Maltipoos are a popular small toy breed, and for many good reasons! They’re playful, fluffy, oh so cute, have an affectionate nature, and make great pets. But like all dogs, large or small, a toy breed will need to be adequately trained to ensure that they behave well and don’t cause any trouble.
Consistency and patience are an important part of Maltipoo crate training, and in this guide, we will teach you everything you need to know about it!
Benefits of Crate Training
Crate training is a great way to train your Maltipoo and provide them with a safe place to stay when they’re not supervised. It also has many benefits, such as:
- Potty training: Crate training can help your Maltipoo learn to hold their bladder for longer periods, which is helpful to house train them.
- Separation anxiety: If your Maltipoo suffers from separation anxiety, crate training can help them feel more comfortable when away from you or leaving for a while. Providing them with mental stimulation will help occupy them while in the crate.
- Chewing: Crate training can also help prevent your Maltipoo from chewing on furniture or other household items, preventing destructive behavior and extended periods left alone during the crate training process.
Crate training can be a beneficial tool in training your Maltipoo. It has many benefits, such as potty training, separation anxiety, and reducing chewing. By following the tips in this guide, you can help your Maltipoo learn to love their crate, house trains them, and use it for safety and comfort.
How Can I Crate Train my Maltipoo?
Now that we’ve gone over some benefits of crate training let’s talk about how to do it.
Choose The Correct Crate:
Crate Size
The first step is to choose the correct crate size for your Maltipoo. It’s important to make sure you have a properly sized crate big enough to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably, but not a huge crate where they can use one end as a potty area.
Crate Type
A wire crate is an excellent type of crate, and most of them are collapsible crates for easy storage and moving around. Even those considered huge crates are easy to move around and fold for storage. Soft-sided crates are suitable crates for travel purposes.
However, it’s not the easiest to clean if they’re having accidents. You’ll want to judge the best type of crate throughout your training and adjust accordingly.
Crate Pads, Dividers Etc
If your dog still has potty accidents in the crate size you have over extended periods, it may be a good idea to add potty pads to the mix and ensure you’re using an enzymatic cleaner to clean the crate.
Having this in your arsenal is very important, as it will get rid of any scent lingering from former accidents and prevent them from seeking it out as a perfect spot to potty. Another great option is a crate with dividers. This will restrict their space as a puppy and have room to grow as they do.
Crate Training Process
Have Your Maltipoo Familiarize Itself With Its Crate
Once you’ve chosen the right crate size, the next step is to familiarize your Maltipoo with it. You’ll want to put the crate in a room where they spend a lot of time, such as the living room or kitchen, and place some toys and treats inside it.
Keep the crate open during the day so they can come and go as they please, only using a closed crate for times when you won’t be there to supervise. Never use a crate as punishment!
Associate Crate With Positive Things
Your Maltipoo must associate the crate with positive things, so give them lots of praise and treats when they go in it. Some toys provide mental stimulation you can give them and keep a consistent crate schedule. Make sure you’re also providing fresh water throughout the day while in their crate.
Create A Training Schedule
A great way to keep a good crate schedule regarding fresh water is to pick up the water around 7-8 pm, take them out for a potty break, and then crate if you’re going to crate at night.
- If you want to crate at night, be aware you may need to take them out for several bathroom breaks until they can hold it all night. These extended periods will help them learn potty training skills and prevent destructive behavior, as they won’t be supervised.
- When you’re starting, you’ll want to put your Maltipoo in the crate for short periods of time, such as 30 minutes to an hour, gradually increasing the time they spend in the crate until they’re comfortable being in there for a few hours at a time. If you crate at night, this will help with the crate training process.
- You can achieve stretching out the time they’re in there by small increments by leaving for 5-10 minutes at first and expanding time over the course of Maltipoo crate training. Just make sure you figure out your dog’s triggers, like picking up keys, putting on shoes, or doing any routine activity before leaving, as it may make them anxious.
How Long Will Crate Training Take?
Crate training is a process that takes time and patience. It’s important to be consistent with your Maltipoo and never give up. Give them plenty of bathroom breaks, even if it seems like they’re not making any progress. In most cases, crate training will take several weeks to a few months, but every Maltipoo is different, so it’s important to go at their own pace.
Sometimes smaller dogs can be harder to train than larger ones as they’re small enough to sneak away and potty where they shouldn’t. Being consistent with your training and taking measures to ensure they’re within your sight will go a long way in the training process.
One way to do this is to regularly take a long leash and have them attached to your hip. Don’t let them have free rein in the entire house. This will help keep them nearby so you can look out for any signs of needing to go potty. A classic sign of them needing to go is when they sniff around for a spot to use, and paying attention can help you properly house train them.
Final Thoughts!
Crate training is an important part of Maltipoo training, and in this guide, we have taught you everything you need to know about it. Crate training has many benefits, such as potty training, preventing chewing, and reducing separation anxiety. It is an important tool to have in your Maltipoo parenting arsenal, and with a little patience and consistency, you can take Maltipoo crate training to the next level!
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