to care for your animals As the person in charge, you are legally required to provide the following:
• Proper and sufficient food and water
• Adequate shelter
• The opportunity to display normal patterns of behaviour
• Protection from and rapid diagnosis of any significant injury or distress
• Adequate exercise