12/08/2025
Those struggling with crate training
Here are my top tips:
Spend time in the room while your dog is crated. The biggest mistake I made that I see a lot of owners make is only using the crate when it’s time for you to leave the house. Hang out in the area. Leave the space for short periods of time to use the bathroom or run a load of laundry. Walk around the room. Clean the room. Just do normal everyday things in the general proximity of the crate.
Crate placement matters. Putting a crate in your living room, probably the busiest room in your house, can have its benefits BUT if your dog is really struggling to settle, I suggest putting the crate in a quieter room. My dogs’ crates are in separate areas of our house. While one is in our living room, one is in my office and one is in our bedroom.
Put time into advancing and proofing the Down command (Place can work too). The common goal with these two commands and the crate is that we’re asking the dog to lay down, be quiet and literally do nothing. Focusing on Down- building up how long your dog can hold it and what distractions they can hold it through- can have a direct impact on crate training.
And of course, if your dog isn’t getting time outside daily to run around, sniff and play we may need to focus more on meeting their needs before we can expect them to chill in the crate.
If you have any questions about crating that this post isn’t addressing, let me know!! There’s so much I could add to this but trying to keep it simple😜 As I near my due date I will not be working directly with clients anymore. However, I still want to stay somewhat present on this account and would love to put out quick tips and thoughts like this post. Feel free to message me with what you’re struggling with or any questions you have about your dog!
