How to Help Your Puppy Stop Barking While In His Dog Crate

Most of us who have ever had a new puppy, know that those first few days, or weeks can be a struggle.  Your pup whines and barks whenever he or she is put inside his dog crate.  This is an issue that should be addressed right away if it is happening to you.  You don't want it to become a habit.  Then it will be much harder to fix.

First of all, your new puppy is looking to you for guidance.  Now that his or her mother is not letting the pup know what is tolerable, the job must become yours.  Exercise is the most important tool in this process.  A puppy that has gone for a nice long walk or run is a tired puppy.  A tired puppy doesn't want to bark as much as a puppy with a lot of pent up energy.

Some other tips that I have heard from others are:

• Using a dog crate cover to create a quiet place - If you do not feel like making another investment in a crate cover, putting a towel or blanket over the dog crate is a great and economical alternative.
• Give your puppy a bone or something that is safe to chew on when inside the crate.  This gives him or her something to do and will help reduce the anxiety that can be caused by being alone.
• Train your puppy to think of the dog crate as a den or safe place.  If it is always associated with a positive thing such as a treat or praise for going in, it will be comfortable to your pet.  It is in their genes to be den animals.  There are many good trainers and training courses available for helping with this.
• When you are gone, turning on the television or radio can help the puppy think that there is someone around and that also helps reduce the anxiety.

Of all of the things mentioned, exercise and proper training are the two that work best for me.  The exercise isn't bad for us people either.  In fact, after writing this post, I am going to take my two mutts for a nice long walk.