Make sure your puppy's or dog's collar isn't on while she is in a crate as this could be extremely unsafe. Your dog might get her collar caught in the crate, causing a scary situation. And be sure the crate isn't ever in direct sunlight, or placed too close to a vent or radiator. Your puppy needs to be as comfortable as possible in his crate for effective training and safety.

1. Toys in the Crate: Placing toys in the crate to keep your puppy entertainedis a great approach to stop him from becoming bored or lonely. A Nylabone or additional chew toy can give him instant gratification.

2. Crating At Night: While you're sleeping, always crate your puppy. A puppy should not be given unsupervised access to your home when you are sleeping. You may be alarmed when you wake up with the destruction she has done. Another useful hint is to place a tarp underneath the crate. If your puppy has an accident inside the crate, it might leak onto your ground. This safeguards your flooring or carpeting in the future, or security deposit if you are in a rental situation.

3. Don't have any space for a crate? If you have literally no room to put a crate, you may then tether your pup to the bedpost or to an eye hook in the baseboard around your bed during the night. Give him sufficient lead to spin around and lie down. You don't want the lead to be too long where she may wander around your bedroom. If you're renting an apartment, make certain you get your landlords permission to screw an eye hook into the base-board. This will make your landlord feel good about renting to dog owners since most don't like dog owners as tenants. Additionally, lay cottony bedding on the floor if she is going to sleep restrained to your bed.

4. When Your Puppy Cries at Night: During the first few weeks, your puppy may not be able to sleep through the entire night. Many pups whimper in the night because they need to potty. When he does cry, remove him from his crate right away so he will do his business. Once he's finished, amuse him for a short while or so and place him back into the crate.

It's critical that your puppy learns that he's only being taken out of the crate during the night to relieve himself and not to play. If he doesn't stop whining after takinghim out and if you're positive isn't suffering from diarrhea, resist the temptation of letting him out to play with you. If you don't resist, you're developing a pattern in which the puppy can decide when he gets to come out and you'll regret it later. Kelly Marshall is an expert crate trainer & full time writer in the dog industry. You can see more of her articles at http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com - a great dog supplies shop specializing in dog throws