Crate Training

Here at Colonial Village Labradoodles, we encourage crate training your puppy.  Crate training is necessary for safety, damage prevention, housetraining and travelling. Our trainers at Fieldgate Farm have broken crate training down into 3 simple steps for you!

1. Selecting a Crate- Trying to find the perfect crate for your Australian Labradoodle can feel impossible, but it doesn’t have to be! We recommend using a plastic crate for your puppy. They are easy to clean, and feel safer than a wire kennel due to their solid walls! Your puppies’ crate only needs to be big enough for it to walk in, turn around, and lay down! Any bigger, and your puppy will use the extra space for naughtiness! Only put a small bed/blanket/towel in the crate, or leave it empty! If your puppy gets bored overnight, they may decide to tear up any toys or stuffed animals left in with them. Not only is this inconvenient to clean up, it can also lead to serious health issues, like bowel obstructions. 

2. Make it Happy!- Most dogs love their crates as adults! They become safe, happy places for them. Unfortunately, puppies tend to feel differently at first! Give them treats!  When first introducing a new puppy to its crate, we like to toss handfuls of kibble in the crate. That way, the puppy gets a nice snack when it is in the crate and will want to go in again and again. The crate is also a perfect place for a puppy to chew on a bone or Kong! Be sure to also make the crate a quiet space. The crate should be a calm place for your puppy to hang out. Your crate should be in a more private area of the house, like a laundry room or breezeway. We also recommend covering the crate with a blanket or towel and playing white noise or soft music for them! 

3. Keep a Consistent Schedule- The most important part of crate training your puppy is the schedule! Keeping your puppy on a consistent schedule will help with potty training and crate training immensely! 

Multi-generational Australian Labradoodles are a cross between many different parent breeds. The breed originated in Australia in the 1980s with the intent of creating an allergy-friendly service dog for the blind. Australian Labradoodles are a combination of a Poodle, Labrador Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, American Cocker Spaniel, and Irish Water dogs. These breeds were hand-selected for specific breed qualities to create the ideal service dog for those with allergies. Since then, the breed has continued on and spread across the world. Australian Labradoodles are now considered their own breed with its own breed clubs (ALAA and WALA).