Bench training benefits
Bench training can be an efficient and effective way to housetrain your puppy. Puppies don’t like to get their resting place dirty. Temporarily limiting the puppy’s access to a small area greatly inhibits the tendency to pee and defecate all over the place. However, there is an even more important aspect to crate training. If your puppy won’t urinate while locked up, he will have to as soon as he is out for a walk, that is, your puppy will learn to urinate when you are there and know that he will be rewarded.
Make sure you know the difference between temporary area restriction and long-term confinement of your pup. The main purpose of area restriction when you are away from home is to limit errors to a small protected area. The purpose of bench training is exactly the opposite. Short term confinement is designed to inhibit your pup from urinating when confined so that he will want to urinate as soon as he is taken out or taken to an appropriate area. Bench training also helps your pup learn to have bladder and bowel control. Instead of going when he feels like it, he learns to hold it back and go at appropriate set times.
Prevent abuse of the crate
The dog crate is not intended as a place to lock up your puppy. If your puppy pees in the crate because you left it too long, the training will take weeks or even months longer. The puppy should only be confined to the dog crate when you are home with the exception of overnight. Give your pup a chance to relieve himself every hour. Every time you take him out, line him up and take him outside immediately. Once outside, give the puppy about three to five minutes to urinate.
If your puppy clears his needs within the allotted time, simply return him to his crate. If he does relieve himself, immediately reward him with praise or treats and affection, play or an extended walk or run around your house for a few hours. For a young puppy, after 30-45 minutes you take him back to his toilet room. Never give your pup the chance to run around the house unless you know for sure that his bowels and bladder are empty.
Diary
During this crate training it is helpful to keep a diary of when the puppy goes to the bathroom. If you feed him at regular intervals, he should be able to quickly establish a corresponding needs schedule. Once you know what time of day he needs to urinate or defecate, you can start taking him out at those times instead of every hour. After the need is done, he can run and play around the house freely but accompanied.
About an hour before he needs to go to the bathroom according to the schedule, put him in his box. This will prevent him from doing his business earlier than you planned. With consistency and an abundance of rewards and praise for urinating and defecating outside, he will become more reliable in holding his need until it is time. Thus, the time that you restrict his area access can be reduced and eventually eliminated altogether.
If done correctly, crate training can be a safe place for your dog or puppy. Many dog owners have even said that their dog keeps coming back to his crate even after the training is complete. When choosing a crate, you should therefore make sure that it suits your dog in terms of space and mobility.
