I've had 2 dogs, and neither one would use a kennel.

How does one properly kennel train a puppy?

Start very young, and always make the kennel a positive experience.

My Aussies are very food oriented. I don't know if they have ever had any kennel training (both rescues). I just entice them into the kennel with treats, they go willingly. They are very excited when we come back but no worse for the wear. Sometimes they have extra energy to burn off but are seldom destructive.

Perhaps unusual response, "how do you feed your dog?" Regular time, once or twice each day or are they grazers with a bowl left out for nibbling? You are their alpha and they should respect you as such. The Kennel Up shouldn't necessarily mean their crate but also any location you point to and direct them to stay at. I have raised several dogs, including rescue animals, and encourage you to take a quality training course as much for you as for your dog. The sooner the better but an old dog can and will learn new tricks. Patience, positivity and consistency ...repeat.
Dogs will keep track of how many times you attempt to get them to do something new. If you walk away without them completing the new skill, no matter how poorly they do it (practice makes perfect), they "win". It has been my experience that it all begins with who is in charge (not physically either), starting early and associate all training with fun and positive experiences. Exactly what barracuda said only a little wordier.

Drought, nice looking Aussies, I have a little one too.

Well, I am the Alpha. My dogs have been the betas, and the rest of the family somewhere around omega.

Our current lap dog comes when I call, but has a problem with big dogs and the UPS truck, then all bets are off. My wife gets upset that he will igronre her commands and I just snap my finger (literally) and he obeys. I tell her, "He loves you, but her respects me." That said, his demeaner is about what one expects from a lap dog.

More practical question... When do you start? I've always started early... And failed. I suspect it is the first night of pitiful whining that does me in as the wife always gives in, pulls the puppy in bed and it's all over.

My sister's dog will say goodbye at the door, walk to his open kennel and lay there most of the day, then come out of the kennel to greet you when you come home. Of course her ex is the one who trained him... So no help there.

This is my first question because I think it is where I have to start right if I'm gonna have a good canoe dog.

Here's my .02. I picked up my pup when he was 16 weeks old. The breeder, who also trains, told me he had already started him in the crate. It turned out he was already fully housebroken, and would willingly go in the crate when I put him in. I believe my breeder starts each puppy alone in a crate several times a day, even for a few minutes, so they get use to it early which made my life easier. Within days, he learned to go in on his own on the command "kennel".

I agree with making it a positive place, but imho, I also think it best to use a degree of emotionless detachment as things go on. This means dialing back he degree of reward as progress is made in order to get to a state of "this is just how it is". It also means resisting the urge to express sympathy about him going in the kennel - don't treat it like jail and don't negotiate with him. This extends to family members, and applies to how they come out of the kennel. Don't reward pawing or whining by letting them out. I made my dog sit and if he jumped I stopped Unlatching the crate and moved back. I also made him stay once the door was open - which was hard- until I called him out (a few second), but this helps build a great foundation for control.

My process has always been similar to Jaywalker.

The breeder started the process and I finished it. So when i got the dog at 12 weeks it has already been in a kennel by itself a few nights.

The big thing is don't give in to the whinning ever. Giving in to it helps them connect whining with getting what they want. They whine, you cave, they win. They'll remember that and they'll learn to whine a lot more. Only let the dog out when its quiet.

Make sure you have the kennel set up as a happy place. Its never a place you send the dog for punishment or right after you correct them. Then they connect the kennel to negative things.

Also when you put the dog in the first few times and its upset don't try to comfort or reassure the dog. They know your tone of voice and they know they are only reassured when things are bad. You never reassure the dog when everything is going well so don't do it when they are in the kennel which is a good thing.

To help establish the kennel as a good place try feeding them in the kennel. Either put the bowl in there or dump the food in the crate.

Make sure you connect the command kennel up with them walking in so they know what the command means.

Once you get over the initial hurdle of ignoring the whining then its usually not real hard to do.

Getting closer!

Will soon move from small townhouse to large lot, with invisible fence existing.

Selecting a breed is the next big problem.