Since a dog will generally not go to the bathroom in the crate once she accepts it as her own, it provides a valuable technique for housebreaking. Just remember to take her outside to go to the bathroom before putting her in the crate, and immediately after taking her out of the crate. Always take along treats so that you can reward her immediately for going to the bathroom where she is supposed to go. At night, removing water after 7-8 pm will allow your puppy to be more comfortable until morning without a mishap. If your schedule requires that the puppy be alone for a longer period of time, place the crate in a small area such as a bathroom, with the door to the crate open and newspapers on the bathroom floor.
Baby gates work well to block smaller dogs into the bathroom.
For the adult dog, as long as the crate training has been pleasant, normal absences, such as those for work, can be managed in the crate. This page is not reproducible without written permission. All rights reserved. This page and the information on them are not for public distribution and not in public domain. Use of or copying of the information or graphics is denied.