August 22, 2022

How To Crate Train A Puppy

by Bill Gibson, Head Trainer at Mossy Oak GameKeeper Kennels

The Importance of Crate Training a New Puppy

Crate training a puppy is a simple concept that is easy to do and vital to success in future training endeavors. Veterinarians and trainers agree that the kennel will be accepted as a dog's "safe zone" or den, and it will encourage routine, potty training control, and safe travel. It also helps alleviate any separation anxieties in older dogs or pandemic puppies by establishing independent time.

Especially if you're working with a sporting dog, you'll want to establish boundaries and control early on and begin crate training your puppy as soon as you get home.

RETRIEVER STEADINESS TRAINING

Steps for Crate Training Your New Gun Dog

Step 1:

Show the dog his or her favorite treat or toy and encourage the dog to follow it into the crate. Don't force the dog to enter, instead keep encouraging it to go all the way to the back of the kennel to get the treat. Maintain a positive tone of voice.

Step 2:

Use the command "kennel" or "kennel up" as the dog walks through the kennel door. Avoid repeating the word multiple times--once should be enough!

Step 3:

Praise the dog for going into the crate. Shut the door and hang out quietly in the room with the dog before finally leaving it alone for a few minutes. Increase the intervals until your dog is comfortable being in the crate for up to 30 minutes at a time.

Step 4:

Once you've worked up to about half an hour in the crate, your new puppy should be fine to leave longer intervals and you shouldn't have to entice them with treats or toys any longer. Make sure to keep the crate a positive place, though, and not a place of punishment. To ensure crate training success, you must remain consistent.

HOW TO PICK OUT A RETRIEVER PUPPY

Where to Buy a Quality Crate

If you're looking for a crate, there is no better option than a Gunner Kennel. They're the absolute safest kennel on the market and work as both an inside crate and car kennel. Plus, they even offer an option for Mossy Oak Greenleaf enthusiasts.

Post Spawn Catfish Tactics

Fortunately, the post-spawn season for blue catfish is generally more productive than the typical lull experienced with most other species of fish.

Fishing, How-To, Mossy Oak Fishing

Latest Content

Waterfowling Tips For Hunting The Mississippi Flyway

Whether a novice to the area or veteran hunter, there are a number of variables that dictate duck movements, and numbers and subsequently can spell success or lack-of-success to waterfowlers.

Waterfowl, How-To

Dealing with the Lockdown Phase

The reference is to the two-to-three-week period when sightings and encounters with bucks in the woods has slowed down dramatically or come to a screeching halt.

Deer, How-To

Make it a Mossy Oak Wild Game Thanksgiving

We asked our friend Jeremiah Doughty from From Field to Plate to write up a couple of Thanksgiving recipes that we’d be proud to hang our hat on, and he’s certainly done just that.

Wild Game Recipes, Ingredient Wild, Mossy Oak Gamekeeper Butchery

Mossy Oak Camo Bows and Bow Hunting Gear

We’ve got a great collection of bows and bow hunting accessories and gear in Mossy Oak camo. Whether you’re looking for a Bottomland or Country Roots bow or a new saddle or climber, this comprehensive list gives you all your options.

Big Game, Deer, Gear

Mossy Oak’s Annual Fox Hole Shootout Hits Record-Breaking Year with $290,000 Raised for St. Jude, Catch-a-Dream, Conservation

This year, the annual Fox Hole Shootout raised an incredible amount of $290,000– the highest amount raised in the event’s history.

Turkey, Fishing, Small Game, Deer, Waterfowl, Conservation, Land Management, News, Mossy Oak Properties

Waterfowl Population Surveys: How Wildlife Managers Assess Waterfowl Populations

Among the most important components involved in calculating how many birds can and will be taken in a given year is the annual waterfowl population surveys.

Waterfowl, Conservation, Land Management

Duck Hunting Rice Fields in Arkansas: The Rich History and Modern Strategies

Although mallards had been descending on the bottomland hardwoods, bayous, and swamps of Arkansas long before the 20th century, the legend of duck hunting in the natural states tends to coincide with the advent of rice farming.

Waterfowl, Mossy Oak Companions, Mossy Oak Gamekeepers

Mossy Oak's 2024 Christmas Gift Guide for Hunters and Anglers

Whether you need Christmas gift ideas for fisherman, Christmas gift ideas for deer hunters, or Christmas gift ideas for camo lovers, there's a great selection of products on our list here.

Fishing, Big Game, Small Game, Deer, Waterfowl, Gear

Duck Confit Garlic Fries

Duck confit is a cooking method that leave the meat insanely silky that just melts in your mouth. So, get in the kitchen and try something new.

Waterfowl, Wild Game Recipes, Ingredient Wild, Mossy Oak Gamekeeper Butchery

Toxey Haas's Tips for Brushing in a Duck Blind

Toxey Haas loves to hunt ducks. In these videos, he takes us through his essential kit for brushing in and repairing a duck blind as well as how he prepares his duck blinds every year.

Waterfowl, How-To

Mossy Oak's Woodsman Series is Back

The Mossy Oak Woodsman Series is Back. Rooted in everything core hunters expected from us in the early days, the Woodsman collection is thoughtfully designed, constructed with quality materials, quiet fabrics, sturdy stitching and of course, our timeless camouflage patterns. We're proud to celebrate the core of hunting, woodsmanship, and with seasonal collections on the horizon, we're excited to open the archives, add a few things and re-introduce these classic designs. The Mossy Oak Woodsman

Turkey, Big Game, Small Game, Deer, Waterfowl, Predator, Conservation, Land Management, Gear, Mossy Oak

From the Archive: Deer Calling Tips from the Pros

Originally published in the 1994 Mossy Oak Bowhunting Magazine, this article talks to professionals like Will Primos on calling in deer.

Deer

Explore All Posts