When I discuss the concept of crate training with pet dog owners they often look a little befuddled. I know exactly what they are thinking in most cases before they even open their mouths. Pet owners think of their dogs as family members, loved ones in some cases even our furry kids. Why would we want to put them in a crate?

There are many benefits to crate training a dog, especially if you have a puppy or a young dog and you are in the process of house training. I often ask people, especially those with small children, if they ever used the baby pens. “Of course they reply, I would have never had any peace or quiet”. Well a crate for a puppy is the same concept as a baby pen. You would never leave your baby or child unsupervised, free to wander the rooms of your house where they could injure themselves. Puppies, like small children need a place they can go when you are not available to watch every move they make, a safe place where they can hear, see and smell you without being underfoot. A crate is a safe, quiet place your dog can go when they want peace and quiet, to snooze or just to withdraw into their own sanctuary. I have never met a dog that does not enjoy their crate if the crate is introduced into their world correctly.

There are many benefits of crate training your dog not just for housebreaking but also to prevent destructive behaviors such as chewing, counter surfing and trash exploring, especially while you are away. When a pet is injured or sick a crate is an ideal location for them to rest and, should you ever need to evacuate your dog you will be grateful if you can safely contain your dog on a long journey, in a shelter or in compliance with a hotel’s pet policy.
Contrary to what many may think, a crate is not a tool for punishment, or a long term confinement tool. With training, an adult dog can remain in a crate for up to 8 hours but will need plentiful amounts of exercise before and after crating and an assortment of toys for mental stimulation during its time in the crate.

There are many different sizes, models and varieties of crates. The more durable crates designed for airline travel, in my opinion, do not make the best crate for home use as they tend to be bulky and restrict the dog’s view of their environment. For my dogs, I use the canvas/mesh style of crates for their daily use and that is where they often disappear to be alone while we read or watch television. This design provides for shaded visibility, they fold easily, are durable and can be moved or stored with little problem. Many pet stores provide the metal wire crates that collapse and can be easily moved around the house. These are good crates for large dogs and dogs that may chew. They also come with accessories such as water bowls, fans to keep your pooch cool, and fabric covers to blend them into your home décor.

To start the crate training process make going into the crate a game. Dogs should be encouraged, not forced, into their crates. To generate interest feed them in the crate with the door left open, throw in the odd treat or toy and within a short period of time you will find them happily exploring the inside of their new place delighted to find a surprise. As time goes by gently close the door giving them treats for staying quietly inside, progress on to actually fastening the door and then extend the period of time you leave them in their crate. Remember, offer treats and toys to go in and do not let them out if they are barking or pawing at the door. You want to let them out when they are calm and quiet or they will learn very quickly that if they bark or paw the door opens. If you work on this and make it a fun happy place for your dog you will soon find them choosing to snooze in their crate as happy as can be.

Particular Breeding Characteristics for a German Shepherd Rottweiler Mix Pup 
 
A main characteristic that a new owner for this breed of puppy will notice is when they take it home. The one thing that a Germany Shepherd Rottweiler mix pup has a strong desire to learn when brought home is, please as much as is possible. German Shepherd dogs have been utilized as working dogs for countless generations. No matter if German Shepherd Rottweiler mix pups are used to bring down criminals or as sniffing dogs for border patrol services, these mixed breed pups do adapt loyally. The wish of German Shepherd’s is that they do intend to, please clearly much. This is one of the most endearing of their many admirable traits. When this is combined with Rottweiler’s dynamic structure that is particularly powerful and their overall determination, an owner ends up with a special kind of dog that is thoroughly faithful in every sense of the word and totally focused. This is one of the reasons why the German Shepherd Rottweiler mix puppy is extremely popular amid the mix breeds. 
 
A highly identifying breeding quality in a German Shepherd Rottweiler mix pup is their unique leg design which is supremely powerful indeed. They not only have haunches that are unusually tough but also paw force that is actually excellent in description, and when this is combined with the agility and speed of the German Shepherd breed with the power that is extremely brute force of the Rottweiler. It does happen to be a combination that is particularly proficient. This special kind of diversity does make these perfect dogs a successful addition to any family that is active and on the go all the time. It does not matter if a person likes to hike or maybe even run a trail, being able to have a German Shepherd Rottweiler mix dog go along for fun is what does indeed produce the material that canine companion adventures are simply made of for wonderful memories. 
 
Some Tips on Training For German Shepherd Mix Pups 
 
Without a doubt, one of the most prominent of training tips that need to be put into place directly to set up an owner’s role as head of the group (pack leader) is establishing that position with the dog at once. Both the German Shepherd and the Rottweiler breed are notorious for being dogs that are most dominant in nature. When these two breeds come together, the mix pups do often come out with a superiority complex that is predetermined for them. Any dog’s natural tendency is to want to protect their leader and loved ones. However, steps must be laid down early on, when the puppy comes home to get the right chain of command started for them. When a puppy of this dual linage is trained at a remarkably early age that their owner is head of the household, the chances of encountering any behavioral difficulties from them in the future do decrease in the number. 
 
One other thing that requires training and that are to know that these dogs do have a natural want to dig. This kind of trait is exceptionally strong in pups that do have German Shepherd heritage that is particularly strong in them. Clear rules for not digging must be made clear to these puppies at an early age, they can be taught to dig where it is appropriate for them to dig and not anywhere else that is not allowed. 
 
It is only by becoming strongly aware of the characteristic traits of a German Rottweilder mix pup before adding any of them to a household, that an individual can be prepared ahead of time for any kind of possible challenges that can arise. Knowing these traits specifically assists in applying training practices long before any of the character traits do become real issues. Most importantly, do make sure that your mix pup does get lots of exercise each day. A dog that is extremely physically active is on average a dog that is happy mentally on all fronts. After all, happy dogs in every degree, do end up making for dog owners that are also real happy!

There are many type of dog training and many objectives, from basic obedience training to specialized areas including police dog, search and rescue, assistance to people with disabilities and entertainment.

Basic Obedience
This is the fundamental type of training in dogs and all dogs must have some form of obedience training. Basic obedience training makes life simple to your dog and eliminates confusion. Your dog will know his place in the world and understand right from wrong. Dogs seem to really appreciate and thrive on this black and white view of the world.

Entertainment
This form of training capitalizes on tricks to please an audience. They are excellent in resisting distractions coming from various people and even the environment. Some of the tricks being taught are standing, heeling, and moving objects. Training dog for show is hard work, but a lot of fun.

Police Dog
Police dogs were first used in 1899 by the Belgian police force. They serve and protect our communities’ daily, performing skills like protection, narcotics locating, and tracking criminal or missing persons. It takes special dogs and very special trainers to create productive policing teams. This is achieved through intensive and careful training.

Assistance to People with Disabilities
Many people who are blind, handicapped, or those with medical conditions take on the task of training their own assistance dogs. For some, this is the best option, because the dog can be trained to mitigate a disability specific to that particular person. Assistance dog training is quite expensive especially if one prefers a professionally trained and certified pet. One may also opt to take on the task of training them though.

Search and Rescue
A search and rescue dog is trained to locate that scent and help their handlers find people who are lost or missing. With great senses of smell, these types of dog find missing people through air scenting. This simply means tracking down people through their smell by sniffing through the air. Ground smelling may also be used.

Please also check out our other guide on Dog Agility Courses and Dog Agility Jumps.