Should You Crate Train Your Dog?

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Although many dog owners feel bad about crate training their dogs, enclosed areas provide a haven for dogs to rest and relax. Dogs seek such areas to build a protective shelter for themselves. Crates are excellent training tools for pups, secure havens for older dogs, and lifesavers in the event of an emergency.

Crate training dogs from a young age is recommended by most veterinarians, trainers, and breeders. Because dogs do not want to dirty their sleeping quarters, crate training is an important aspect of housebreaking puppies. Puppies learn to control their bladder when in their kennel, so you don’t have to clean up after them.

Benefits of Crate Training

Crate training can be the difference between safety and uncertainty in an emergency. You must be able to evacuate your dog fast, thus having a willing dog go into their crate without fuss, saves valuable time. Keeping dogs protected during evacuations lowers the possibility of their becoming lost or harmed. It also allows your dog to remain with you during an emergency since dogs are generally required to be crate trained to stay in shelters with their owners.

Crates may be stressful for dogs who haven’t been crate trained, but for those who have, it provides a comfort zone. Crate training can assist to avoid exacerbating a dog’s stress during an emergency. Dogs recovering from surgery may need to be created. Dogs are less likely to suffer problems after surgery if they can relax calmly rather than unintentionally aggravate injuries because they can’t settle down in a crate.

Crates make it easier to carry your dog safely by vehicle or air on long-distance trips or holidays. Crate training makes long vehicle journeys more bearable for both you and your dog. Crates allow dogs to sleep or lie down without disturbing the driver. Because dogs must be restrained when traveling by air, a dog needs to know how to behave in a crate during a flight. Sedation during plane travel should be avoided since the American Veterinary Medical Association warns that it might raise the risk of cardiac or respiratory issues.

Effective Crate Training Tips

Making crate training a fun experience is the first and most crucial step. Feed them food or doggie treats in their crate to make crate time feel fun. Never leave your dog in his or her crate all day. Limit crate time based on how much time they spend in their crate daily, their age, and their degree of house training. Crate time shouldn’t feel like a punishment.

Understanding the necessity for crate training is only the first step; the real challenge is the actual crate training process. To guarantee the best possibility of success, make sure you do ample research on how to crate train your dog, and talk to experts as well as other dog owners to learn more. Also, be sure to get a properly sized crate for your dog and allow them plenty of time outside of it.

Here’s an article from the AKC that may help you out.

Here’s a video about this:

Ben Tanner