To crate or not to crate?

If done properly, there is no reason that a crate should be seen as adversive. It shouldn’t be used as a punishment, but a safe space for your dog to relax and sleep.

As a human we don’t see our beds and bedrooms as a prison so why do people see a crate as the same? Realistically a dog shouldn’t be crated any longer than 4/5 hours max at a time before they have a break, and the likelihood is that this whole time they are in there they will be sleeping. So why is it a problem?

The people who don’t spend time training their dog to accept the crate tend to be the ones who either leave their dog in a crate for hours on end, or they tend to be the ones who don’t agree with using a crate in the first place.

An individual who spends time creating a safe space with the crate, training their dog to understand it is a place for them to relax, sleep and feel safe, are the people who agree with them and see the benefits a crate can truly have. Think of a crate like a dogs bedroom, we don’t hate our bedrooms so why should a dog hate their crate?

It can be used a safe space for them to go into and hide away if for any reason they feel uncomfortable at home. There may be too many visitors, building work being done, or fireworks; but the dog can feel safe because they’ve learnt that nothing bad happens when they are in their crate.

It is so important to crate train our dogs and utilise it as an important tool as it is! If your dog happens to be unfortunately injured then the likelihood is that they will have to spend some time in a crate or a kennel while they heal. Previous crate training will make this more of a positive experience. I wouldn’t want to be shoving a dog into a crate while injured after having never been exposed to one before; it can make the whole ordeal even more traumatic than it already is.

A big thing with crating is also ensuring your dog has adequate space, they should have enough room to turn around comfortably and stretch out while in their sleep. If they can’t do this, the crate isn’t big enough.