Let's Talk About CRATE TRAINING!

Getting a cute little puppy is a very exciting time, and spending time away from them can be hard. However, it is imperative for your puppy to have alone time in order to build their confidence and help fight separation anxiety. This is where the importance of crate training comes in!

When someone tells me they are not going to be crate training I get extremely mixed emotions. It is such an important tool for training all ages of dogs, but especially puppies. I immediately want to educate them on the importance of crate training and the benefits that it brings! This includes assistance in potty training, confidence building, it helps combat separation anxiety, it can be used as a safe space for your pup, among many other things. After explaining all of these things, to be met with the comment, “I don’t want to lock my dog in a cage,” can feel very defeating.

I think that as most things go, it is important to do your research before you do anything. Crate training is no exception, and it is not something that you can cherry-pick when you will utilize it. It will have to become part of your routine for the foreseeable future. This means when you are gone, they are in the crate. When you are asleep they are in the crate. NO, they cannot sleep with you! It helps establish boundaries and combat behavioral problems. I personally, cannot see a downside. 

From personal experience, I can attest that crate training works! It was an extremely helpful tool in potty training, and teaching my little guy that even though I was leaving, he will be safe and secure in his crate, and that I am going to come back. Yes, it can be difficult to look through the cage when they are giving you puppy-dog-eyes, but crate training doesn’t have to be forever! It only lasted about a year for myself, and I applaud myself and my pup for working hard at it.

Please do your research on crate training before automatically making the decision to forgo it. Check out my How-To Crate Train Your Dog page for a step-by step walk though to using the crate! Feel free to comment your views below and begin a discussion!