When Can Dogs Be Trusted Out Of Kennels?

When Can I Stop Crating My Dog at Night? – It depends on why you started crating them at night, to begin with. If it was simply to help with potty training, then you can quit crating them when they have gone more than two months without an accident. Usually, larger dogs will reach this milestone sooner because their bladders are larger.

• Small dogs may have to stay in their crate for longer since their bladders are smaller.
• They often are more difficult to potty train simply because you have to take them outside more often.
• However, there are some reasons you may want to continue to crate your dog past the potty-training milestone.
• Even if they aren’t having accidents, some dogs will get into trouble if they are not supervised.

When you’re sleeping, you often can’t supervise them properly. Therefore, many puppies will need to be crated even after they are potty trained. Many dogs cannot be trusted completely until they are closer to two years of age. We recommend crating your dog at night until they reach this milestone.

If you can leave your dog alone at home without crating them for a few hours, then you may be able to leave them out of their crate at night. You should also consider whether or not your dog will sleep in their crate if you don’t lock them in. Many dogs will automatically go to their crate at night, even if they aren’t told to go in it.

Proper crate training encourages your dog to like their crate, which is very helpful at night. If your dog doesn’t sleep in its crate without being prompted, you need to consider whether or not this is okay with you. Sometimes, your dog will whine all night to sleep on your bed – even if they never have.

How long should dogs be Kenneled?

FAQs – Is it cruel to crate train a dog? Some consider crate training cruel, including some dog trainers and PETA, But, your dog can be in more danger when they are home alone. This is especially true for puppies who might chew something they shouldn’t, fall down the stairs, or get injured otherwise.

When done right, puppy crate training is a safer alternative, and your dog might even love their crate. How long is too long to leave a dog in a crate? Leaving a puppy alone while at work for 8 hours is unacceptable. You can leave a puppy in a crate for a maximum of 5 hours straight, depending on their age.

Adult dogs can handle up to 8 hours of confinement, but it shouldn’t be an everyday thing. How long is it okay to leave a dog in a crate? Adult dogs shouldn’t be left in crates for more than 6-8 hours. Puppies of 17 weeks and older can handle up to 4 or 5 hours in a crate at a time.

Chihuahua French Bulldog Peekapoo Pug Boston Terrier Bull Terrier Beagle Basset Hound Labrador Retriever Golden Retriever Shiba Inu Akita Inu Shar Pei Chow Chow

How long can a dog be left alone during the day? Some dogs can be left alone for up to 10 hours during the day and not make a scene. However, you shouldn’t do it often. And when you have to, set up a pee pad, enough water, and some food or treats, How long can a puppy be left alone during the day? How long can a puppy be left alone during the day depends on their age.

The younger the puppy, the shorter the interval. It’s best not to leave puppies alone for more than two hours during the day. Can you leave a dog home alone overnight? If you have a puppy, you shouldn’t leave them alone overnight. The same goes for dogs with separation anxiety, Some dogs might do okay, but this is not something that is recommended.

If you must be away, consider getting a pet camera such as Petcube Bites. This treat-dispensing camera also has night vision so you can check how your dog is doing.

Can dogs escape kennels?

Because They Can! – Ultimately, even the best-trained dogs who get hours of daily exercise can still destroy their crate if they can. This can happen even if a dog is well-adjusted and properly crate-trained. Many dogs, such as Pit Bulls and other terriers, are known for tenacity and problem-solving abilities.

• Other dogs, such as high-energy Huskies, or strong-willed mastiff types, might see the crate as optional.
• To an independent-minded dog with a strong sense of determination, sometimes getting out of a crate is not a behavior problem; it’s a sign that your dog has solved the puzzle of how to get the freedom they want.

This is not being naughty, nor is it disobedience. So don’t resort to punishing your dog for being an innovative winner. To them, managing their grand escape was enough reward to keep them doing it. Instead, the only way to cure the problem is to make destroying the crate impossible.

How long are dogs left alone in kennels?

How long can you board a dog? – Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM and veterinary expert for Pumpkin Pet Insurance, says generally, most dogs can tolerate two to four weeks of boarding. “It really depends on the individual dog. Some dogs start to react negatively after two weeks, others can stay for months and not be fazed,” says Dr.

1. Wooten. In most cases, anything beyond four weeks is considered too long—and many kennels have their own limits.
2. Dogs with histories of separation anxiety or anti-social behavior could react negatively to boarding after just a few days.
3. In these situations, or if you need to board your dog longer than four weeks, it’s worth considering alternatives.

