Should I Crate Train My Dog?
If you’ve recently adopted a puppy or dog of any age, you may be wondering whether or not to crate train. What’s the big deal with crate training? A crate can be a safe space for your dog and a useful management tool for you.
A Safe Space
A crate should be your dog’s safe space where he can go when he wants to be alone. Having spent so much time at home, isn’t it nice to be able to go into a room and be left alone for a little while? Your dog should have this choice too! When your dog is ready for a break, his crate should be where he retreats to. Adults and children should leave the dog alone whenever he’s in his crate.
Feed your dog her meals inside her crate. This helps prevent children and other pets from pestering the dog as she eats. My dog has big feelings about people and dogs being around her as she eats. This is especially worrisome when she stays in a home with children and other pets while we travel. When I’m not around to advocate for my dog, having her eat breakfast and dinner inside of a crate helps keep everyone safe.
Crating your dog can keep him safe while home alone. We’ve all left things out without realizing what an irresistible temptation they are to our dogs. Crating your dog helps solve this problem. As you’re trying to remember everything you need to grab before leaving your home, crating your dog takes the additional need to puppy proof right before you leave off of your busy to-do list.
A Management Tool
If you plan on traveling with your dog, your dog will need to be comfortable being crated. When you stop for gas or to charge your electric car, you may pop into the store for a snack or to use the restroom. If your dog is crated in your car, you can be sure that she won’t help herself to your road trip snacks!
Staying in hotel rooms or friends' homes can be very exciting for your dog. Every dog’s desire or skill to search and destroy novel items is different. Your friend’s home may be dog-proofed for her dog, but not your dog. Crating your dog can keep your dog out of trouble and protect the hotel or friend’s property.
A crate is a great place to contain your dog when friends, family, or workers arrive and leave. Prevent unwanted jumping on people by placing your dog in a crate. Prevent escape while workers come and go from your home. While on vacation, the electrician came to install an electric charger for our car. Fortunately, my friend who was pet sitting for us was proactive and put my dog in a crate and cat in a safe room before she left for work.
A crate also helps with potty training. Most dogs will not soil their crate. If you can’t keep an eye on your dog to prevent potty training accidents, a crate is a great place for your dog.
Many doggie daycare and boarding facilities require that your dog be comfortable in a crate. Oftentimes, dogs will nap and take breaks in a crate at these facilities.
While crating your dog may have you feeling like you’re limiting your dog, you’re actually expanding your dog’s world. A crate is familiar and portable. A crate can provide your dog comfort and safety in new situations. Consider the Stay at Home and Safer at Home orders which have non-essential workers spending more time at home. As I sit on my sofa and look out my paned living room window, I kind of feel like I'm in a dog crate. And to be honest, it's not that bad! I have enough room to stand up, turn around, lay down, eat, drink, and teach online. My home keeps me safe, just like a crate keeps your dogs safe.