Step 3: Conditioning Your Dog to the Crate for Longer Time Periods -- After your dog is eating his regular meals in the crate with no indication of fear or anxiety, the next step is to begin crating your dog for short periods of time while you are home with him. In fact, crate training is best accomplished while you are in the room with your dog. Call him over to the crate and give him a treat. Give your puppy a command to enter such as "kennel up" and encourage him by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise him, reward him with the treat, and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to ten minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time, then let him out of the crate.

Repeat this process several times a day. With every repetition, gradually increase the length of time you leave your puppy or dog in the crate and the length of time you remain out of sight. As soon as he has accepted the crate and you are confident that he will remain quiet when closed in, you can safely leave your dog home alone. Make sure to leave a chew toy or a safe bone so that your puppy or dog can entertain himself while you are gone. Also remove his collar to prevent it from get caught or stuck on anything. You may want your first outing to be brief (1/2 to 1 hour), thus reassuring your dog that you have indeed come back for him.

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