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When introducing a new puppy to your home, crate training is one of the most important instructions for your pup. Though some dog owners initially question the idea of crate training, a crate gives you and your dog a sense of security when used properly. Read on to learn more about the benefits of enrolling in a crate training puppy program in Port Charlotte, as well as important tips to keep in mind throughout the training process.
Puppy training with Dog Training Elite of Southwest Florida gives you all the skills and tools you need to help make your new puppy a part of the family, without using shock collars. Contact us today!
What is Crate Training?
Crate training is the practice of teaching a puppy that a metal, plastic, or fabric-covered cage (crate) is their safe place. This taps into the natural denning instincts of dogs, and they will learn that the crate is their personal spot that they can retreat to whenever they desire.
In addition to offering dogs a sense of peace and territory, crate training significantly speeds up the house breaking process. Once a puppy learns that their crate is a safe place, or 'den', they will instinctively want to keep this area clean. During house breaking, keeping your puppy inside the crate dramatically reduces accidents. Keep eyes and ears open to your puppy's bathroom signals and quickly bring him or her outside. This will help your puppy learn that outside is the place to go, not inside.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite of Southwest Florida location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
Silver
$1,495
- In-Home Training SessionsOne-on-one & personalized 3 Sessions
- Come
- Heel (walk with you, loose leash no pulling)
- Sit(next to you & off leash at a distance)
- Place(go to bed)
- Quiet(stop excessive barking & whining)
- Off(furniture when desired)
Gold
$1,995
- In-Home Training SessionsOne-on-one & personalized 5 Sessions
- Group Park Training Sessions 12 Sessions
- Come
- Heel (walk with you, loose leash no pulling)
- Sit(next to you & off leash at a distance)
- Place(go to bed)
- Quiet(stop excessive barking & whining)
- Off(furniture when desired)
- Down(lay next to you & off leash at a distance)
- Load Up (go into kennel, car, or dog house)
- Manners, Safety & Boundaries
- Calm Anxiety & Build Confidence
- Housebreaking / Potty Training
- STOP Jumping on People
- STOP Mouthing & Nipping
- STOP Chewing & Digging
- STOP Begging & Stealing Food
- STOP Bolting Through Doors & Running Away
- STOP Chasing Animals, Cars & Bikes
- STOP Reactivity (dog & human)
Platinum
$2,995
OUR MOST POPULAR PACKAGE!
LIFETIME SUPPORT
Our platinum package offers you training sessions throughout your dog's lifetime! Follow-up sessions to be scheduled once per month as needed, after initial program is completed.
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In-Home Training SessionsOne-on-one & personalized
8 Sessions + Unlimited
*see above description - Group Park Training Sessions Unlimited Sessions
- Lifetime support via text/email and in-person support sessions *scheduled at trainer's discretion (no more than once per month, after completing initial program
- AKC Canine Good Citizen Testing
- Come
- Heel (walk with you, loose leash no pulling)
- Sit(next to you & off leash at a distance)
- Place(go to bed)
- Quiet(stop excessive barking & whining)
- Off(furniture when desired)
- Down(lay next to you & off leash at a distance)
- Load Up (go into kennel, car, or dog house)
- Manners, Safety & Boundaries
- Calm Anxiety & Build Confidence
- Housebreaking / Potty Training
- STOP Jumping on People
- STOP Mouthing & Nipping
- STOP Chewing & Digging
- STOP Begging & Stealing Food
- STOP Bolting Through Doors & Running Away
- STOP Chasing Animals, Cars & Bikes
- STOP Reactivity (dog & human)
- *Off-Leash Training
- *Emotional Support Dog Training(ESA)
- *Control Aggression(dog & human)
- *Calm Extreme Anxiety(behavioral modification)
- *Public Access Training/Service Dog Preparation
We help your dog become a valued companion and beloved member of the family. Read what our customers have to say and then give us a call!