Dr. Wooten says hiring a pet sitter who can stay at your home or dropping your dog with a trusted friend or relative are options, as long as that person knows what they’re getting into. Any dog with serious medical issues or illnesses may be eligible for boarding services from a vet clinic, according to Dr.

Will my dog remember me after kennels?

Will my dog forget me when I’m away? – Many people worry that as well as missing them when they’re in kennels, their dog will even forget them eventually. Whilst this is a natural concern if you’ll be gone for weeks, it’s not something you need to fear. The truth is that your dog will almost always remember you, however long you’ve been apart.

Can a dog be Kenneled for 12 hours?

What is the maximum time you can crate a dog for? – There is no definite time limit to how long you can crate a dog for. Of course, if he has an accident in the crate, you had him in there for too long. It is important to distinguish between occasional longer crate times and kenneling your dog for endless hours on a daily basis.

If you have a family emergency and need to leave your dog in a crate for 12 hours, he will be just fine. However, if you plan to do this as a general management every weekday as you are at work, this is too long! The same applies for car rides. In a car your dog is safest if he rides in a crate. One or two long days of driving across the country will not be a problem.

However, if you want to crate your dog for 10 hours each day while he is at home – this is not going to go well.

How much crate time is too much?

How Long Can I Keep My Puppy in the Crate?

Age	Approximate Allowable Crate Time Limit
9 to 10 weeks old	30 to 60 minutes
11 to 14 weeks old	1 to 3 hours
15 to 16 weeks old	3 to 4 hours
17 or more weeks old	4 to 6 hours

Do dogs feel sad in a cage?

Many people choose not to crate their dogs because they believe confining them in a small space is cruel. However, reputable training professionals and leading animal welfare groups including the HSUS, the ASPCA and Best Friends Animal Society believe that when done correctly crate training can be an effective training tool.

Dogs Are Natural Den Animals According to behavior experts at Best Friends Animal Society, dogs are hardwired by their genetic history to be den animals. A den is a small, safe, well-defined space, a place where dogs instinctively feel safe. It is also a place where they naturally avoid soiling. The combination of these two native traits makes crate training, done in the right way, a kind and effective component in house-training a new puppy or dog.

“When used properly crating is a very humane way to housebreak a puppy or to help a rescued dog feel safe while adjusting to a new environment,” said certified dog trainer Anna Cilento, who is the founder of Suruluna, a nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates homeless dogs in the Hudson Valley.

1. Cilento also works with local shelters and rescues helping them to train and socialize dogs.
2. Stacy Miller, a client of The Traveling Leash and Playtime Doggy Daycare, crated the family’s boxer, Max, when they first brought him home as a puppy.
3. The crate was Max’s special place,” Miller said.
4. As a puppy, he could get into things that would be dangerous for him and we couldn’t always be there to rescue him.” An X-pen attached to the crate gave Max more space when home alone for longer periods of time.

On weekdays a dog walker from The Traveling Leash took Max on fun adventures, which helped break up his day. Being confined to a crate kept puppy Max safe when home alone. Crating Doesn’t Have to be Forever Behavioral experts at the HSUS recommend crating dogs until they are housebroken and can be trusted not to destroy the house, and after that leaving the crates around as a place where dogs can go voluntarily.

1. We have some dogs at Suruluna who feel safe in their crates,” Cilento said.
2. We leave the crates open so the dogs have access whenever they want to relax.” Now that Max is housebroken and has gotten past his puppyhood, he also has more freedom.
3. His weekdays are divided between playing with friends at doggy daycare and mid-day walks around the neighborhood.

When home alone doggy gates keep him from entering rooms where he might get into trouble. His crate is set up in the living room with the door open. Max often chooses the comfort of his “den” where he snuggles into soft blankets surrounded by favorite toys rather than laying on the couch. Max enjoys lounging out in his crate when he wants some down time. Photo courtesy of Stacy Miller This positive association is key when it comes to successful crate training, Cilento said. “The biggest mistake people make when training their dogs is using the crate as punishment,” Cilento added.

• When the dog does something wrong, they yell and put him straight into the crate.
• That’s the worst thing you can do because the dog will then have a negative association with the crate.
• Instead, Cilento said, every time you ask your dog to go in the crate give him or her a favorite toy or treat so the dog sees it as a happy place.

