That’s a great question and like most dog training topics one that many people have a strong opinion about.
- Is a crate really needed?
- Why use one at all?
- I’ve never used one before why should I now?
- I don’t want my dog to live in a crate, I want them to be part of the family.
As will all thing’s DOG, the answer is – ‘It depends’.
Safety:
In my experience using a crate with a baby puppy is a lifesaver. The puppy learns how to self soothe, to feel safe and rest and the house can remain standing while I can shower AND shampoo my hair at the same time!!! With baby puppies it’s our responsibility to guide them into making good choices while preventing them from making poor ones. It’s a full-time job to keep an eye, or two, on our puppies at all times. Yep ALL times. And that’s a tough job requiring 100% commitment on our part. But wait you think, my day was already 100% full before I brought my puppy home, what do I give up?
Time Out:
Crate training provides your puppy (or a newly adopted adult dog with unknown skills) a safe place to be during those times you aren’t able to monitor what they might be doing. Short breaks in a crate provides you a break so you can go grab the mail, put the laundry in the dryer, run a few quick errands or any number of daily activates that must be done. Without a crate, your pup has free range of the house and for sure will find something to chew on, eat, tear up, potty on, knock over or destroy. Puppies chew, it’s part of being a puppy, but it’s our job to provide them with age-appropriate chew toys and to put up those off-limits items that might be irresistible to them. Puppy Proofing your home is a real thing, and important to do before you bring your pup home.
House Training:
The next BIG benefit of using a crate is house training. What goes in must come out and dogs really prefer to not soil where they live and sleep. This is why an unsupervised pup will select an out of the way location for pottying if they are not watched. Behind the couch, under the dining room table, down the hall in the guest room; all are great locations from a puppy’s point of view. When bringing home a new puppy, providing a crate for them will speed up your house-training journey. This post isn’t specifically about potty training, but rather the value of using a crate and helping your pup to enjoy being in theirs. If you have a new baby puppy and need help be sure to join our PUPPY KINDERGARTEN group where we cover ALL things puppy!
Emergencies:
We never know what might be just around the bend and as much as I prefer to not focus on what might happen I do feel it’s important to be prepared. At some point in your dog’s life they may need to be crated, in a location they aren’t familiar with and potentially without you there. Evacuations, accidents, emergencies that take you away from home with no warning, all are examples where your dog might need to be crated, maybe at a fairgrounds, shelter, or community center with strangers caring for them. Most dogs at some point in their lives will need a medical procedure; either planned or an emergency and they will need to be housed at the Veterinary Hospital for the length of their stay there. If your dog has never been in a crate, hasn’t learned that it’s not a big deal to be in one as well as feeling safe with an unknown person caring for them the stress level your dog experiences will be way bigger than it might have been. For sure you just being gone might be stress enough without adding in being in a weird location, in a crate, with a bunch of other dogs and people that are unknown. Set your dog up for success by helping them to understand that crates aren’t anything to worry about and might actually be an ok place to hang out for a bit.
I don’t use crates for my dogs once they have shown me they can stay in the home without getting into trouble while I am not there. I do use a crate with all of my puppies as well as any new to me adult dogs. I want to be sure that I’m preventing mistakes by managing the pups ability to make them and a crate does that beautifully. Once the pup is mature enough to be safe in the house unsupervised then the crate is no longer needed on a daily basis. But all of the training that goes into teaching the dog that their crate is kinda cool sticks with them long after the crate is retired. I know that my dogs will easily go into a crate or kennel without a fuss anywhere and that they can lay down and chill while in one. If they need to be crated for whatever reason they have the skill set to be able to handle that situation even if I’m not with them.
Being able to relax and rest in a crate is a pivotal skill for all dogs to learn. Our goal is that the dog learn that their crate is a safe spot, where they can relax and that being in one isn’t anything to be concerned about. I like to create a pattern when teaching crate skills that pairs the crate with relaxation. My goal is that my dogs can feel comfortable enough that they can lay down and rest or even go to sleep. When starting out with teaching relaxation in a crate you’ll want to set up your pup for success by being sure that they have potted, had a good romp in the yard and are ready to fall asleep. Adding in an enrichment toy like a stuffed Kong or long lasting chew can be helpful to help your pup learn to self-soothe. Covering the crate with an old sheet or light weight blanket or towel can provide additional security and block some of the visual stimuli that might be present. There are also some really great background noice options and dog soothing music that can be helpful to encourage relaxation. Check out my Recommended Products page for a few ideas.
In our Puppy Kindergarten and Basic Manners classes we offer some crate games so your pup learns to love being in their crate. The IN and OUT game is a fun one to start with. Once the pup has mastered this game we can add in the WAIT game so that they dog understands that just because the crate door is open (or our front door, the car door, the back gate) they need to wait to be released before they can run out the door. We also use crates in our Rally classes, another great class for teaching connection, patience and the ability to hang out in exciting environments. The goal is all of our training programs is to create a partnership with our dogs where the dog looks to us for information. Having a willing partner who is eager to follow our guidance makes living with your pup a joy.
Check out our Class Options for groups that will help you teach your dog that Crates are Cool!