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Blue is a 11 week old border collie that came to stay with us over the Labor Day Weekend. I had a long list of things to work with Blue on and crate training was not actually one of them. However, the first night he was at our house I noticed that he did not really want to go in his crate. This was when I added crate games to my to do list. I started right away, which is why I am in my pj’s. LOL!
Blue picked up on going in the crate really quickly. I was really impressed with this little guy! He did an outstanding job and was really motivated to work.
I took a lot of footage and have a ton of video projects that will be starring Blue the Border Collie puppy.
I personally believe that training a dog to LOVE, be comfortable, confident, and feel safe and secure in his crate is one of the most important things any owner could train their dog to do. Dogs need to be in crates for many things and it is a benefit if they already feel safe and enjoy being in there.
A few times your dog will need to use a crate may include:
When they are at the vet - My little Twix just got neutered and the vet said he was very comfortable and happy in the kennels in the back both before surgery and after. My dogs love their crates.
Traveling in the car - It is so important to have a dog in a crate when in a car or at least harnessed up. I have known too many people that have been in accidents and their dogs were injured or killed from being loose in the car. Being crated or harnessed up in the car can save your dogs life. If your dog enjoys being in a crate and has been PROPERLY crate trained, then the dog will enjoy going for rides and being in his crate. When I went to Arizona for the World Canine Freestyle Event and took Twix. He loved it. He slept for hours in there and not a peep out of him. He was so comfortable and upside down sleeping as I drove. That to me is a great feeling, knowing that my dog is safe, happy, confident and comfortable enough to just sleep while I drive.
After an injury - Your dog might need to be kept calm after an injury or to have some quiet recovery time. Twix is spending a lot of time in his crate while recovering from his neuter surgery. The crate door is wide open and he is choosing to sleep in there. When Bandit my other Border Collie broke his leg, he would not let my husband or I touch him. He was scared, hurt, and frantic. When we opened up his soft crate next to him and said “go inside” he limped right in and laid down. Bandit also spent a lot of time in his crate when he was recovering from a broken leg and to this day he will still choose to sleep in his crate when he is tired.
At agility or canine freestyle trials - To keep your dog rested and ready for his next run, it is important to have him in a crate to keep him calm and relaxed. If your dog is crate trained it makes it much easier at various events to get your dog to relax. Sometimes at trials a dog could be in his crate most of the day aside from getting out to run his event and or to potty and have some small walks. With all the craziness going on it is a safe, calm place for your dog to be.
I also use a crate when I am at the park or somewhere working all my dogs. I will put the non-working dogs in a crate while I train and work with the third dog. This keeps everyone safe, relaxed and calm while waiting their turn.
I hope this video helps some of you. I have other crate training videos as well, but it is always fun to see the light bulb go on when training a puppy or training a new behavior.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Pam
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TOO EASY? TRY THIS!
Training a dog to heel is a great exercise which develops several different capacities in a dog. In addition to furthering their learning ability and body awareness, it also aids in teaching them to communicate better with their human. It should be taught like any other trick or behavior, by breaking it up into small successive steps and making it a highly rewarding experience. 
This video is on the basic steps of training your dog to go in his crate. Stay tuned for part two coming shortly. 
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