Yellow Labs Article

Tips for Crate Training Your Golden Retriever

Any Golden Retriever owner who got their dog as a puppy will tell you, it is not easy to house break your pet. You have to be patient, loving, and willing to work with your Golden Retriever, so that the process goes as smoothly as possible. One great way that many people have had success in house breaking their Golden Retriever is with crate training.

Many people believe that crate training is a cruel way of house breaking a dog, but that really is not the case. When you put your Golden Retriever into a crate, you are not only teaching your puppy how to stay in the house accident free, but you are also creating a safe environment for him. Most dogs, particularly Golden Retrievers, want to have their own area or den in which to stay, and providing your Golden with a crate, especially when he is a puppy, is a great way to satisfy that need. If you don’t do this, then your puppy may decide to make his home in your closet, under your couch, under the kitchen table, etc.

You don’t want to put your Golden Retriever in a crate and leave him there for hours on end that is not the way crate training is supposed to work. You are supposed to purchase a crate that will suit your puppy’s needs, and put it in a common area of your home, with the door being left open. By leaving the door open, your puppy can go and come as he pleases, which will help get him used to the idea before training actually begins. When your Golden Retrieve becomes comfortable with the crate, it is okay to leave him in it for a few hours, with food and water of course, so that he will be safe, even when you aren’t home to look after him. Again, the key here is moderation. You can use the crate in a positive way, or you can very easily turn it into something negative for your dog by misuse.

If possible, it would be better to get your crate and have it setup before you ever bring your new Golden Retriever puppy home. You want to place the crate in a common area, but somewhere where it won’t be in the way. Many people place their crates near an outside door, so that they can get their Golden outside quickly if he shows signs of needing to go.

If you have the crate already setup and the door open, your puppy will find it with ease when you bring him home. When your Golden does find his way inside, praise him with some kind words and a treat, so that he will know that he has done something good. Positive reinforcement can be a valuable tool in training your Golden, so you should learn to use it now.

Crate training, like any other kind of training, takes time to accomplish successfully, and you have to have the patience and the motivation to see it through. Keep a positive outlook on crate training, and never let your Golden think that he is in the crate because he misbehaved, or did anything wrong, as this will start to throw a negative vibe and your Golden will start to resist the entire process.