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Crate Training

Puppy Crate Training in Tampa, FL

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A young dog receiving puppy crate training in Tampa, FL from DTE.

Dog Training Elite

Puppy Crate Training in Tampa, FL

Crate training for puppies helps your dog develop a sense of security. Crates appeal to a dog’s natural instincts, offering them a safe, familiar area to relax and retreat when needed.

Crate training also plays a key role in housebreaking. 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.

At Dog Training Elite, we offer expert puppy crate training in Tampa, FL to help guide you through the process. Our trainers work with you to help your puppy become comfortable with their crate and use it as a positive training tool.

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Dog Training Elite in Tampa

Crate Training Tips

Crate training is a valuable tool when done correctly, but it's important to follow best practices to ensure your dog remains comfortable and secure. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of crate training.

Avoid leaving your dog in the crate for more than two hours at a time to prevent discomfort and ensure they don’t associate the crate with confinement.
If you’re away for long periods, consider leaving your puppy with a friend or in a safe area where they have more room to move.
Choose a crate that fits your puppy’s size, or use an adjustable crate to accommodate their growth and ensure ongoing comfort.
Leave the crate door open when possible so your dog can enter and exit freely, helping them feel more at ease with the space.
Add a soft bed, blankets, and toys to make the crate a cozy, inviting space your puppy will enjoy spending time in.
Never use the crate for punishment—this can create fear and negative associations with the crate instead of security.
A puppy looking up at its owner during crate training in Tampa, FL with DTE.

Why Should You Use Crate Training?

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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, 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 trained 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.

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.

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Two well-behaved puppies after training in their crates.

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Crate training helps puppies feel secure by providing them with a safe and comfortable space of their own. It also speeds up housebreaking, reduces accidents, and prepares your puppy for situations like vet visits or travel. When done right, crate training fosters a sense of security and builds healthy routines.

At Dog Training Elite in Tampa, we’re here to support you and your puppy throughout the crate training process. Contact us today for a free consultation and take the first step toward a well-trained and happy pup!