There Are Many Benefits to Crating Dogs In addition to helping teach dogs to do their business outside, crating:

Provides fearful dogs with the opportunity to retreat to a safe place when they need to be alone. Offers a space for exuberant dogs to calm down and relax. Gives dogs in families with young children a place to go for some peace and quiet when things get a little hectic. It’s a wonderful choice for dogs who are nervous or over-aroused during holiday parties or other family functions.

Brandy, who is available for adoption at Suruluna, loves to retreat to her crate when she wants to nap. Photo courtesy of Suruluna Crating is Not For Every Dog Trainers caution that crating is not a good training tool for every dog. For example, dogs who suffer from separation anxiety don’t do well confined.

• Many will do almost anything to break out of the crate and can injure themselves.
• In these cases, owners may need to seek the help of a veterinarian or behavior specialist.
• What if You Really Don’t Want to Use a Crate? Dog owners who are frustrated with home destruction or house soiling, but are uncomfortable with crating can attach an X-pen to an open crate to give more space.

Dogs could also be confined to a small safe space in the home with puppy pads used to protect the floors. While providing more space for a puppy will prolong the housetraining process, Cilento said that almost all dogs eventually learn to do their business outside.

• However, it is much easier to prevent accidents in the home by temporarily keeping a dog confined to a crate than having to correct the dog if he does have an accident in the house,” Cilento said.
• Set Your Dog Up for Success When not used correctly, a crate can make a dog feel trapped and frustrated.

Following are tips from the HSUS on how to set your dog up for success when crating:

Don’t leave your dog in the crate too long. A dog that’s crated all day and night doesn’t get enough exercise or human interaction and can become depressed or anxious. When crating your dog you may have to change your schedule, hire a dog walker or take your dog to a daycare facility to reduce the amount of time they spend in their crate each day. Puppies under 6 months of age shouldn’t stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time. They can’t control their bladders and bowels for that long. The same goes for adult dogs being house trained. Physically, an older dog can hold it, but they don’t know they’re supposed to. The crate should be large enough for dogs to stand up and turn around. If your dog is still growing, choose a crate size that will accommodate their adult size. Block off the excess crate space so your dog can’t eliminate at one end and retreat to the other.

More information on crate training can be found at Crate Training 101 and Crate Training: the Benefits for You and Your Dog

Do dogs get sad when caged?

Most people don’t realize that animals who are caged for extended periods of time often become aggressive, withdrawn, hyperactive, and/or severely depressed, and they can also develop other problems, such as eating disorders. Crating for extended periods of time prevents dogs from fulfilling some of their most basic needs, including walking around, relieving themselves, and stretching.

There are numerous humane alternatives to crating for people whose schedules force them to leave their canine companions at home during the workday, including humane training, which teaches guardians effective ways to communicate with their animal companions. It is also vital that dogs get plenty of exercise, preferably in the morning (at least 45 minutes for a young dog)—tired dogs want to sleep, not “redecorate” the living room.

Dogs should get at least one long walk every day, as well as several shorter walks and vigorous play sessions. Dogs should not be expected to “hold it” all day while their guardians are at work. If you cannot return home during the day to provide a bathroom break for your dog, we recommend hiring a reputable dog-walking or pet-sitting service or asking a reliable friend or neighbor to take your dog out for a midday walk.

Are dogs sad in cage?

Here’s why you should crate train your dog – Crate training is one of the fundamental components of developing a balanced, well-behaved dog. Dogs who are crate trained feel comfortable and relaxed having a secure den-like space of their own. Some people feel that a dog would be sad in a crate, or think it’s like prison.

But the truth is that most dogs who are left out of the crate are far more anxious and stressed out. They’re circulating around the house looking for ways to soothe themselves and cope with the stress – often by barking, chewing your things, or destroying your home. Maybe you’re thinking, “But my dog is not doing anything wrong when I’m gone.

They just lay on the _ (rug, dog bed, sofa, my bed) until I get home from work, so why do they need to be in a crate? First of all, free roaming is a huge privilege that needs to be earned. Being loose can be a great reward after establishing a habit of fantastic behaviour and teaching your dog how to be calm.

• On the other hand, free-roaming can be overwhelming to some dogs who don’t know what to do with themselves, and try to cope by getting into mischief.
• Permission-based training is all about creating healthier patterns and using what’s in your environment to help your dog learn how to behave well and to cope in the human world.

A crate is an important tool to do that. Crate training is a big component of teaching a dog to be calm on command. Most of the dogs who come in for training have been practicing anxious, nervous, fearful reactions, &/or bossy, pushy, bratty behaviours.

