Mary Allen
If you’re looking for ways to help your dog love his cage, try playing crate games with him. Crate matches are a fantastic way to teach your dog to walk in and out of the crate voluntarily on command and are fun to play in pairs.
Game 1: The Box Is Wonderful
With the cage door open, spread some treats outside the door, not just inside the crate. Let him eat the treats and toss a few more in the very back of the box. Can he go all the way in and get her? If yes, you are ready to move on to Game 2. If he doesn’t go all the way in, play this game a few times each day until he’s warmed up with his crate. Be careful not to close the door at this point so he doesn’t worry about being trapped!
After he’s happily in and out of the crate, it’s time to move on to another game. You may want to watch this movie about the first steps to getting your dog to love his crate:
Game 2 Stay a While
Now you want to start building a hand signal to enter the crate. Practice waving your hand with your index finger while simultaneously tossing a treat with that hand. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but with a little practice, it will become natural. The movement should look like you are telling your dog to go where you are pointing. After getting the move down, stand together with the crate door open and use your hand gesture to toss a treat far into the cage. At this point, he needs to stick to the treatment, if not go back to Game 1.
When he’s followed the treat into the cage, toss another far in. Keep throwing treats because he’ll eat until you visit him, wait for another treat instead of trying to get out of his crate. Add an ok! Speak in a cheerful voice and invite him to come out. This will tell him to wait until you let him out instead of trying to jump out of the crate when you open the door. Be happy and excited that he is ok and remember not to close the door during this game.
Game 3 Just Like I Thought
Now we can add a command word to the procedure. Stand by the open box just like in Game 2, only this time say a cue like Kennel Up! or box! before staging and tossing the treat. Make sure you say the term before proceeding so your pup understands that the word means you are about to create the movement he already understands and will eventually just respond to the word.
This time when he moves into the cage and tosses several treats in the box behind him while he eats the very first treatment. Do this a few times to emphasize how great it is to stay indoors, then use an Alright! Term (publication or alternative expression you have chosen) in a joyful voice and invite him to come out. This will initiate the process of telling him to wait for permission to leave.
Repeat this a few more times and then test if he dies a connection between the concept and the activity when entering the box. To test his comprehension, pose as before and say your command, but this time doesn’t continue. When he runs to the box, act happy and pour some treats into the box with him. Add a few more treats when he’s done with that, then release him like before.
When your dog gets it, repeat the game a few more times to keep it in his mind. If he doesn’t run inside, use the hand signal after saying the word a few more times before trying again without raising your hand. And keep the door open at all times with this special game. Even if he gets it, the next time you play with this match, he might forget at first. If this happens, just try a few times together with the shield before trying again without it.
Game 4 About My Command And Wait
Now that he’s moving in on cue, we’d like to start working on getting it out with permission. Send your dog into the crate, along with your verbal command ( kennel open! or crate! ), just like in game 3. Give them some treats to move in, then get back up and wait to find out what he does will do. If he’s waiting expectantly for longer treats, toss in another treat and wait again. If he runs out of the crate instead, return to game 3 and keep playing until he expects more treats after he joins in.
Once he’s waited a few days for treats (just a few seconds), then release him with a joyful okay! And let him know what a good dog he is. Make sure you practice this a few times a day before proceeding.