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Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Katelynn Chase
    Sep. 19, 2025
    Wonderful to work with! Helped us get our big boy certified as a therapy dog!
  • Denise Bocker
    Sep. 19, 2025
    Tonya and Zach have been great. They are so easy to work with and have been amazing with my puppy. Oakley has come so far at only 6.5 months old.
  • Laura Keller
    Sep. 19, 2025
    Amp is a success story! She started off scared of everything, we couldn’t even walk her past the neighbors house, and now she is a certified therapy dog! Tonya is amazing!! 10/10 would recommend!!
  • Red Hatter
    Sep. 10, 2025
    Tanya was great! Patient and so knowledgeable and was a great help in training my wild twin puppies. Now almost 6 months old. Always great suggestions and brought me small tools that assisted greatly in the training.
  • Lanette Strong
    Sep. 8, 2025
    When my son was diagnosed with diabetes in February, I did some research on training a dog to becoming service Dog and found DTE. Tonya came and assessed our two year-old goldendoodle and we discovered she was the perfect candidate to be a service dog. The tools she gave us helped build the foundation and with our at-home work, she took off running and loves to work! Tonya really knows her stuff! She took my mostly well-behaved goldendoodle and shaped her into the most vital member of our family. Now our girl is very consistent with her alerts and we are forever thankful to Tonya and DTE. 10/10 forever recommend!!!
  • ashley simpson
    Sep. 5, 2025
    Tonya and Zach taught me how to get my aggressively biting, barking, out of control chihuahua into a sweet friendly obedient boy! And soooo fast! He can come to work, go in public, have visitors in the house, and I don’t have to worry about people being in danger. I can even get him to stop barking with his pack at the door or fence! I didn’t think this was at all possible and am so very grateful for their patience and knowledge! Strongly recommend!
  • Nicole DiBlasi
    Aug. 13, 2025
    My 1 year old Lagotto Romagnolo pup just completed his three-week obedience and service dog training camp. When he was about 4 months, I had met with Dog Training Elite, amongst many other training facilities in order to do my due diligence and make sure it was the right fit. My biggest mistake in having my dog trained was not immediately signing up with Dog Training Elite after their first meeting with me! Luckily, I circled back with them a few months later to set up training, and it was the best investment I have made in my pup! Team: The team is absolutely wonderful, and I can tell they really value and care about my goals with my pup. They are not only there to train him, but to help him build his confidence in and out of public settings. Something that stood out to me about DTE is that having met with several other facilities, the DTE team treated my pup the way I like him to be treated. Some facilities told me that the cutesy talk with your dog is wrong, and cuddling and playing with the dog too much will make him think the owner is soft and not in control. At DTE, they were SO loving with my pup, and even have one of their employees as a "Chief Enrichment Officer" to play with the pups throughout the school day. I LOVED this about the team, and this is a lot of the reason I believe my pup would always wag his tail when we would pull up to training at the facility :) Oh, not to mention, they bought him toys during some of their public access days. Training: My dog is completely different after 3 weeks, and I mean that in the best way possible. One of my hesitations and worries in having my dog service dog trained was that he would be trined so well, that he would not act like the happy-go-lucky dog he is, and instead always be "on" and working and stoic. Not the case at all! He is just super obedient and respectful of boundaries, and when it is time to heel, and sit and place, he knows exactly what to do. He has more respect for me as his owner, and this training has actually STRENGTHENED our relationship, and so I could not be more grateful. After just 3 weeks of training, we walked around Home Depot together for about 25 minutes with him being off-leash. I would never have thought he would be doing that this soon after training! Facility: I was 90% sure after DTE came to my house for a consultation for the first time that I would want to sign up with them. I asked for a tour of their facility, and literally, I took a few steps inside, and knew that 90% would now be 100%. The first thing I noticed was the silence (no craziness of tons of dogs barking, which was common at other facilities). Next, there were about 6 dogs in the front room, all separated and back-tied on a leash to the wall and on their beds. They all looked at me like perfect little obedient students, and were not distracted by me or my dog at all. Everything is very clean and organized, and it is just a very bright and open facility. I felt very good about having my pup there for training. Cost: Worth every penny. I highly recommend the Dog Training Elite Suncoast team if you are thinking about getting your pup trained!
  • Christopher Glanzer
    Aug. 12, 2025
    We started working with Tonya at Dog Training Elite (Platinum Package) right from day one when we brought home our Doodle puppy named Theodore. Training a puppy (especially with 2 kids in the house) is not an easy task. Tonya was there every step of the way, reassuring and guiding us. She was always available if we had questions or concerns. At the beginning there were times when we felt overwhelmed and frustrated by the puppy energy and behaviors but with Tonya's guidance we stayed consistent and trusted in her process. After the first few puppy sessions we started to see a transformation unfold. Fast forward to today, at 6 months old Theo is a great canine companion. He is happy, obedient, engaged, well mannered. When we go for walks people often comment on how well behaved he is, and are even more surprised when I say he is only 6 months old! There are still some areas that need work, but overall we have seen a big change and are astonished at how far he has come under her close guidance. We continue to work with Tonya to build on the strong foundation. I would highly recommend Dog Training Elite as soon as possible to start the journey with your dog!
