Crate training, how to make the crate a good place
A crate is either the best thing in a dog's day or a small prison, and the difference is entirely in how it is introduced. Done properly it gives an anxious dog somewhere to switch off.
Feed every meal in the crate with the door open for two or three days, then start closing the door for seconds at a time while you stay in the room. Build duration slowly, always opening the door before the dog complains rather than after. Never use it as a punishment and never crate a dog that is already panicking.
Set it up properly
Big enough to stand, turn and lie flat, no bigger. Put it where the household actually is, not in a spare room, because isolation is what most dogs object to rather than the crate itself.
- ●A cover over three sides settles most dogs quickly.
- ●A long lasting chew inside builds a good association.
- ●Leave the door open all day so the dog chooses it.
The mistake that causes crate hatred
Letting the dog out because it is barking or scratching. That single decision teaches the dog that noise opens doors, and from then on every crate session is a negotiation. Wait for two seconds of quiet, then open.
How long is too long
A rough guide is one hour per month of age up to about four hours for an adult, with the obvious exception of overnight sleep. A crate is a management tool for the times you cannot supervise, not a substitute for exercise and company.
When a crate is the wrong answer
A dog with genuine separation anxiety often panics harder in a crate, and we have seen dogs injure themselves trying to escape. If your dog drools, breaks teeth or soils the crate when you leave, stop and address the anxiety first.
Need hands on help?
If crate work has already gone wrong, a session in your home will get it back on track faster than starting over alone.
Three generations of the same family, over 8,000 dogs trained.
Common questions
Not when it is introduced properly. A dog that chooses to sleep in an open crate is telling you it works. Forcing a distressed dog into a closed crate is a different thing entirely.
Often yes, and it can help a lot, but go slower than you would with a puppy and stop if the dog shows panic rather than protest.
For the first few weeks with a puppy, yes. Move it gradually once nights are settled.
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