New pet parents often have a lot of questions when it comes to crate training their dogs. It\u2019s important for a lot of reasons. A crate can keep your dog safe while you\u2019re away, reduce destructive behaviors, and help with housetraining, among other things.<\/p>\n
Some people worry that crate confinement is cruel. However, if you do it right, your dog won\u2019t see it that way at all. Their crate can be a cozy den where they retreat from household chaos or just relax. It\u2019s like their own personal bedroom.<\/p>\n
And once they\u2019re housetrained, your dog will have the run of the house as well as a nice little den of their own. Just remember to leave the door open for them.<\/p>\n
Crates make particularly good tools for two important training tasks: housetraining, and reducing both boredom and separation anxiety.<\/p>\n
Crates make housetraining easier. Because dogs don\u2019t like to pee or poop where they sleep and eat, they\u2019ll likely feel more motivated to hold it when they\u2019re in their crate.<\/p>\n
Pop your dog in their crate whenever you\u2019re not with them, and they won\u2019t have any accidents around the house. This prevents a bad habit from forming.<\/p>\n
Take them out for bathroom breaks regularly, and they\u2019re more likely to eliminate outdoors. This helps them learn good habits.<\/p>\n
Crates also help prevent boredom and separation anxiety.<\/p>\n
If you stock their crate with toys, especially chew toys stuffed with a few treats or xylitol-free peanut butter, they\u2019ll learn two more good habits: chewing on their toys rather than your favorite shoes, and settling down to entertain themselves when you\u2019re not around.<\/p>\n
If your dog\u2019s crate is too big, they may feel that they can eliminate at one end and still keep their living area clean. If it\u2019s too small, they\u2019ll feel cramped.<\/p>\n
The ideal crate size is just big enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. It should be just long enough so that their nose and rear end don\u2019t touch each end of the crate.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve got a puppy but don\u2019t want to buy new crates as they grow, you can block off part of an adult-sized crate to keep them on one side of it. Some crates come with dividers just for this purpose.<\/p>\n
Most crates are made of either collapsible wire or solid plastic, each of which has its pros and cons.<\/p>\n
Wire crates let your dog keep an eye on what\u2019s going on around them. They\u2019re good for a dog who\u2019s prone to feeling lonely, and they\u2019re usually cheaper.<\/p>\n
Solid plastic crates can do double duty on plane or car trips, and they have a more den-like atmosphere, which an easily overstimulated dog may prefer. However, you can make a wire crate cozier by draping a blanket over the top and sides, leaving the door uncovered.<\/p>\n
Lining the crate with bedding makes it cozier, but some dogs may see the bedding as toilet or chewing material. If that happens, remove the bedding for a while. Never line the crate with shredded newspaper \u2014 it\u2019s too tempting for your dog to use it as a toilet.<\/p>\n
Bumper pads for the sides, like those you\u2019d use for a baby\u2019s crib, can make the crate more comfortable and prevent trapped paws, tooth damage from gnawing on metal, snagged collars, and other injuries.<\/p>\n
A hot water bottle wrapped in a towel at night can comfort a new puppy, replacing the warmth of sleeping with littermates.<\/p>\n
Finally, if the crate slides around on the floor, put a towel underneath it to give it more grip.<\/p>\n
Put the crate somewhere that gets a lot of foot traffic \u2014 perhaps the kitchen or family room \u2014 to keep your dog from feeling isolated. This will help acclimate them to the noise and bustle of your household.<\/p>\n
You can also get a portable crate that you take with you as you move around the house.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve got a puppy, it\u2019s fairly easy to teach them that the crate is a happy place.<\/p>\n
Usually, all it takes is stuffing a chew toy with treats. Let your pup sniff it, and put it in the crate. Your puppy will most likely follow.<\/p>\n
Or put a few snacks just outside the door, then just inside, then all the way in the back of the crate, and your pup will follow the treat trail right in.<\/p>\n
Teach them to associate the crate with good things, like treats. Allow them to explore the crate with the door open while you\u2019re there to supervise. Do not use the crate as a punishment, or else your puppy may learn to fear the crate.<\/p>\n
Adult dogs who\u2019ve never been crate trained need more time and effort to get used to their new den.<\/p>\n
As soon as you bring your dog home, feed them all their meals inside the crate. If they won\u2019t go all the way in, put the bowl just inside, so they\u2019ll at least poke their head in. At the next meal, you can put the bowl a little further inside the crate; the next meal even further, and so on.<\/p>\n
In addition, give your dog chew toys and chew bones only when they\u2019re in their crate.<\/p>\n
Practice going in and out of the crate. Tell your dog in a cheerful tone of voice, \u201cGo to your crate,\u201d and toss a treat inside. Leave the door open, and let them fetch the treat.<\/p>\n
Do this a few times, and once they\u2019re happily going in and out, close the door with them inside for a minute or two. As long as they\u2019re resting inside calmly, praise them and offer an occasional treat.<\/p>\n
Gradually lengthen the amount of time your dog spends in the crate with the door closed, but stay in the room. Then begin to leave the room for short periods, which you can slowly stretch out.<\/p>\n
This process can take several days. Go slowly and proceed to the next step only if your dog seems happy being in the crate.<\/p>\n
To keep your dog feeling positive about spending time in their crate, don\u2019t ever put them in it as a punishment, and give them plenty of breaks for bathroom trips, walks, and time to play and bond with you.<\/p>\n
A crate is a training tool, not a place to stick your dog and forget about them. If a dog spends your entire workday in their crate and sleeps there at night, they\u2019re spending too much time confined to a small space.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s common for dogs to protest when they\u2019re getting used to the crate. Usually, they just want out, in which case you should ignore them. Otherwise, you\u2019re teaching your dog that whining will get them what they want.<\/p>\n
Wait until your dog quiets down before letting them out, and then try again later with a shorter period of confinement.<\/p>\n
However, it\u2019s also possible that your dog needs a bathroom break. If you suspect that\u2019s the case, take them outside, but make it all business: no playing or romping. If they don\u2019t eliminate within a minute or two, they go back inside.<\/p>\n
A dog who truly panics inside the crate could hurt themself in their attempts to get out. In that case, the crate is not serving its purpose as a place where your dog can feel \u2014 and be \u2014 safe and secure.<\/p>\n
Explore other methods of housetraining, and consider whether this dog simply doesn\u2019t need a crate to be reliable alone inside the house.<\/p>\n
Crate training is the easiest way to housetrain dogs, and it also teaches them how to settle down and entertain themselves when you leave. However, crates won\u2019t work if you use them to punish a dog or keep them \u201cout of sight, out of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Use the crate only when necessary, give your dog plenty of breaks to stretch their legs and to play and bond with you, and make crate time more pleasant by stocking it with toys.<\/p>\n