Absolutely amazing company, they go well above and beyond to help you and your best friend. The care, understanding and love of their profession shines through. How very lucky we are to have them in our lives!!— Kathy Chappina
Posted October 21st 2024
I cannot say enough good things about Dog Training Elite! From start to finish, their team was professional, knowledgeable, and so patient with my dog. We signed up for the obedience training program, and the results have been amazing. My dog used to pull on the leash constantly, bark at the door, and never listened to basic commands, but now he’s walking calmly by my side, ignoring distractions, and following every instruction like a pro! The entire team provided support and guidance every step of the way, from in-home training through group class training. We always felt confident, thanks to their expertise. If you’re looking for dog training in Southwest Florida, look no further than Dog Training Elite! They’re truly the best. 🐾— Marcy Torsell
Posted October 18th 2024
Dog training Elite is the best! All trainers are local, knowledgeable, professional and super friendly!— Julie
Posted October 16th 2024
Dog Training Elite is a game changer in helping my highly distractable dog walk nicely on a leash and refrain from continually barking and growling at anyone and anything walking past my house. Learning commands and learning to place have completely changed his behavior in both of these areas. DTE has finally given me joy while walking my dog instead of anxiety. Thank you DTE!!— deana wallace
Posted October 16th 2024
The trainers at Dog Training Elite are so happy and friendly. It’s obvious that they love dogs, love their jobs, and love to have fun. It was great working with everyone.— Jill Jakub
Posted October 16th 2024
Dog Training Elite has been amazing with helping to transition my dog into a PTSD Anxiety service dog. Chris is a talented trainer with the dogs and with breaking down the steps for me to continue the training my dog has learned. My dog Chip gets compliments all the time for his behavior out in public especially when people learn he just turned 2. I highly recommend their services.— Cristy Estes
Posted October 5th 2024
Met with Denise to learn about the programs. Had our in home training with Chris. Chris showed and explained the training information perfectly. Marty caught on quickly and is a different dog. Thank you Chris for all you did. We appreciated your expertise. Great trainer thank you. I have recommended dog training elite to others. Great people Thank you. Brenda and Tom and Marty— Brenda Shea
Posted October 1st 2024
Chris was a great trainer and my one year old German Shepherd puppy has come a very long way to being well behaved after just five in-home sessions. She was pretty aggressive with him at first, but by the 5th session, she was showing him a lot of love. He has very good energy and he is a joy to work with. I'm really looking forward to my group training sessions in the local parks, because she still has some socialization skills to learn, and I know these group sessions will really help her with that. I'm so glad I called Dog Training Elite and I highly recommend them to anyone having behavior issues with their dogs.— Barefoot Gypsy
Posted September 21st 2024
We had a great time with Chris! Our dog loves him, and always responded positively to his training and guidance. Chris was energetic, engaging and had a lot of important insight for us to learn from. We hope to have a strong bond with our family pet and look forward to more enrichment with our pup in the future. This training program exceeded our expectations and was an excellent first time program for him!— Richelle Sterling
Posted September 24th 2024
Chris was amazing and very patient with us. Very recommended.— Lisandra Garcia
Posted July 26th 2024
Great company and great trainers. We saw a difference with Mia after the first in-home training. Myself and Mia are now able to enjoy walks together. I cannot say enough positive things about Chris. I'm so Happy for his patience with myself and how much Mia was able pick up. Looking forward to continuing this journey.— Amanda Taylor
Posted July 5th 2024
Chris Davila has been an excellent choice for my dog Mini Moo and myself. I can not thank dog training elite enough for helping me with my dogs training goals. I purchased the platinum package and I would 100% recommend it for anyone struggling with their dog. I'm three quarts of the way through my training and I have been able to go on enjoyable walks, morning coffee at outside cafés all accompanied by my best friend Mini Moo. Our relationship as evolved so well and I couldn't be happier. I want to thank all of the dog training elite staff especially Chris and Denise Yenchochic. If you have a dog please give these guys a call!— Chad Ferland
Posted May 25th 2024
Why Should You Use Crate Training?
