Curious about crate training. I don’t remember it being a training tool when I was growing up. So just wondering, why do you crate train? What are the benefits?
And alternatively, are there negatives to crate training ? Are there reasons you wouldn’t do it?
I normally get adult dogs, and don’t bother with crate training. But when I got Panda at 7 weeks, I started her off on a crate at night. I did it because if housebreaking, but continued to let her sleep in there because she would be up pestering with my other dogs or my dh at night, if if didnt.
Also it helps with housebreaking, keeps them out of trouble when you can’t supervise (no chewing up things or eating inappropriate items), and attlso makes it easier on them if they ever need to be in a cage at vet, groomer or dog boarding.
Crate training has been around forever, by people who have multiple dogs and/or travel with their dogs. But not necessarily for the average pet.
There are no negatives to crate training - you train your puppy that being confined is a good thing, which has lots of great applications. How long you keep your dog crated is a totally different issue (whether you crate when you’re gone, overnight, etc.)
I have 4 dogs. 2 crates in my car, 3 in my living room and 1 in my bedroom. Dogs are always crated in the car. Two of mine are crated at mealtime to keep them from eating the other dogs’ food (especially my elderly guy). When I have visitors, I put the 3 younger dogs in crates in the living room when people enter the house so they don’t get jumped on, licked, etc. I still crate my youngest dog when I’m gone from home for any length of time - the other 3 are allowed loose in my bedroom.
And, when I got to shows or hotels, or other places, I bring crates so that my dogs know it’s their “home”. Because they are used to being crated, they are content and relaxed in their crates. Two of my dogs at a show, sound asleep and happy:
Our dog club classes to the public have always included, for 45+ years, lessons on crate training.
As others have said already, crating is one more skill your dogs can learn.
To know how to stay quietly and happy in a crate will help a dog navigate their world better.
If the owner uses it or not, if the dog for any reason has to be confined at any one time in a crate, like at the veterinarian, groomer, boarded or in it’s own home if injured or after some surgeries, the dog that is familiar with staying in a crate before that need may happen will not be adding the stress of crating to that situation.
We have for all those years provided crates for our dogs.
Dogs learn to see their crate their own place, where they go to sleep when tired or in the evenings, if their humans are talking too long to go to bed.
Our crates, once a dog is reliably trained, not a puppy any more, don’t even have doors and dogs choose them as their dens.
Could someone abuse a dog by leaving it in a crate too long?
We cover proper use of a crate in our classes so that owners are aware that can happen, to use crates properly is imperative.
Crates used properly is one more appropriate way to manage dogs, no question about that.
My last dog had to be crated when no one was home because she had mild separation anxiety and was eating things that were becoming progressively less edible. So she was crated for her own safety.
Current dog’s previous owner had her basically living in a too-small crate that she shared with another dog. That was not a good situation, but the after effect is that Jaheira definitely sees the crate as her “home”. She frequently sleeps in there even when she’s free to choose her own spot. It was handy when we first brought her home, because she wasn’t really housebroken. So I put her crate near the door, put her in it overnight, and then immediately whisked her out of the crate and out the door in the morning. She also wasn’t spayed, so being comfortable crated really helped her out staying at the vet clinic for that, and it’s useful now while she’s recovering.
Since I work at home, even if I put my dog in the crate every time I leave the house it still only amounts to a few hours a week.
it is safer than letting your dogs run the house when you are gone. Dogs can chew electrical cords, etc… It is a way to get them used to being crated in case of emergency, in which they would need to be in a crate. ( evacuation or etc)… All our dogs have been crate trained. They don’t pee in their crates, so at bedtime, they go out to pee and then stay in the crates overnight. They are fed in their crates. They have water. If i have to leave the house they go into their crates. Keeps them safer. There have been instances of dogs fighting or killing each other while the owner is away. That can’t happen if you crate train. I have 5 small dogs, and each knows their crate, and happily loads up for me.
I crate train all of my dogs. I use it when I’m not home for dogs that are not trustworthy in the house alone and for confining when we have company if needed. I have also flown a couple of times with my dogs and they arrived safe and sound in their crate’s.
For the reasons stated above, especially keeping the dog safe from household hazards when you can’t supervise them. Our, mostly BC, mutt could not be loose unsupervised until about 18 months…she is smart and was very, very busy, looking for something to do constantly. I couldn’t even cook dinner without her getting into something, let alone leave her alone in the house for a short time.
Also, emergency shelters for evacuations due to natural disasters will generally require you to crate your dogs. I’d hate to have to evacuate with a dog to a strange place and have them NOT feel comfortable and secure in a crate.
Crate training is useful as there may be times where any dog may need to be crated/restrained for some reason… post surgery, visitors, etc.
I also used it for my one young boy when he was going through his teenage, make the house his phase. Crating under my desk when I was sitting at my desk and crating while I was gone ensured no marking during those times. Any time he was out of the crate, he was under “supervision”. Took a few months but the marking slowly tapered off and has happened once in the last 4-5 months. We did have a discussion about how disappointed I was that he did that as I cleaned it up and, knock on wood, hasn’t been repeated 
Most trainers I have engaged with look at crate training as an important and necessary skill. While dogs often are not crated at home regularly, there are times that it could become necessary (e.g. if at the vet, in the car, if injured, etc).
