Crate training is neither cruel nor unfair. Just make sure your puppy has had a good run and been to the toilet before you shut it in the crate. It is far less sensible, and more dangerous, to let a puppy wander freely around the house unsupervised, chewing your things and going to the toilet wherever it likes.
What a crate gives you
- Your puppy is safe and protected.
- Your belongings are protected from chewing, accidents and so on.
- It is easier to teach your puppy to chew only the right things and to go to the toilet only in the right places.
- Travel is easier: your puppy gets used to being in a crate on journeys.
- The bond between you and your dog grows stronger: fewer problems mean less telling-off for the puppy and less frustration for you.
How to choose a crate and where to put it
Most importantly, your dog must be able to stand up and turn around in the crate, even when it has grown to its adult weight. Crates usually come in two types: folding metal crates with a tray, or plastic travel carriers. Some dogs prefer a small room, a pen or a playpen.
Dogs are social animals, so the best place for the crate is the room where the family spends most of its time: the kitchen, living room or bedroom. Do not put the crate somewhere isolated, such as a utility room or boiler room.
A radio or television can help calm your puppy and mask outside noises that might make it bark.
To keep the crate a pleasant place for your puppy, never use it as a punishment. You can use it to prevent problems such as chewing or soiling the house.
How to crate train a puppy
Introduce your puppy to the crate as early as possible. Put treats, toys or food inside so that it becomes curious on its own.
- Only shut your puppy in the crate for the first time after you have played and run around with it and it has been to the toilet, when it is tired and ready for a nap.
- Let your puppy into the crate with a toy and a few treats, and close the door.
- Leave the room, but stay close enough to hear your puppy.
The first few times it is separated from the family, your puppy may be anxious. Never reward this behaviour by letting it out of the crate while it is howling or whining. Ignore it until it stops whining, and only then let it out.
If your puppy simply will not settle, a mild correction may be needed. But do not correct it harshly: this will only increase its anxiety and fear, and the puppy will whine even more or even soil the crate. Try to make sure the puppy does not see you, so it does not link the correction with you.
You can interrupt barking by spraying the puppy with water (from a water pistol) or by shaking a tin with a few coins in it loudly. You can also try a remote-controlled system with a water reservoir or an alarm by the crate. There are also devices triggered by barking: they release a distracting scent or sound a signal. These are fitted on the dog or placed by the crate. If they do not stop the barking straight away, or cause your puppy a lot of stress, stop using them.
How to crate train an adult dog
Crate training an adult dog is almost the same as training a puppy. Only the first introduction to the crate is different.
- For the first few days, put the crate where your dog eats and leave the door open.
- Put food, treats and toys inside so your dog wants to go in by itself.
- When your dog starts going into the crate willingly and without fear, it is time to close the door.
- Gradually increase the time your dog has to spend quietly in the crate before you let it out.
Some dogs get used to it faster if the crate, with their bed inside, is placed where they usually sleep and they are allowed to sleep in it all night. Correct your dog in the same way as a puppy and, again, never punish it by shutting it in the crate.
Travelling with a crate
A crate is very useful when travelling with your dog. Start with short trips and gradually make them longer. Take your dog to the shops, the park or simply for a drive around town, so that it gets used to travelling in the crate more quickly and comes to associate it with something pleasant.