  • Jean Sheridan
    Aug. 8, 2025
    Our dog Toby has come so far in his training with Tonya in just 5 short weeks. We highly recommend Dog Training Elite!!
  • Kara Hosking
    Aug. 2, 2025
    Tonya and team are simply the best!! She gave me confidence to train our Dalmatian puppy into becoming a young controlled highly active dog. I have no fear with Elite team as my trainer. We love so much and are becoming platinum members. Home training for the family and group classes are the perfect combination!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ her training also helped Hampton be amazing with our cats!!!
  • Steve Harris
    Jul. 30, 2025
    Very impressed with Dog Training Elite… they sent Aaron to work with me and my 7 month old Doberman puppy. The strides Prince has made in his obedience is incredible… he quickly was able to pick up skills like recall, down, heel, place to name a few. We start group classes this weekend to continue his growth but I would highly recommend their services if you’re serious about advanced dog training.
  • Mohammad Harake
    Jun. 12, 2025
    Tonya and her Team at Dog Training Elite has been fantastic in her service task tracing with my dog. At first I was a little hesitant just because it’s a big investment into the unknown, but quickly realized how I could not have asked for a better trainer, I think very reasonably priced and helped me bond with my dog even stronger and be a better handler/servucs dog duo/team. Thank you!
  • Alisha Rand
    Jun. 11, 2025
    Aaron and Kim worked closely with my boxer puppy, Rocky. They helped me teach him important skills so that Rocky is obedient. I have seen amazing results through following their program, in home sessions, and group sessions. They are very firm and consistent and train you so that you can support your dog daily. Rocky learned the sit, down, and place commands within his first few months of training. I am most grateful for their support with teaching Rocky to heel, especially off leash. Rocky walks next to me consistently, even when off leash, when given the command. They are very skilled and knowledgeable about dog training and behavior. I am grateful to have chosen them to support me with his training!
  • Lana Heinen
    Jun. 11, 2025
    Changed our life!!!! Daisy is finally becoming the dog she was meant to be because of the amazing training and support we received from Tonya!
  • Brandi
    May. 13, 2025
    The owner Tonya and her crew are awesome! They are knowledgeable, patient, and fun to work with. Our Doberman (Ronin) loves working with them. Further, we are constantly improving along with Ronin. We strongly endorse Dog Training Elite Greater Tampa.
  • Olivia Meitzner
    May. 10, 2025
    Dog Training Elite Greater Tampa has completely exceeded my expectations! The one-on-one training sessions are outstanding-personalized, effective, and tailored to both you and your dog’s needs. I saw progress quickly, and the trainers are not only incredibly knowledgeable but also genuinely invested in your success. The group training classes are equally amazing. They provide a great opportunity for socialization and reinforcing skills in a more distracting environment, which really helps solidify the training. What truly sets them apart, though, is their ongoing support. Even outside of scheduled sessions, the team is always willing to answer questions and offer guidance. It’s clear that they care about you and your dog’s journey every step of the way. I have a very loving but very stubborn Corgi who I am now so so proud of thanks to this team! Highly recommend to anyone looking for lasting results and a team that truly stands behind their work!
  • Bhavna Kumar
    May. 4, 2025
    Highly recommend Elite Dog Training! They worked wonders with my dog. Teaching obedience skills, they were patient knowledgeable and compassionate - their approach is truly effective. My dog is now well-behaved and happy service dog. Thanks to their expertise. Five stars isn't enough - I'd give them ten stars if I could!
  • David David
    Mar. 29, 2025
    When i brought home my first Doberman I was working all the time and didn’t really do the training required to unlock all the potential of this breed. Jetta was a great family dog but this time I wanted to do things different. I contacted Dog Training Elite, talked to Tonya and purchased the Puppy Platinum Package. I knew if i was going to start using an E Collar I wanted it done professionally. Honestly, I was a little apprehensive about using the E Collar and it really takes some getting used to. I started training Kara as early as possible and Tonya ensured me that it would make our bond stronger and it did. Kara is a calm, confident girl and she goes everywhere with me and I mean everywhere. She knows when the collar comes out she is in for some off leash fun by the lake, beach, or going for a hike in the woods. We do a 5k and she is by my side (on leash). When we go to restaurants she is by my side. She is currently enrolled in Agility classes and the obedience classes made starting agility so much easier. With the Platinum Package i have unlimited training in the park every other Saturday and i always try to make it. We always learn something new, reinforce the basics, and I get to spend Saturday mornings with some really nice people.
  • Arthur Bochner
    Mar. 21, 2025
    Great team of dog trainers. Incorporate video illustrations to enhance training regiments. Very conscientious and good teachers. They have helped our precious little Dali become a better and more confident dog.
  • lucienne richard
    Mar. 17, 2025
    I needed help with my toy poodle he was always barking and trying to bite people. Now he loves people. Couldn't take him anywhere .now he loves to go to the park and every time we go to a class. We're always learning more if I have any questions.They always answer my question .I'm so glad I found them.I can't say enough about them. They are great.