Puppy Crate Training is a valuable process to learn for any new puppy owner. Even if you have owned a puppy before you still might be able to get some valuable tips. There are many different ways from many different trainers to crate train your puppy. This is the most efficient and quickest way that I have found to work in my own experience. The first thing to do is to make sure you have the proper supplies before you bring your puppy home. I recommend the following supplies:

• Safe Puppy Toys - (no squeaky toys or stuffed animals), the hard rubber toys with holes in the middle for food or treats are great
• A mat or rug - for the bottom of your crate.......this is better than your puppy lying on the hard plastic floor!
• Puppy Treats - I prefer the all natural kind.....with organic and natural being more readily available I would go this route.
• Odor Neutralizer - this is available at most pet stores.....DO NOT use household cleaners, these contain amonia.
• A properly sized crate - I like the hard tan plastic crates available at most pet stores......these keep the dirt and pet hair inside!
  
• Pooper Scooper - this makes cleaning up after your puppy a lot easier
  

A side not on crate size - You want to get a crate that your puppy can stand up and turn around in and no bigger...if it is bigger your puppy will use one side as a bathroom and the other side as it's bed. If you don't want to keep buying new crates as your puppy grows, you can buy a size large enough for it's adult size with an adjustable wall.

Step one of puppy crate training is to get your puppy used to the crate and feel comfortable inside it. Start by tossing a few treats into the back of the crate and praising your puppy as it goes in after them. Do not close the door at this point, let your puppy go in and out freely. Place some toys in the crate as well to make the crate a fun place to be for your puppy. Remember to praise your puppy every time it goes into the crate, to let it know that is what you want it to do.

Step two of puppy crate training is to start closing the door of the crate while your puppy is inside. Start doing this for a minute or so and gradually increase the time while staying in the room with your puppy. After doing this a few times, start leaving the room for a minute or so and give the puppy a treat upon your return as you praise it for being in the crate. You will want to gradually increase your time outside the room as well. Some puppies will scream and wine when you close the door, just make sure that you don't let them out while they are whining. This will just teach them that all they have to do is whine and you will let them out. This will go away as they get more comfortable with the crate.

Step three of puppy crate training is to immediately take your puppy outside upon letting them out of the crate. When you take it outside, wait for it to start using the bathroom and praise it for using the bathroom outside. I would recommend using a command such as "Good Potty", "Good Bathroom", or "Good Outside" when they use the bathroom outside. They will start to associate the command with using the bathroom outside, which is what you want them to do.

Step four of puppy crate training is to get your puppy on a schedule of taking it outside. This should be done every few hours, as well as first thing in the morning, after meals, and right before bed. Your puppy will not be able to go very long in between bathroom breaks. As your puppy gets older it will be able to go for longer and longer periods in between breaks.

If your puppy does have an accident in the house you can only correct it for this if you catch it in the act of doing it. If you wait just two seconds after the fact it's too long. You will just wind up confusing your puppy because it can't associate what you are correcting it for. DO NOT run it's nose in it, this does not work and just makes a mess. If you catch your puppy in the act, calmly walk over to your puppy and give it a firm "NO" (or whatever command you have decided to mean "no"). Make sure to use a firm voice but do not yell at your puppy. Immediately pick up your puppy and take it outside to finish it's business. When your puppy resumes it's business outside make sure that you praise it again with the command that you chose for going to the bathroom outside.

Being consistent with this process should produce fairly quick results as your puppy starts to learn what you want it to do. Puppy crate training is a great way to teach your dog the "rules of the house". This will enable you to enjoy having your puppy around watch it grow up as a well behaved member of the family.