Lesson 4: Improve to 60 Minutes of Quiet

Work up to your puppy being quiet and calm in the crate for 60 minutes

By Dr. Gayle Watkins, PhD

Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public and make it simple for people to get dogs from good sources and for reputable breeders, shelters and rescues to put their dogs in good homes.

Goal

Your goal in Lesson 4 is to work up to your puppy being quiet and calm in the crate for 60 minutes while dropping in no more than 10 treats during that period.

Time Frame

Lesson 4 usually takes 3-7 days, with a few sessions a day. Some pups will complete Lesson 4 the first day.

When to Move On To Lesson 5

You are ready to move on to Lesson 5 after your puppy is able to be quiet in the crate for 60 minutes with 10 treats and no earthquakes, and will enter the crate when you give your cue.

Troubleshooting

If your pup has reached its tolerance for the crate prior to 60 minutes, go back to Lesson 3 for a day and then build up more slowly, varying the time in the crate more.

Your pup is now ready to learn to be quiet in the crate for up to an hour with far fewer treats. This makes it so you can spend more time away from home, knowing your pup is happily crated and not destroying your home or bothering your neighbors.

Your pup also knows the cue to get into the crate. It's probably not fluent in that cue, meaning it can do it anywhere anytime, but that will come with usage AND the correct response from you. If it goes into the crate, you give it treats. If it doesn't go into the crate, you put it in. That's all there is to it!

You also know what to do if your pup barks in the crate. Any time the puppy barks in the crate (and you know it doesn’t need to potty), say nothing and cover the crate completely. Uncover the pup the moment it is quiet. Reward if the pup stays quiet for 20-30 seconds. However, if the puppy continues to bark after the crate is covered, do an earthquake. From now on, these are your responses.

A. Your puppy stays quiet
pup is quiet→treats→release (More info)

B. Your puppy starts barking
pup barks→cover→pup is quiet→uncover→treats→release (More info)

C. Your puppy keeps barking while the sheet is down
pup barks-barks→cover→earthquake→pup is quiet→uncover→treats→release (More info)

Setting Up For Lesson 4

Before starting each training session, set up the crate and gear exactly as you did for Lessons 2 and 3. The only difference is that you will have something to occupy you during your pup's sessions--a TV, radio, computer, or device. However, this is NOT the time for a nap because you won't react quickly enough if and when your pup barks.

Get a timer or a smartphone with an alarm.
You WILL need the sheet covering the crate for this lesson. Prepare it now by draping it on all sides except the front door. Fold the part that will cover the door so you can drop it quickly.
Be sure your treats are great.
Plan your training sessions for what your puppy is hungry.
Put the crate in a quiet, non-distracting area for this training.
Be sure the room is cool enough so your pup is comfortable.
Before starting, scatter a handful of treats towards the middle and back of the crate.
Take your puppy out to potty immediately before you begin training so you are sure he does not need to pee or poop.

Training Lesson 4 — Extending Time in the Crate

Step 1

Set your timer for 8 minutes.
Say the cue word and/or put your pup in the crate. Reward entering the crate if the pup does it on the cue.
Drop several treats a minute over the 8 minutes. Your goal is to slow the treats down but not stop them.
If your pup remains calm and quiet in the crate, keep rewarding
If your pup starts to bark, go through the cover-uncover or cover-earthquake-uncover routines.
When the timer goes off and the pup is quiet, release it from the crate without energy or excitement. Do not give treats outside the crate, no matter how well your pup has done. Just release the pup, potty it if needed, and go on with your day.

Step 2

Over the next 3 to 7 days, increase your pup's time in the crate 10 minutes at a time until it is quiet in the crate for an hour. Some days do longer sessions and some days do shorter. Your pup must remain quiet for the majority of a session before moving on to the next objective. If your pup is struggling, take several steps backwards and work your way back up.

Objective 1 is 10 minutes
Objective 2 is 15-20 minutes
Objective 3 is 20-30 minutes
Objective 4 is 30-40 minutes
Objective 5 is 40-50 minutes
Objective 6 is 50-60 minutes

Things to Watch For

As the time the puppy is quiet and settled in the crate, you might see the following things:

Your pup wants to stay in the crate after you release it. Congratulations, you have done a great job training!

Just let the pup stay in the crate. Leave the door open and walk away.
Be sure to watch the pup so you can take it out to potty immediately when it does come out of the crate.
If you cannot watch the pup, encourage it to come out of the crate by tapping your leg or the ground. When the pup comes out, praise it as you take the puppy out to potty.

Your pup falls asleep in the crate.

Let it sleep, stop tossing treats and close the door.
Be sure to wake the pup up and take the puppy out of the crate before it begins to cry! Set your timer so you don’t forget about it.

Dr. Gayle Watkins, PhD is the Founder of Avidog, the leading educational platform for dog breeders and puppy owners, and Gaylan's Golden Retrievers, her 40-year breeding program. Today, Gayle is the only golden retriever AKC Gold Breeder of Merit, and is a three-time AKC “Breeder of the Year.”