We have a new 8-week-old Boxer puppy we brought home yesterday. We are crate training her and most of what we are reading says to feed the pup in the crate but it seems like it says that is to get them use to the crate.
If the puppy is already very comfortable in the crate (takes naps, goes in to chill, slept there last night) should we still feed her in the crate?
Is there another reason for feeding in the crate other than getting a pup comfortable with the crate? Thx!
The primary reason for crate feeding is to encourage positive associations with the crate, but it also can help with providing additional structure and security for the dog. It's a safe place where the dog won't feel threatened that someone else might take their food. This removes the desire to be food-possessive. It provides structure in consistency. The dog learns that this is where it is fed every time. It allows you to move the feeding location just by moving the crate, and the dog knows, even when traveling, where it will be fed.
Besides crate feeding, I like to use feeding time as obedience time. I use the kibble as a low-value reward rather than free-feeding. It works well to teach the dog to work for what they want, and provides a consistent time for training.