In addition to offering dogs a sense of peace and territory, crate training significantly speeds up the house-breaking process. Once a puppy learns that their crate is a safe place, or 'den', they will instinctively want to keep this area clean. During house-breaking, keeping your puppy inside the crate dramatically reduces accidents. Keep eyes and ears open to your puppy's bathroom signals and quickly bring him or her outside. This will help your puppy learn that outside is the place to go, not inside.
Crate training can also improve other aspects of your pet's life. A dog that is used to a crate will feel more comfortable when traveling and have a safe place to retreat during thunderstorms or noisy guests. At Dog Training Elite of Southwest Florida, we believe that crate training can enhance the lives of both dog and owner when done properly.
Additional benefits of crate training include:
- General safety: Having your pup in their crate allows them to be alone while you are unable to watch them. Whether you are busy at home or out of the house, a crate training puppy can give you peace of mind that your pup is safe and secure.
- Effective evacuation: In emergencies, crate training can save your dog’s life as a quick, low-stress way to evacuate.
- Calmer vet visits: Should your pup be required to stay overnight at the vet’s, they will experience less stress and put up little resistance in their cage if they have been crate trained.
Is Crate Training Your Puppy Necessary?
While crate training is not necessary for housebreaking, it undoubtedly makes the process easier. Owners who choose to housebreak without the use of a crate will need more time and more patience when it comes to cleaning up accidents.
Crate training is also the safest option for keeping your puppy safe when unattended, protecting them during traveling, and limiting household damage with restless puppies.
When Should You Start Crate Training?
Crate training young, starting at about 8 weeks, is the best option for most pups and their owners. Keep in mind, though, that puppies under the age of 6 months should not be confined to their crate for more than three or four hours at a time. Allowing them to stay in the crate for too long will lead to a messy space, as young puppies are unable to control their bladders or bowels for extended periods. This also applies to adult dogs who are being housetrained.
Crate Training for Puppies
Tips From Dog Training Elite in Port Charlotte
- While crating is an important dog training process, your dog should not spend most of their time in a crate. We advise you to never leave your dog locked in the crate for more than two hours at a time.
- If you must be away from home all day, it's best to drop your dog off with a friend so the crate does not become overly dirty and your pup isn’t confined to a small space for too long.
- Crates come in different sizes, and some options can be adjusted as your dog grows to keep them comfortable.
- When possible, leave the crate door open so your dog feels free to come and go.
- Add a doggie bed, soft blankets, and plush toys so your puppy feels comfortable inside the crate.
- Never use crating as a punishment — this will only teach your dog to fear the crate.
Dog Training Elite of Southwest Florida includes tips and tricks for crate training in our puppy training programs. Our unique techniques based on the "Classical Conditioning" model (a.k.a. "Pavlovian" or "respondent conditioning") ensure our program is a success no matter how much crate training experience your pup has.
If you are searching for a crate training puppy program in your local area, contact us today.
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Our Balanced Theory
We base our training around the "Classical Conditioning" model (a.k.a. "Pavlovian" or "respondent conditioning"). This includes developing conditioned or automatic reflexes to commands. In its simplest form (after proper conditioning), when the owner says "sit," the dog automatically sits without thinking about it. Our unique techniques ensure our program is a success no matter what behavior we encounter.
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Empowering Owners
We empower Owners to train so their dog knows who to obey at all times. -
Personalized
We deal with problem behaviors on a personal basis. -
Environment Specific
We train wherever issues tend to arise (i.e. jogging, park, home).
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Supportive
We support Owners in the off-hours (when training is "not in session"). -
Involved
We work with all members of the household. -
Simplified & Customized
We plan training around the owner's schedule and require only 20 min/day follow-up practice.
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Continued Training
Additional programs / group sessions offered after in-home training. -
Lifetime Investment
We follow up & are invested in the owner's success long-term. -
Satisfaction Ratings
Our high client satisfaction rating sets us apart from competitors.