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Conditioning Containment

Conditioning Containment in a Crate & Exercise Pen, Gated Laundry Room, etc.

YouTube Video Playlist for Crate Conditioning

Start Here —

  • Get your treats set up in a container on top of the crate or in an easy access pocket or treat pouch.
  • If your Pup is hesitating with coming near the crate door, you can put them on a leash to keep them near the entry.
  • Look in the crate and act interested in going in, allow your Pup to choose to go in.
  • When one foot steps in or towards the crate you can mark using the word ‘YES' or ‘YIP’ or use a CLICKER. After you mark you can toss in a treat towards the back of the crate, once they are all the way in, shut the door.
  • If they are hesitant to go in, wait them out until the move towards and then toss another treat in.
  • If they keep going away from the crate door, RE-BOOT, get up, walk around, breathe deep and get them engaged with you… maybe play a tug game. Head toward the crate knowing they’ll go in this time. Look in as you head to the crate keep your attention forward and moving and excited.

Trust them, trust you…energetically focus on them going into any contained space, if they stall at the door, settle beside them and wait it out again. They will eventually go in, especially if you have a very high value treat ready to reward for going in.

Don’t lure them in with food. If they are hesitating, after 2 earnest attempt you can shape them to a mat or towel and then use this 1/2 way in the crate and half way out, it becomes a target you have shaped. See Relaxation / Mat work directions for more details.

While training, don’t give your Pup any food outside of the crate, only feed inside. The release out of the crate with your release word ( OK, BREAK, FREE ) is a reward.

  • Once they go in, toss in treats and celebrate. Then shut the door and wait for a SIT.
  • Reward the Sit high and in the back.
  • You can help them sit if they are standing or lying down. Reach in by holding on to the treat and placing it high and in the back, release the treat only when they are sitting.

If you have a metal crate you can lure a sit. If you have a sit on cue, you can ask for a sit.

Once they are sitting and staying in the back of the crate with the door open you can give them your release cue.

Tips to work towards —

Open the crate latch with the hand closest to the door hinge.

Put one treat in the opposite hand and feed your treats swiftly & deliberate.
Placement of rewards is very important, don’t feed if the dog is standing.
Once they get comfortable with going in the contained space you can latch the crate between each repetition. Repeat 5-10 times

TOSS treats for excitement DELIVER TREATS SLOWLY ONE BY ONE FOR CALM SETTLING

Once your Pup wants to go into a contained space, you can combine the relaxation/mat work in the space.

Building STAY duration

Level 2 Crate Games: https://youtu.be/3M7f1sfV6pc

As you succeed, the door doesn’t have to close each time.

Be patient and confident, allow the dog to make choices.

You can keep one hand on the door such that your dog won’t escape, you just close the door (don’t slam the door, close it ) If the dog is failing, take some steps back.

If you struggle with your Pup going into the crate don't acknowledge the dog when they are outside the crate. Resist temptation to cue or help. Remember to have a party with praise & treats when the dog goes back into the crate.

If you want to build you STAY behavior you can add distractions to the containment training as your pup succeeds, if they fail or get sloppy, take some steps back.
Open the door & pick up the leash & snap the clip. Any forward movement, close the door.

  • Open the door & delay feeding the sit position
  • Open the door and move your body to a new place
  • Open the door & move in a semi-circle around the front
  • Open the door & a few steps away
  • Open the door & ignore him for a bit
  • Open the door & move in a full circle around the crate

much more advanced —

  • Open the door & toss a toy
  • Open the door & run away

After we build up their food fluency, you will be able to practice with food distractions outside the crate such as opening the door & drop a treat just in front of the crate and then reward your dog’s good choice by picking up and hand feeding it to your dog.

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