Crate Training…. You either love it or hate it. There are a lot of opinions about whether or not to crate train dogs. There is one school of thought that believes a crate is a cruel jail you’re locking your dog in.
On the contrary, I’m a big fan of crate training a dog (particularly a puppy) for several reasons.
COMFORT
It give them a comfortable, safe place to hang out no matter what. Think of the beach house you’re going to, the friend’s house your dog is staying at, the new house you just moved into…. Even in a time of turmoil and change, the safe crate remains the same.
SAFETY
Putting a dog (especially a puppy) in a crate when you leave the house keeps them out of trouble. A lot of dogs can’t help their noses and end up getting into the trash, food on the counter, closest with dirty clothes or shoes, etc.
Why risk your dog chewing your favorite pair of shoes (at best) or getting sick from eating something they shouldn’t have from the trash can?
A crate not only keeps your dog safe but gives you piece of mind.
TRAINING
A lot of new dog issues arise because you weren’t able to watch your dog for 5 minutes while you were doing a load of wash, taking a phone call, answering the door, taking care of your kid’s needs, etc… Dog issues like going potty in the house, chewing wires, nipping, escaping an open door, barking at the windows or in the yard and many others.
While the crate doesn’t “Fix” any of these problem per say, it prevents your dog from practicing a bad or unwanted behavior. The less time your dog has a chance to practice unwanted behaviors, the less like they will be do repeat them.
Use the crate as a training tool and a safe place to hang out while you can’t pay attention to your dog.