Tommy's Canine Academy

Dog Won't Go Into the Crate? Here's What to Do

If your dog refuses to go into the crate, you are not alone. This is one of the most common crate training problems dog owners deal with, and the good news is it is very fixable with the right approach.

In the video above, I work with JJ, a dog who was extremely resistant to going into his crate. When I asked him to go in, he pulled away, braced against the floor, and wanted nothing to do with it. Sound familiar? Here is exactly what I did to turn that around.

Why Dogs Refuse the Crate

Before you can fix the problem you need to understand why it is happening. Most dogs that refuse the crate have learned to associate it with something negative. The moment they go in, the door shuts, the owner leaves, and they are stuck. That is not a fun experience from your dog's perspective.

Your job is to change that association. The crate needs to stop meaning confinement and start meaning good things happen in there. That shift is what this ent...

What Is the Best Way to House Train a Puppy

The most effective way to house train a puppy is to combine close supervision, a consistent routine, structured confinement such as a crate, and clear feedback when the puppy eliminates in the correct location. When these elements are applied consistently most puppies begin showing strong progress within two to four weeks.

Introduction

House training is one of the first and most important skills your puppy will learn.

Over the past 20 years working as a professional dog trainer I have helped many families successfully house train their puppies. Some puppies learn very quickly while others struggle for several weeks. In most cases the difference is not the puppy. The difference is the structure and consistency of the training plan.

The good news is that every puppy can be house trained when the right system is followed.

In this guide you will learn the same approach I recommend to my training clients to house train puppies quickly whi...