Why to Use a Crate for Spaniels?

Some first-time fur owners freak out when they hear suggestions about buying a crate for their Spaniels. No matter we are talking about King Charles Spaniel, American Water Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel or Springer Spaniel. It’s understandable. Dogs are not like birds or small animals that tend to go everywhere. Dogs deserve freedom more than anyone else. They deserve to be comfortable in their home and around their family. But not until everything in the house is messed up: missing shoe, destroyed furniture or pillow fillings are scattered everywhere. At this point, the idea of buying your Spaniel his own crate is not scary anymore. Then it’s time to start looking for the best size crate for a Spaniel.

5 Reasons to Buy Crate for a Spaniel

• A crate is a safe home for a Spaniel where he can have his own personal space and sleep comfortably
• Spaniels are hunting dogs, and it’s good to keep them in a crate while traveling by car
• Great way to train your dog proper discipline and teach positive habits
• Prevention of destructive behavior
• For house training technique

What Size Crate for a Spaniel?

Ideally, crate training is more applicable for Spaniel puppies. The earlier they are trained, the better. There’s no right size for a Spaniel. However, there are some important conditions:

1. The size of the space where you want your Spaniel to live
2. It is important to know the size of your puppy when he grows during the time of crate training

But, if you’re going to choose a crate for your Spaniel puppy and you don’t want to change it as he grows, ask for the size of his parents. Recommended crates should not be shorter than the length of the dog, thus it can be longer. On the safer side, you can measure your Spaniel’s height while sitting and width while laying down. 

Choose the crate that is high and wide enough, so that your dog can freely sit, stand, turn, and lye around comfortably. Getting a spacious crate will allow your dog to sleep in one corner and have his own space until he grows up. Dogs do not do potty where they sleep and eat. That’s why the crate should be the exact size of your dog. Your puppy will grow up to become a big dog. Since Spaniels are medium to large-sized dogs, you have no choice than to buy a crate or kennel with a divider that will allow you to increase the space as puppy grows.

Crate Size for Spaniel Breeds

There are four main Spaniel breeds, so the best size crate for an adult Spaniel depends on the breed as well:

This is Medium and Intermediate crate sizes, depending on the manufacturer’s scheme.

Types of Crate for Spaniel Puppy and Grown-Up

Pet stores have a variety of crates for dogs: small plastic kennels, metal crates, soft fabric carriers, etc. There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all. There are considerations and decisions that only the owner can choose what to purchase.

Best Dog Crates, Pet Carriers and Kennels

Best Dog Crate Beds

Soft-Sided Carrier

Fabric carriers on the frame are a great solution for dog exhibitions, any kind of travelling by car, but they are not too strong and reliable, so you should not leave your pup in them unattended for a long time. The main advantage of such a crate is its low weight and the possibility to fold it when you do not need it.

Plastic Kennel

Plastic dog kennel probably offers the greatest feeling of safety with solid walls. They’re easy to clean and wash. But they’re not too well ventilated. Therefore they are perfect for transportation, but not so good for home and long time stay.

Metal Crate

If you’re looking for something to protect your home from your beloved Spaniel and to give him a cos place to stay, the best choice is metal crates for dogs.

Where should I Place a Crate?

Placing the crate near your bed will help your Spaniel to adjust to the new environment and not feel lonely. With the right mindset and training, your dog will eventually understand that the crate is his safe haven. 

Remember, do not put the crate to somewhere hot or too cold. Both hot and cold temperatures are bad for your dog’s health. In terms of hygiene, the kitchen or children’s room is not the most appropriate place either.

What to Put into a Crate?

• Make sure to put a comfortable bed inside
• Give enough water to keep the pup hydrated. Choose one the suitable water dispenser bowls.
• Put dog’s favorite toys inside.They help to cope with anxiety and feel relaxed. Snuggle toys with heart bit are a wonderful solution for puppies at night.

How to Crate Train a Spaniel?

5 Things You should NEVER Do when Crate Training a Spaniel

• Don’t use the crate as an excuse for punishment
• Don’t slur the dog in the crate
• Don’t leave your dog in a crate with harness, collar or leash on
• Don’t force your puppy to go inside the crate
• Crates are not an option if you don’t want to go for a walk

Basic Rules to Crate Train a Spaniel Puppy

Introducing your puppy to his new home should be in a good and positive way. 

• Use encouraging expressions to establish an interest. Give praises whenever he decides to come inside, move around, or sniff. Let him do his own desire, do not use force. Do not limit his time n the crate. Give him a comfortable condition: cozy bed, crate toys, and treats. 
• When he starts to stay calm inside, try closing it for a while, open it, praise him, and let him out. 
• If your Spaniel puppy whines and barks when closed, ignore this behavior, wait until he calms down and then praise and let him go out.
• It’s a good sign that he’s starting to love his new home when your pup starts dragging his toys and things inside his crate. 
• Gradually increase the time spent when he is locked up. Start from a couple of minutes and eventually increase from two, three, eight to ten hours. 
• Make sure to leave the water to avoid dehydration. It will greatly affect his health if you forget to leave the water.
• The best time to introduce the crate for longer stays is at night when he is calm and sleepy. 

