Crate training is a tool you can use to help your English bulldog become a good canine citizen. Aside from giving him somewhere to retreat to that is uniquely his, crate training--which uses your dog's natural den instincts--makes travel less stressful for both you and your dog, and helps to avoid accidents and destructive behavior. Crate training must be done intelligently and humanely. The crate shouldn't be used for punishment, and should never be used to merely contain or warehouse your English bulldog for long periods of time--this can lead to anxiety, depression and behavioral problems.
Instructions
1. Select an appropriately sized, sturdy crate for your English bulldog. A crate that is too large may not give him the snug feeling of security he craves, while a crate that is too small will be uncomfortable. A good rule of thumb is that the crate be just big enough for your dog to turn around in.
2. Put a soft blanket and a toy in the crate, and remove the door, if practical. If you can't remove the door, secure it well--if it suddenly swings open or shut and startles your dog, his acceptance of the crate will be greatly delayed.
3. Crouch near the crate and talk encouragingly to your English bulldog. Some dogs will walk right up to the crate and enter it, sniffing curiously. If he doesn't come right over to investigate, drop a trail of treats outside the crate, leading to a spot just inside the door. For some dogs, it takes several days before they will even come near the crate. Never force your dog to approach the crate. It should always be associated with a pleasant reward, not a sense of coercion or stress.
4. Begin feeding your English bulldog his regular meals near the crate; after a few meals like this, move the food dish into the crate. If he goes in to eat, keep moving the dish further to the back of the crate with each successive meal. If he is still tentative, begin placing the dish just inside the door of the crate.
5. Replace the door, and shut it quietly as your dog is eating inside the crate. Open the door the minute he is finished eating.
6. Repeat the act of shutting the door as he is eating, leaving the door shut for longer intervals each time. If he whines or cries, resolve to make it a shorter period of confinement next time, but do not let him out when he is crying, or he will
effectively have trained you. Wait until a moment when he is not whining or crying to release him.
7. Call your English bulldog to the crate using a happy tone. Show him a favorite treat, and give the command "crate." Gesture with the treat. As he dog enters, praise him, give him the treat, and calmly close the door.
8. Sit quietly near the crate, then leave for a few moments. Return, sit again for a few minutes and let your dog out. If he whines in the crate, ignore him, unless you have reason to believe that he is asking to go outside to relieve himself. If so, take him out promptly, encourage him to eliminate, praise him and put him back. If he continues whining after that, ignore him.
9. Start crating your dog when you leave the house for short periods, but not until he has shown he can stay 30 minutes in his crate without fuss. Do not make a big drama over your return; keep things low-key. A few minutes after returning, you can quietly praise him and let him out.
10. Continue to make crating intervals progressively longer, but never exceed five hours; if your English bulldog is still a puppy, he should not be crated for longer than three. Although dogs don't like to soil their dens, they will if they have to--one incident like this can set up a bad habit of eliminating in the crate, not to mention being very stressful for your dog.
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