Crate training

The key with crate training is to make sure that your pup thinks of their crate as a happy place where good things happen. You can do this by putting a nice comfy bed inside, a blanket over the top to make it feel cosy, and by giving them treats and toys in there. Putting their bowl in their crate when you feed them is also a good way of creating positive associations. At first, keep the door open so that they can come and go. Once they are used to coming and going from the crate, when they are inside, calmly shut the door for a few seconds, then calmly open it again (it is important to do the closing and opening with minimal fuss so your puppy doesn’t get worked up about it). Gradually increase the time that you close the door for. If they bark or whine when they are in the crate,  decrease the time that they are left next time that they are in there. Build up the duration that your pup is left in the crate slowly. Encouraging them into the crate using treats after a walk or play session is a good way to increase the chances that they will fall asleep in the crate.