8 Reasons You Should Crate Train Your Dog

Some people think that crating a dog is cruel. However, crates are not cruel if they are used properly; and, in fact, can be a great tool for dog parents. Proper, positive crate training can provide benefits for both you and your dog.

Crate training takes advantage of a dog’s natural instincts as a den animal. A wild dog’s den is their home – a place to sleep, hide from danger and raise pups. If used correctly, a crate becomes in essence your dog’s den, where they can find comfort and solitude while you know they are safe and secure – and not shredding your house to bits while you’re out running errands.

A word of caution: Don’t leave your dog in the crate too long. A dog that is crated day and night won’t receive enough exercise or human interaction and will become depressed and anxious. Instead of crating your dog all day, consider bringing him or her to Canine Campus, so he or she can receive the socialization and exercise needed to be healthy and happy. And, a crate should never be used as a punishment. If you do this, your dog will come to fear the crate and refuse to enter it.

Here are eight reasons you should crate train your dog.

1. Provide a safe space

Sometimes your dog needs a safe place to go, whether to hide from loud noises (i.e. thunder, fireworks, loud construction equipment, etc.) or just to get away from a busy household. Often, dogs want a break from children or lot of people at a social gathering. A crate becomes a safe place where your dog can get away if he or she is stressed or tired.

2. Household safety

This is especially important when your dog is still a puppy. Sometimes you can’t supervise your pup and it might not be safe for him or her to be unsupervised. An example of this might be when you’re cooking or renovating your house (imagine a puppy in a can of paint!)

3. Visitor protection

Sometimes it’s best if your puppy or dog is crated while you have a short-term visitor. Think pizza delivery person, plumber, electrician or any other person who will be in your house for a short time. This is especially true if your dog doesn’t warm up to strangers easily or barks incessantly at an “intruder”.

4. Housetraining

Crates make housetraining much easier for dog parents and puppies. Since dogs don’t want to soil their sleeping area, a crate can help you teach your dog to wait to eliminate until you let him or her out. The best way to housetrain a puppy is to praise them for going in the correct spot and prevent them from going in the wrong spot. When you’re temporarily busy, place your puppy in the crate. Then, release your puppy to the right elimination spot. If it’s been long enough they will be ready to go and you can praise and reward them for their behavior. This reinforces housetraining in a positive way. Click here for more tips on housetraining your puppy…

5. Safe travel

A crate is a safer way for your dog to travel than being loose in a vehicle. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends dogs of all sizes be secured in a crate or carrier for travel, both for your dog’s safety and to prevent distractions for the driver.

6. Comfortable vet visits

If your dog ever needs to be safely transported to a vet, especially if he or she is in pain, a familiar crate will make the trip much easier for you and your dog. And, if your pooch has to stay overnight he or she will be much less stressed if the crate is associated with safety and comfort already.

7. Cozy boarding experience

 Here at Canine Campus we understand your dog’s comfort is of the utmost importance. We invite owners to bring their dog’s crate with them for boarding if they sleep in them regularly and would be more comfortable in them overnight. We put the crate inside the dorm room (kennel) and leave the crate door open, so your dog can go in and out of the crate as they please (of course contained inside the dorm room). We place the food and water bowls outside their crate so they have easy access and nothing spills inside their crate. We have found this can help ease anxiety for both dogs and their pet parents.

8. Safe Evacuation

If you have to evacuate your home in case of a natural disaster or emergency (heaven forbid), having a dog that is crate trained is much safer and easier for you and your dog. Whether you keep your dog with you, or you need to hand your dog over to caregivers, your pooch will be better off in his or her own crate. Your dog will be more relaxed with his or her own toys than a dog that is unfamiliar with a crate and may feel trapped and anxious. Click here for disaster preparedness tips to keep your dog safe…

Crate training that is done properly can give dogs a sense of security, be a highly effective management system and a lifesaver for dog parents. Like any training method, it can be abused, but using a crate for appropriate time periods is helpful with a variety of important goals, including housetraining, preventing destructive behavior and teaching a dog to settle and relax. If provided with love and patience, a crate will become a safe place for your dog and a helpful tool for you.

Have you crate trained your dog? Why or why not? Please share your thoughts with the rest of the Canine Campus community in the comments below.