Crate Training
Some people are under the misconception that putting a dog in a crate is cruel; on the contrary dogs are den animals and like to have a secluded place to call their own.
The crate should be large enough for your puppy to stand up and turn around. If
you only want to buy one crate that will be large enough for a full grown
Chessie, there are some that come with a divider that you can remove as the
puppy grows.
Do not put food or water bowl in the crate while you are doing the initial
training as this will encourage your puppy to relieve itself in the crate
because puppies generally need to relieve themselves shortly after eating and
drinking. As a rule dogs will not relieve themselves where they sleep.
Do not leave your dog in the crate for extended periods of time. Puppies do not
have any control over their bladder until about 12 weeks and then they can only
hold it on average for about one hour per every month of age.
Make sure to take its collar off while in the crate as it could get caught on
the bars and may cause choking or strangulation. Never use the crate as a form
of punishment. Place the crate in an area where your family is so the puppy
does not feel secluded from his pack. Do not allow children to put their
fingers or objects through the bars while your dog is in the crate. You will
find the crate to be very useful when you cannot keep a close eye on your
puppy, housebreaking and for traveling.