Ours are both crate trained although they are rarely crated. We have a fear aggressive dog and this was one of the first skills we instilled with him as crate is a safe spot for him (and guests) in the case he becomes stressed or overwhelmed.
It does need to be introduced strategically otherwise you can cause anxiety around the crate - I do know of dogs who don’t tolerate it. For us, it started with eating in the crate, and then gradually extending the length of time they are in there, and adding a Kong for longer duration stays in the crate.
I crate trained all 3 of my dogs as puppies. And stopped when house trained. All 3 did ok at the vets. But being large to extra large dogs they were put in a kennel instead.
We crate trained puppies 40 years ago…for housebreaking and safety issues others have mentioned. All the Corgis in our family over the years have loved their crates.
When we got our 8 mo rescue, she was not reliably house broken, and had been living in a boarding kennel for the previous few months. Using the crate when we had to leave her alone in the house not only protected our belongings from accidents and chewing, but also protected her from eating something she shouldn’t. One time we tried leaving her loose in the house she chewed up my son’s sunglasses, a pen, a plastic coat hanger, and a calculator. She also tore down the living room curtains for no apparent reason. We put her in the crate with a Kong toy stuffed with goodies (baby carrots are her favorite) and now as soon as we start putting on shoes she heads to her crate without prompting.
And although she is very friendly, I have put her in the crate when workmen are in the house to keep her from “helping”. It is also handy to have in the event of an evacuation or injury.
I think all domesticated animals should be well-educated and that crucially includes accepting restraint. Think about horses and then scale down to dogs and even cats.
To me, crate training for a dog is like a young horse learning to live in a stall before he also starts his under-saddle training. If he can learn to first tolerate being controlled and alone, he’ll then find it easier to accept the rest of what happens to him in his new job. Crate training (and walking nicely on a leash) is also akin to a horse being taught to tie. Some day, sooner or later, you will need to tie your horse somewhere that’s not perfect. It’s so much better and safer for him if he knows he is to stay put. The same is true for a dog: Some day, he will need to be contained. Do him a favor by teaching him how to do that before you or someone else needs that skill.
I even teach cats to accept restraint. Again, I’m doing them a favor. When they go to the vet, restraint will happen. Why not make one part of that experience easy and familiar so that the cat only has to cope with the second one (whatever the vet is doing)?
IME, animals with poor skills are at risk. People often expect good behavior of their animals without knowing that those skills have to be installed. And when the animal doesn’t do as they expect he knows, they get rid of him. Don’t let your animal get blamed, treated badly or surrendered to a rescue or shelter just for want of education!
After working in a vet clinic for years I could always tell who wasn’t crate trained.
Many dogs were far from excited to be there. However, we had some that were clearly terrified and had no clue why they were being put in a crate. It was frustrating at best with a healthy bouncy puppy and very dangerous at times when you had a panicking sick animal, IVs flying, etc.
Even though I never crate at home with my adult dog I want him to be safe at the vet. Similarly, if he ever got lost I want a good Samaritan to be able to easily crate him if that’s the option they have available until he is scanned for a chip/picked up by animal control.
Because when your dear, old, very well behaved dog loses her bowel control, you can kennel her without traumatizing her, and not have dog poop on the floor when you wake up 
Never thought I’d need to kennel her- she outgrew her puppy kennel at about 4 mos, and never needed it again for chewing/house training. Unfortunately, due to a back injury, she doesnt seem to “feel” when she has to go until the last minute. If she isn’t kenneled, she paces and poop falls out. If she’s kenneled, she seems to have much better control, and i can zoom her out the door first thing in the morning. Because of her, both younger dogs are being kennel trained * just in case*. Would be helpful in the case of an injury, like an ACL tear, too!
There are reasons, as above, but many people do not use a crate. But we always had a utility room where the dog could
be confined…mud, or when we went out. I guess it serves a purpose, and I even have a crate given to us, but we have never ‘needed’ one. Our dog goes in and out because that is where her toys are stored.
“Crate training” and “using a crate” aren’t the same. All my dogs are crate trained, but my nearly 16 year old hasn’t been crated in years, except in the car. But he can be crated, if I want/need to use one. He was trained to accept a crate as “normal” for dogs to go/sleep in, even if he doesn’t often go in one now. He wouldn’t be traumatized, and would probably like it so long as it had a comfy orthopedic bed like he has throughout the house.
Well I’ll be the odd man out. Ive never crate trained a dog, adult or puppy, rescue etc. never have, never will. I think its become one of the worst parts of modern dog care. It has provided a convenient excuse for too many people not to train their dogs or take care of their dogs and people wonder why so many dogs today seem neurotic. Too much time spent alone and too much time confined.
I have gated dogs in the kitchen until they could be trusted in the house. No crates for them to sleep in, only comfy beds on the floor in our bedroom. The house was always kept as if they were toddlers until they could be trusted. Yes sometimes things were chewed, and after house training,accidents might happen but usually that was a sick dog. These are dogs/animals after all.
I dont believe in it.
You are so wrong. Dogs Love their crates. It is like a safe den that they prefer. All my dogs have gone WILLINGLY to their crates at bedtime, even before I tell them to. It’s not a punishment. Dogs respond well to it, bc they like it.
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