Let face it, a quiet puppy is a dangerous puppy.  Something must be keeping that puppy busy!  And, that something usually is them exploring the world through chewing!  In addition to helping with potty training, crate training can keep you (and your property) safe.

Today, we will get down to some specifics of crates. 

What size cage should you be looking at?
I recommend the Precision crate.   Make sure that when you are ordering that you do tell them that you want the size that you puppy will be when he/she is an adult.  When they are first put into the crate, it should only be big enough for them to get up, turn around and lay down.  This way, they will not want to urinate or defecate in the crate; because they instinctively do not want to lay in it.  

Open vs Closed
There are two types:  open and closed.  Closed crate/den look like real big cat carriers.
Open crates looks like a cage. It can be covered with a towel to help the puppy sleep. I personally prefer the open crate.  They collapse bettes to be stored.  Here is the link for the precision crate.  http://www.precisionpet.com/detail.aspx?id=54  or call 800-261-3523

Divider Panel
I would recommend purchasing a divider panel.  This way, you can make the crate smaller for the puppy, and adjust it as the puppies grow.

Cage Pad
They usually eat what ever you put in the crate, so I don't recommend putting anything in the crate with them except water.   But, if you want to try something, try the fleece pad.  Just watch out that he does not chew on it, as that could cause an obstruction which would need to be surgically removed.
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Is a folding cage the best bet?
It is personal preference.  Folding crates, which are open crates that fold down, are great for traveling in the car.  They also offer the benefit of folding them up for storage, when/if you are done using it.  You can save it for the next puppy!

Where is the best place to put the crate?
Where ever it is most convenient for you.  Some people want it in their room.  Others in the high traffic area, such as the kitchen.  Others want it in the basement.  If you have the puppy in your room, they will likely want to sleep in your room for the rest of their life.  That is fine, if you can tolerate a dog barking and snoring in their sleep. 

I am looking up crates.  Do  I need to buy a pan for the bottom?   Or would you buy a floor grid to place on top of the pan??? 
You should not need to get an extra pan or grid.  It comes with a pan.  The grid is so that if they urinate or defecate, they won't lay in it.  However, it is not as comfortable to lie on for the puppy.  Their toes can get caught in it, too.  The puppy will not be going potty in the crate very much after the first week or so; especially if you keep a log for the first 2 days of when the puppy goes potty.  You will be able to be proactive in taking the puppy out.  Here is the link for the precision crate.  http://www.precisionpet.com/detail.aspx?id=54   You can also call precision for a dealer near you.  800-261-3523

Cynthia Mazzola DVM has been practicing for over 20 years.  In addition, she has been breeding and training Labrador Retrievers for over 30 years. 

Make Our House Call Vet YOUR house call Vet.

Why Crate Training is Important
*lt helps immensely with potty training
*It prevents them from getting into something toxic, or that can cause an obstruction in their bowels that would need to be surgically removed.
*lt also teaches the dog to feel comfortable in the crate, so when he comes into the Vet practice to be fixed, he is not scared of the cage.   I see a huge difference in anxiety at the hospital, when dogs are not taught to be in the den/crate.  You never know when, or for how long, the puppy (or dog of any age) may need to be hospitalized.   Don't add to the stress of hospitalization, by having the puppy uncomfortable in a crate.
*lf you ever have an emergency, and he need to go to a boarding facility that only has cages, he will feel more comfortable if he is already comfortable with the crate situation.
*Some people use the crate for traveling in the car.
*It gives the puppy/dog a safe place to go when they have "had enough", and want to be left alone.

Where is the best place to put the crate?
Where ever it is most convenient for you.  Some people want it in their room.  Others in the high traffic area, such as the kitchen.  Others want it in the basement.  If you have the puppy in your room, they will likely want to sleep in your room for the rest of their life.  That is fine, if you can tolerate a dog barking and snoring in their sleep. 

How to Crate Train  
Please remember that there is more than one way to do things that could both be correct.  The main thing is that you are consistent, and persistent.  That does not mean that if a method is not working for you, you can not change it.  Just be consistent, and persistent with the new method. 

In the wild, dogs live in dens.  The crate is meant to mimic the den.  They know where all 4 sides are, and it makes them feel safe.  The crate will help to potty train the puppy, and to prevent the puppy from swallowing something that could cause a life-threatening obstruction.  The longer that your puppy is allowed to have accidents in the house, the longer it will take to potty train.  The crate gets them potty trained very quickly.  It is also a safe place for them to go to, if they do not want to be bothered.  Please do not wait until your puppy has swallowed something and gotten very sick, to decide that it is time to crate train them.  If you start right away it is very easy.   If you feed your puppy in the crate, he will love it.
      
