When you first bring your new puppy home, it'll only take about an hour or so to realize that he needs house training right away. After all, a little puppy's bladder is only so big! A great method to consider for potty training your new little friend is crate training. Crate training has its pros and cons, but it offers an affordable and far less stressful alternative to more traditional methods. Here are some helpful hints to get started.

Choosing the Crate

The crate should provide just enough room for your puppy to sleep, stand and make a complete turn comfortably, with minimal room to walk around. The reason for this is dogs usually will not potty where they sleep. If you allow for too much space, however, your puppy will quickly designate an area for potting and then will sleep on the other side of the crate.

First, choose a crate based on the size your puppy. If your puppy is four months or older, consider a regular sized crate with an adjustable partition wall so you can make the puppy's area grow larger gradually as the puppy grows. For small-sized puppies 11/2 to 4 months old, consider using a large bird cage instead of a crate. These tend to be less expensive than actual dog crates and will serve the purpose just fine until your puppy outgrows it. Bird cages usually have slide doors that you can easily secure with a tie band from supermarket bread packaging.

Don't worry about upsetting your puppy with small spaces Puppies and even older dogs feel secure when in their own little space with a comfortable, warm bed. Your puppy will likely adopt the crate as his own little "home" within your home.

Tip: Don't feed your puppy inside the crate, but place his bowls beside the crate to make him feel at home.

Secondly, be careful about selecting a crate with open bars if you have an older male dog. Although pup pies won't usually do this, older males may cock their leg and peepee through the bars. If you start training with a small puppy, this shouldn't become a problem.

Introducing the Crate to Your Puppy
Place your puppy in or around the crate but leave the door open for a while. Allow your puppy to enter and exit freely so he can get used to the idea. Place a comfortable blanket or thin pillow inside the crate along with a couple of dog toys or chew bones He should realize that it's not a permanently locked cage door. Once he seems comfortable in and around the crate, place him in the crate and lock the door. Exit the room for a few moments and then return to unlock the door and let him out again. Do this several times per hour to let him know that you're not abandoning him. This is important to reduce anxiety, which can certainly cause more potty accidents!

After a while, your puppy will realize that he will not be left in the crate forever. You're then ready to start the training.