Crate training a puppy in ten days
A crate is not a punishment and it is not a cage — it is the one place in a small flat that belongs entirely to the dog. Done properly most puppies choose to sleep in it within two weeks.
Size and setup
Big enough to stand up, turn around and lie out flat. No bigger — extra space becomes a toilet corner. If you bought a crate for the adult size, use the divider that came with it.
- Bedding that is washable and flat. Deep fluffy beds get shredded and hide accidents.
- Put it where the family is, not in a spare room. A crate in isolation teaches isolation.
- Door open and tied back for the whole of days 1–2 so it never swings shut by accident.
The ten-day ramp
| Day | What you do | Door |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Feed every meal just inside the crate. Toss treats in at random times. | Open, tied back |
| 3 | Feed at the back of the crate. Close the door while eating, open before the bowl is finished. | Closed for the meal |
| 4 | Closed door + stuffed toy, you sitting next to it. 5 minutes. | Closed, you present |
| 5 | Same, but you get up and move around the room. | Closed, you moving |
| 6 | Leave the room for 1 minute, then 3, then 1 again. | Closed, you out of sight |
| 7–8 | Crate for naps after walks — a tired puppy makes this easy. | Closed, 20–40 min |
| 9–10 | Night in the crate beside your bed. | Closed, overnight |
If any day goes badly, repeat it. The schedule is a shape, not a deadline.
The first night
Everyone dreads this and most of it is avoidable.
- Put the crate next to your bed. Not the kitchen. You can move it a metre at a time later. Almost all first-night howling is about being alone, not about the crate.
- Tire the puppy out properly in the evening — a game and a short walk, finishing at least an hour before bed so it can wind down.
- Last toilet trip immediately before, outside, boring, no play.
- Something that smells of you — an old t-shirt — in the crate.
- Expect one toilet trip in the night for the first two weeks. A eight-week-old puppy physically cannot hold it for eight hours. Lift, carry out, no talking, straight back.
When it goes wrong
| What happens | Usual cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Howling the moment the door shuts | Jumped too many steps | Go back to feeding in the crate with the door open for three days |
| Toileting in the crate | Crate too big, or held too long | Divider in; shorten the interval |
| Fine at night, hates it in the day | Day crating happens when you leave | Crate the puppy sometimes while you stay home |
| Chewing at the bars | Too much energy going in | Crate after exercise, not before |
Is a paid course worth it
Most apartment barking is boredom, not disobedience, and the fix is mental work rather than more walks. That is the gap a structured course fills.
| Programme | What it is | How you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Brain Training for Dogs | A course of 21 games that work on a dog's problem-solving rather than drilling obedience commands. | One-time purchase. Access does not expire. |
Brain Training for Dogs
A course of 21 games that work on a dog's problem-solving rather than drilling obedience commands.
How you pay. One-time purchase. Access does not expire.
Best for. Dogs whose behaviour problems come from boredom — barking, chewing, restlessness in a small flat.
Skip it if. You need help with a specific medical or aggression issue. That is a vet or a qualified behaviourist, not a course.
None of these replaces the routine. A programme you open three times a week beats a better one you abandon in month two — so weigh the format at least as heavily as the content.
Covers: crate training schedule puppy, puppy first night crate training