For the first 48 hours after you get your new puppy, keep a log of when he needs to urinate, defecate, eat, play, etc. I recommend having them sleep in your room for the first 2 nights.  The puppy will be leaving all of the things that he knows, and it can be scary for them.  Feed him at the same time every day.  Please note here, that the whimper or cry of a 7-9 week old puppy, and a rustling in his cage, means that he has to go out.   When he naps put him in the crate.    When he is older, do not let him out of the crate if he is crying/whining/digging,  etc. This is positive reinforcement for bad behavior.   Let him out only when he stops crying. You will see the difference of the barks.  

Here are the general guidelines for when he will have to urinate and/ or defecate:
-First thing  in the morning
-15  minutes  after  eating
-Every 15-20 minutes during play time (i.e. if play time is 1  hour,  you may have to take the baby out 3-4 times!)
-Anytime you take the puppy out of the den (crate)
He should be in his den (crate) if you are not watching each and every move he makes.   A quiet puppy is a dangerous puppy!!!!  If he is quiet, something is keeping him busy!!!  If you are cooking, cleaning, etc., and not watching him, he should be in the crate.   The less accidents and mischief he gets into, the quicker the potty training and chewing will be. Again, do not let him out if he barks. This will make him bark louder, longer next time (and make for unhappy neighbors down the road)!

Here is an example schedule:
7am Take puppy out of crate and carry him, with his leash on, outside to go potty.
Feed him in the den (crate).
Aprrox.10 minutes later, take him out the same as above.  If he does not go, put back in den and try 10-15 minutes later.
Once he has gone potty, puppy can play with you as you try to wake up, and eat.  Remember, he may have to go out 15 minutes later 
Love and kiss him
Puppy goes back in to den (crate) for nap.

10am   Take puppy out of crate and carry him, with his leash on, outside to go potty.
Play with puppy, get him tired.  Lots and lots of exercise to prevent behavior problems!!!!!  Love and kiss him
Den (crate) for nap time

lpm Feed in crate
Walk him approx 10 min later to go potty.    If he does not go, put back in den and try   10-15 minutes   later.
Play with puppy outside if not hot, humid, raining, snowing, etc; or play inside. 
Den for nap.

4pm Out to go potty
Have the kids get puppy good and tired (as you probably are already good and tired)
Remember if you are inside, he will have to go out every 15 minutes during play   time.    Also remember to clean areas with Nature's Miracle or Petastic where he has an        accident.   
Den to nap

7pm Outside to go potty.
Feed puppy in crate, and 10-15 minutes later take him out to go potty......
Have puppy hang out with you. Watch for those sniffs, and turns, indicating that he has to to potty. 

11pm Walk puppy one last time
Den for night.

3am Outside to go potty.  This is a business meeting only.  No treats.  No love.  When he goes potty, just a quick "good go potty".  If you give him treats and love, he will keep waking you up in the middle of the night!
Put in den.   

COMMON Q&A:

How Long Can They Be Crated?
As a general guideline:
At 2 months, they can hold it for 3 hours.  
At 3 months, they can hold it for 4 hours.
Each puppy is an individual.  Use that log that you kept for the first 48 hours to determine what your individual puppy's schedule is like.  As they get older, they will drop out some of the times that they have to go potty. 

Remember, they may still have accidents at first.    The more you watch them, the less accidents, the quicker they will be trained!!!    Watch the puppy well after you come inside from him going potty.    Sometimes they get distracted, and do not finish their business outside, then need to go again within moments of coming back in.   They are not being spiteful, just puppies.
  
If the puppy falls asleep on the floor (kitchen) should we move them to the crate?
Yes.  The more they sleep in the crate, the more comfortable they will feel in there.

You mention in your puppy schedule to walk the dog at approx. 3:00 a.m what if the puppy is sound asleep should you wake them or wait till they wake?
No. This was just an example schedule; and to prepare you for the fact that you may have to wake up at night.

Remember, for the first 2 days that you get the puppy, I recommend keeping a log of when the puppy urinates and defecates.  If you feed your puppy at the same time every day, they will continue to follow their schedule pretty closely. 

My puppy will yelp when we put her back in crate after 2am and 5 am outings, she just has so much energy then, after 3 or so hours of sleep. But we are trying not to establish that as play time, any suggestions?
As with most "problems" exercise is key.  If you get the puppy really good and tired during the day, they are much more likely to sleep through the night. 

During the night outings, make it very matter of fact.  Keep lights low, and don't talk to the puppy.  Just out of crate, outside, and back into crate.

You could try to have the puppy sleep in someone's room.  Dogs are pack animals, and she may just want to be with the pack.  This is not a problem, if you wish to always have the puppy sleep with you, and if the puppy has some alone time during the day.  ie. if you are with the puppy all day, and you have her with you all night, she could develop separation anxiety when you are gone.

This phase will be very short-lived, especially in comparison to children!

Cynthia Mazzola DVM has been working in the Veterinary field for over 30 years.  In addtion, she has been breeding and training Labrador Retrievers for over 30 years. 