Remember!

Being locked up for longer hours will not teach your dog to become obedient and socialized. It’s still important to give him proper exercise and socialization with people and other pets. Give him proper attention and don’t limit his movements. Make sure to make it up whenever he lacks physical activities.

7 Tips for Initial Crate Training of a Spaniel Puppy 

1. The same can be done with a bone or a dog’s biscuit. Throw the bone at the back of the crate and let your puppy find it. Remember, the crate should only cause positive emotions. The first thing to do is to walk your dog. Then take off his collar to avoid awful accidents in his crate. Use toys to attract your dog, praise him with loving words and give him a treat when he enters inside. 
2. Make the crate training enjoyable by turning it into a game. Repeat exercise 10-20 times a day. Leave the door open at first. 
3. Do not leave your dog in the crate for an extended period of time. When your dog starts to enter his ‘lair’ without fear, try leaving him there for short periods of time. If, while in a crate, your dog is quiet and calm, praise him. If he barks or whines, ignore him (!) until he calms down and then praise him.
4. If your dog is making a lot of noise, try covering the crate with something like a blanket. Don’t ever get involved with him! At this stage, puppies are clingy. Whining or barking is not a sign that he doesn’t like the crate. He’s fine and just wants to be with you.
5. If your dog has been calm for quite some time, increase his training. Do not forget to praise him when he is calm, however, there should be more gaps this time. Don’t forget to walk your pup when you let him out of his crate. 
6. Once you close the crate door, try to spend some time close to your dog and talk to him about something to distract the uneasiness. If your puppy starts whining, distract him and let him smell his own fingers until he stops, then open the crate. Stay close to him. This training takes 5-10 minutes. 
7. If your puppy falls asleep during class, don’t wake him up. When he wakes up, don’t praise him, play with him, caress him, or pay any attention to him for a few minutes. Let him think he’s loved much more when he’s in a crate. And don’t let the puppy out of the crate until he’s been quiet for 30 seconds. 

3 Tips to Keep your Spaniel Puppy in a Crate over Night

1. Once your pup has learned the lessons above, it will now be easier to keep him in the crate at night. It’s important to tire him out, for example by playing or luring him to his crate. If he starts whining, put your hand, or slip your fingers inside and talk to him gently. Don’t get mad or yell at him.
2. As a rule, a tired two-month-old puppy can sleep for four hours. If he wakes up in the middle of the night demanding to be released to go potty, let him do it. Take your puppy to a place where he is allowed to do that. If you want to take him outside, dress first, and then open the crate. After he’s done, put him in the crate without playing, turn off the light and go back to bed. If he starts whining again, give him your palm and talk to him gently. 
3. It will take two or three nights to make him get used to this completely. In a week or two, try to leave the crate somewhere else in your apartment.

Final Tips to Leave a Spaniel Puppy in a Crate when You are out of Home

• Once you’ve done and mastered the training exercises above, it will be easier to make your dog stay in the crate when you leave home. Once you decide to leave him for a while, make sure that he’s tired and walked. 
• Do not use force. Don’t forget to take off the collar once you invite him inside his crate. 
• Close the crate and don’t talk about anything, just go and that’s it. But remember, do not leave him for more than 2 hours. If you’ll be out longer than that, make sure that you have someone to feed your puppy and walk him around in your absence. 
• If you’re consistent in training your dog, and you are firm in your demands, start to leave your puppy in the crate when you leave home or go to bed. You’ll eventually find your dog climb on his own. You will notice this happens when he’s sleepy, tired, or simply just wants to be alone. When you’re at home, just open the crate door.

It’s believed that the time your puppy can spend in the crate without going out can be calculated by the formula:

Age in months + one = number of hours. For example, a 2-month-old puppy can stay in a crate for 3 hours.

How to Crate Train a Grown-Up Spaniel?

If you’re going to crate train an adult dog, use the same technique for puppies. Make sure your dog walks safely into the crate after a toy or food without closing the doors. This is not difficult if you only feed him (!) in the crate.

After two or three days of training, encourage your dog to enter the crate without giving or showing anything. Praises, food, and toys should only be given when he enters the crate. 

Give him a couple more days, then put there by command when feeding or giving him toys. Sit next to the crate, don’t close the door. Gradually increase the training time. Then try to close the crate for one to two minutes. If he barks or whines, ignore him. Praise him if he’s quite. Make your dog realize that barking is not a way to open the door. 

It’s also important to let your dog know that you love him when he’s in the crate so when he leaves the crate – don’t mind him for a few minutes.

Continue doing this as you increase his stay inside. Avoid harsh words and violence. Be patient, as it takes a couple of months for an adult dog to stay in his crate. After that, it will be easier for you to crate train your dog at home or when traveling. 

Summary

Crate should be your Spaniel’s safe haven. Train him properly and make him realize that it is his own space. For hunting dogs like Spaniels, crate training is good also for traveling to keep them safe and secured, and to prevent disturbance to other people. Just remember that it takes a lot of patience, persistence, and consistency to fully train your Spaniel. After that, your dog will surely be happy and comfortable staying inside his crate.