How to Crate Train a Puppy: A Complete Guide
Crate training your puppy is a valuable tool to create a safe space they love and trust. This guide walks you through every step from choosing the right crate and building positive associations, to making it cozy and increasing crate time gradually. Learn how to avoid common mistakes, handle whining, and create a routine that works for both of you. Whether you're a first-time puppy parent or introducing a crate to an older dog, this comprehensive guide makes the process easier, kinder, and more effective.
As human beings, we understand, deeply, the value of having our own little comfort space. Some place we can retreat to in order to get away from everything and just enjoy our solitude in peace and quiet. Well, you see, dogs are intelligent creatures that, too, appreciate and need a safe space of their own; a void often filled by a crate.
Many pet parents may think it is imprisoning the dog, but that isn’t the case at all. Sure, if you shove them in and trap, that is a negative and absolutely inhuman way of approaching it. However, with proper crate training, the dog builds positive associations with the crate and considers it their own little house.
In this guide, we’ll provide ways you can crate train your dog.
Why Crate Training Matters
Crate training isn’t easy. It is patience and a whole lot of consistency. Whilst all dogs learn at a different pace, and all people vary in their effectiveness in training, crate training usually takes 6 months of consistent effort. Now, the question is, why bother putting your little buddy in a box? Well, here is why:
• Dogs are natural cave dwellers. They have a natural instinct to find a confined and dark space. It may seem a prison from our human perspective but they happen to quite like it. It is literally within their DNA to seek out such places, so save them the trouble.
• It greatly helps in potty training. That’s right, when you’re house-training your pup, the training is much easier if they’re already crate trained. This is because you can put your dog in a crate, and they will not soil themselves in there (dogs do not soil places of rest).
•A house is a safe space but also a hazard for an ignorant dog. Cables, sharp edges, kids running around? They do not know any better. A crate becomes a dog’s place of retreat. The cave of introversion, so to speak. You can also place them inside the crate when you’re heading out for some time and have nobody to supervise them.
• If your dog’s already comfortable in a crate, taking them in the car or leaving them at the vet becomes way less stressful—for both of you.
The benefits of crate training are numerous, and it should be practiced by every pet parent.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crate Training Your Puppy
Step 1: Get a Crate
Now, there are 2 kinds of dogs. Those who like to sleep in the dark and those who do not. Observe what your dog prefers and get them an airplane-styled crate or a dog-wire crate, respectively. The crate should be strong but not too rigid ,whilst being large enough for the dog to be comfortable and adjust themselves but not so large that they can soil one corner and rest in the other one. To save buying multiple crates, buy a crate size fit for your dog (Teacup Poodles, Shih Tzus and other small dogs don’t need the biggest crates, obviously) when they’re grown-ups. Use a divider to make the size appropriate for their age and remove it when needed.
Step 2: Building Associations
You see, the dog must naturally (we’re kind of stretching the definition of “naturally” here, you are going to be nudging them in that direction) build a positive association with the crate. Ideally, you want them to go inside the crate when they’re chill and relaxing. If you put them in during a play session, they’ll just get out and continue playing. So, time it right. You want them to believe it is a place to lounge around in and stay put. Start by putting them inside for 5–10 minutes and build up time slowly. Remember, the fastest way to go about it is positive reinforcement. Every time the dog enters the crate, reward them. A treat? A pat on the head? Words of affirmation they don’t understand but like the vibe of? All solid options.
Step 3: Making It Comfortable
This is going to involve a ton of trial and error. The goal here is to make the crate more comfortable for the dog but since they cannot really make an Amazon wishlist, it is a little difficult to do so. You can try out bedsheets, dog beddings and towels to see if they like it. They might enjoy them, they might tear them apart or simply pee in there; who knows. If that happens, here’s how you can address crate peeing. As we said in the beginning, it is all about trial and error. Also, they might not like anything but the crate floor itself. If they do, let it be that way, dogs do like hard surfaces.
A word of caution: You want your dog to be butt-naked when they’re inside the crate. No clothes, no tags, no collars. Anything can get stuck there and cause serious discomfort if not something worse.
Step 4: Track the Time
See, we want dogs to enjoy the crate, so they shouldn’t feel trapped inside. They need to go outside, play, do their business, eat and just be outside of the crate. So, supervise them during the initial stages and let them out when you feel they need to go. Dogs don’t soil the place where they sleep but when mother nature calls, all bets are off. As a responsible pet parent, you should know how long a dog can stay in the crate.
Step 5: Be Patient, and Take It Slow
Once you think your dog is fairly comfortable inside the crate, gradually increase the time you leave them unsupervised. Don’t go out for a couple of hours and leave them inside, but perhaps consider running a quick errand. You need to keep this practice of gradually increasing the time up for at least 6 months so strap in. It won’t be easy nor should you expect it to be as such, but if you’re consistent, it will work. This will work for pups of all ages, even old dogs can learn new tricks.
Conclusion
Crate training gets a bad rep which is completely unjustified and nothing but ignorant rumours. To say crates are prisons is to say your room is a prison. Sure, it can be, but if you feel safe and comfortable inside it and go there willingly, it ceases to be that and becomes a room. A crate is just a personal room for your dog if you, with love and consistency, teach them so.
FAQs
How Long Should I Crate My Puppy During the Day?
For young puppies, limit crate time to short intervals—typically one hour per month of age. Ensure they have regular breaks for play, exercise, and potty needs.
Can I Crate My Puppy at Night?
Yes, crate training at night is beneficial. Place the crate near your bed so you can hear if your puppy needs to go out. Over time, you can gradually move the crate to your preferred location.
What If My Puppy Whines in the Crate?
Whining is common initially. Ensure your puppy’s needs are met before crating. If they whine, wait for a brief pause before letting them out to avoid reinforcing the behavior.
Recommended Reads
Explore more helpful tips and insights to support your puppy's training journey;