01/16/2024
We always stress crate training!
Don’t miss out on the 10 benefits of “crate training” your dog!
If you gave up already, please, read on! Some of the benefits may surprise you!
First, what is crate training? Simply put, crate training is teaching your dog to voluntarily enter and remain in their crate quietly until you return.
You should be able to use your crate any time you can’t fully supervise your puppy, including when your family is home, when you’re away and when all the humans are sleeping.
Let’s take a look at the benefits.
1. Safety - Set up properly, your crate is the ultimate protection against ingestion injuries for your puppy during those times when they aren’t 100% supervised.
2. Stress inoculation - Most puppies will protest at first, but if you do things right they will quickly learn the all important skill of self soothing.
3. Promotes cooperation - The crate door is your friend for teaching pup to cooperate in order to satisfy their desires. By teaching pup to engage with you both entering and leaving their crate, you are building a strong foundation for cooperation in more challenging situations that will come later.
4. “Reactivity” prevention - Ever see that dog that barks and pulls when he/she sees people or other dogs on their walk? That’s usually a sign of frustration. It’s often the exact same behavior your pup exhibits when they want to get out of their crate and you won’t let them (yet). Teaching them they can’t get what they want by screaming starts here. Items #2 and #3 along with proper leash training and socialization are keys to prevention.
5. Adequate sleep - Young pups need 14-18 hours of sleep per day. That ornery phase you see at 8 pm every night happens because pup hasn’t had adequate rest. A few 2 hour crate naps per day solves that. And you can use the bathroom without the dog on your lap or in the shower with you.
6. Prevents separation anxiety - Many dogs get stressed when their owners leave them, some to the point of tornado like destruction of your home. Teaching them early on that it’s OK not to be right next to you at all times will set the stage for being able to relax while free roaming later. See point #2 on stress inoculation.
7. Easy behavior training - It’s VERY easy to begin teaching your pup all their obedience commands while they are in their crate.
8. Safe transportation - A secure crate of any kind is the safest way to transport your dog in your vehicle, both for you, and for them. There are many crate options available for this, including some crash rated ones, but any crate is better than a seatbelt or sitting loose in the car.
9. Bed rest is crate rest - Many surgeries (including a simple spay/neuter) require you to restrict your dog’s activity level for some period of time. A crate is the best way to do this by far. So, why skip training and let your dog deal not only with the surgery, but also the stress of being contained?
10. Fast, effective potty training - You might notice I put this last on the list where most people might put it first. Your crate is a huge help in teaching your pup to eliminate immediately, even on command when they first go outside. I put it last because while it is important, some of the other things I listed are actually more important.
I’m sure, if I were to send a poll out to my trainer friends I could find even more benefits of crate training your dog!
Trust me, it’s worth it and it’s something I prescribe for most of the problem dogs I work with later in life!
It takes some discipline and emotional fortitude sometimes, and maybe even some ear plugs to help with that screaming puppy, but crate training is one of the single best things you can do early in your pup’s life.
Don’t miss out, or let your pup miss out on the benefits of these easy training protocols.
You’ll curse me now and thank me later, I believe.