Make Our House Call Vet YOUR house call Vet.

It can be a daunting task to figure out what is essential to purchase, when you get a new puppy.  There is so much out there.  Here are the basics of what you really need.
1.  Den (crate) - opened or closed
2.  Gate - to keep puppy secluded in one or two rooms
3.  Kilcommons book "Good Owners, Great Dogs"
4.  Natures Miracle or Pet Tastic  - gallon (and plenty of paper towels!)
5.  More Natures Miracle or Pet Tastic - use to clean and deodorize urine and other smells.
6.  Collar - it should be lose enough to slip over the puppies head if he gets caught on something.  Collar should always be removed when puppy is put into the crate.  Please do NOT put on a choke collar to be used as the every day collar. Choke collars are only to be used with a leash, and for training.  They should be taken off with the leash.   
7.  Name tag - make sure that your name and address are on the tag, too.
8.  Food Storage Bin
9.  Stainless steel bowls
10. Water Crock bowl
11. Brush
12.+/- Shedding blade (depending on the breed)
13. Kong, nylabone, gummabone, etc.  Make sure the toys are hard plastic, so that the puppy can not chew them apart.  You don't want to give the puppy old socks or shoes to chew on...they can not tell the difference from the new ones!
14. Puppy food. 
15. Natural treats - no preservatives or coloring. 
16. Jaws pooper scooper
17.  Leash – regular leash.  Do NOT use a retractable, extended leash.  I have seen too many dogs get hit by a car or in a dog fight at the end of those leashes.

Let me know if I can clarify anything for you.

Next time I will review why it is important to crate train your puppy.

Cynthia Mazzola DVM has been breeding and training Labrador Retrievers for over 30 years.  She has also been working in the Veterinary field for over 30 years.  She is now the doctor for Our House Call Vet in Rockland County NY and Bergen County NJ.

Ok, you got a puppy, now what?  Today, I will go over some basic categories of what you will need to do.  

PUPPY TRAINING CLASS
We recommend that you start puppy class as soon as you get the puppy.  Puppies bite, jump, bark, etc.  It is much easier to train them when they are small.  Almost all of our Labrador puppy buyers have used Vince Rambala, who is in Ringwood and Hillsdale.  Everyone loves him.  I also used him when we keep puppies.   He is great with children, and having them be involved with the training process.  He is one of the few trainers that I know, that do not make the children sit and color while the parents train the dog.  He actively has the children involved.  If you are interested, please contact:
pawws@hotmail.com
201-337-7299 

BASIC TRAINING
Lets try to get just a mind set about training. There are many, many, many different methods of training. If you read multiple books, talk to different trainers or veterinarians, you can easily get confused. Just remember: there is more than one way to do things, and they could both be 100 % acceptable. All will agree that starting early and never hitting the pet are essential.  I strongly recommend" Good Owners. Great Dogs" by Kilcommons.

The three following points are absolutely important guidelines to follow, regardless of whose method you use:  consistent, persistent, patience

CONSISTENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone is house must be consistent with training method, and with the words used as commands.
Everyone in contact with puppy must be consistent every time with
giving command. Example 1: Do not allow anyone to play tug-of-war with
dog; he will then think that it is a game whenyou are trying to get an unwanted
object out of his mouth. If one person encourages tug -of -war,
puppy gets confused.
Example 2: When puppy jumps up onto you, everyone
must use the command " OFF" If one person uses ""down", and
the other uses " OFF" puppy gets confused!!!   Makes sense. Right??

PERSISTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Commands should be spoken to puppy in gentle, but firm (not yelling) manner.  Tell the puppy once. If he does not follow command, make him do it on the second time. Example : Tell puppy to " SIT". If he doesn't sit,; immediately and gently push in behind his knees while pulling up on collar and saying "SIT" again. Don't give up if it seems the next day that the puppy never heard the word "sit"! Be persistant, and PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE puppy in up-beat tone when he gets it right.

PATIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Puppies, like children, do not come "pre-trained". They also are not going to learn things on the first attempt, and always remember them later. They are NOT being spiteful...just puppies!  Owning a dog is a responsibility. You can potentially save the dogs life one day, by just teaching simple commands. We want well behaved dogs, not necessarily show orstunts dogs.

IT IS MUCH EASIER TO TRAIN THEM WHEN THEY ARE SMALL THEY ONLY GET BIGGER, STRONGER, AND SET IN THEIR WAYS!

Next time, I will give you some advice on things to purchase for a new puppy. 

In addition to working in the Veterinary field for over 30 years, Cynthia Mazzola DVM has been breeding and training dogs for over 30 years. 
Dr. Mazzola likes to see puppies in the owners home, so that they do not pick up any infections at an animal clinic, where sick animals are treated.  Puppies have immature immune systems, so are much more prone to infections.