A FUNDAMENTAL NECESSITY

Crate Training is fundamental for dog ownership; to contain the dog for training house rules, as a dog bed, to protect your own belongings,  getting to know each other, for sickness, for old age, as a secure place from company if needed, containment in emergency or evacuation, as secure and safe containment when you have service people in your home, and for obedience training, just to mention a few reasons.

FOR SAFETY, NO COLLAR OR OTHER HANG UPS IN THE CRATE

IF PRACTICAL,  FEED IN THE CRATE

PROVIDE SAFE ITEMS FOR AMUSEMENT IN THE CRATE

3 Places the dog can be for one week

On the leash, chain collar on

In the crate, collar off

In the Business Xpen, collar on

I try not to be in a hurry. Slower is better. Take a long time for foundations and the rest is a breeze plus the dog is happy.

After about 3 weeks, there is more freedom in the kitchen and personal enclosure area. On walks, position becomes more demanding. We should be in an easy controlled walk, but staying somewhat in close at heel. 

ABOUT THE LEASH

I use the leash for everything; it is my communication device, it is my friend

When the dog is a leash length away from me and I suddenly turn around and go the other way, the dog must hurry to catch up the nine feet of distance to get to me, When the dog catches up to me it is now in heel position and I can praise it for the effort to be there.

I shake the leash back and forth side to side lightly to say hello, heads up! HERE I AM.

If the dog tugs on the leash or is silly, I back off to get some slack and I snap the leash not so lightly straight up and down whip like, as if to to say WHAT THE HELL!  STOP TUGGING!. I change my pace or direction of travel and really get moving at times to get the dog to pay attention to what I am doing instead of thinking about what it wants to be doing.

When I can just wiggle my finger on the leash and draw the dog in with an encouraging voice, I am ready to move on.