1. Crate training helps to resolve all of these – not alone – but as one key component of creating structure and not allowing the dog to practice unwanted behaviours in your absence.
2. It’s about the whole dog and changing the big picture for the better.
3. Arousal (a dog moving from a neutral, calm state into an intense readiness for fight, flight or over-excitement in the desire for something) is the main thing we want to reduce or remove in order to begin helping dogs.

We do this by first changing their state of mind because a dog who is completely fixated on something else cannot possibly learn something new. What is one of the key ways to begin addressing arousal? Crate training. Teaching a dog to be calm on their own and to enter and exit the crate calmly and politely only when invited is one of the foundational exercises to begin creating a more respectful, tuned-in dog who is looking to you for direction and permission, rather than continuing to make poor choices or ignoring your guidance.

Free-roaming gives your dog opportunities to make poor choices based on impulse, so your dog should be in their crate whenever you are sleeping, away from home, or cannot actively participate in or monitor your dog’s activity. If your dog hasn’t earned your complete trust to have free roam of your home, then s/he needs to be crated. If you don’t crate train your dog, you’re setting your dog up to fail. Crate training means that in your absence, your dog can’t make mistakes. This is setting your dog up for success. This is being proactive instead of reactive. While safely in their crate, your dog won’t be able to practice bad habits, like stressing out, soiling your carpet, barking at the windows, pestering your other dog, fence fighting with the neighbour’s dog, chasing your cat, or destroying your plants, your home, or other treasures while you’re out. Stop bad habits from being practiced, or better yet, prevent bad habits from forming in the first place by using a crate. Leaving your dog to their own devices when you’re not around can undo the training you’ve been working on. The best way to ensure that your dog’s state of mind and good habits remain the same way you left them is by using a crate. The crate is NEVER to be used as punishment for bad behaviour for two reasons. a) the concept of ‘time out’ does not work as an effective punishment for dogs. If your dog chewed your shoes, putting your dog in a crate does nothing to teach your dog not to destroy shoes in the future. b) you want your dog to associate being in the crate with being calm, peaceful, and relaxed, rather than being associated with your anger, frustration or disapproval. Feeding your dog in the crate helps to build their good associations with the space so they are more likely to enjoy their time in their kennel. The crate is a great option for your dog to have a safe, quiet space during parties, or whenever they need a rest. It’s not just for when you’re not home. A crate is a key tool in potty training. A dog is far less likely to go to the washroom in a crate. It is essential that the crate is not too large for this method to be effective. The crate must be big enough for the dog to lay down comfortably, turn around and sit up without their head touching the top. Like kids, puppies need lots of naps, or they can behave badly due to being over-tired. Crate training is an essential part of eliminating and preventing separation anxiety, Instead of letting your dog follow you around, pester you for attention, or continue to practice bad habits in your absence without being held accountable, practice teaching your dog calmness during rest periods when you’re home, so your dog builds the habit of remaining calm in the crate when you’re home – and then when you’re out. If you work long hours, you can hire a dog walker to exercise your dog and get your dog out for a potty break. Crate training builds patience, impulse control and is a key part of the non-negotiable rules and routine of daily life. It’s a great place to rest quietly between training sessions to process the information they just learned. The crate gives dogs a place to unwind. It’s not healthy or normal to remain in an adrenalized, stressful state, Dogs need down time too. Being crate trained ensures that your dog remains safe and can’t destroy anything in your home, or chew/swallow anything that may harm them (electrical cords, small objects, poisonous cleansers, your favourite items, etc.) while you are unavailable to supervise. Your dog could ingest something dangerous which could cost you a lot of money, which could make your dog very sick or even kill your dog.

Even if your dog is house trained and can reliably be trusted not to destroy things in your absence, a crate is an essential tool to help your dog if your dog is pushy, bratty, nervous, aggressive, anxious or stressed. All of the dogs boarding & training with us eat and sleep in a crate or kennel.

When dogs aren’t actively training, they are in command – on their place cot or bed, in a down-stay, or in their crate. This kind of structure is so therapeutic to dogs, It helps them to feel safe and calm because they clearly know exactly what they should be doing, rather than stressing out or making poor choices.

Crate training is a key tool in teaching dogs to be calm. It becomes a habit the more it is practiced. Calm, well-behaved dogs get included in more aspects of daily life. So, keep your dog safe and help them succeed by using a crate.

Can I use my dogs kennel as time out?

An Effective and Humane Way to Change Behavior – Our training focuses primarily on teaching dogs what we want them to do. We work to place heavy value on sits, downs, stays, come when called and other behaviors we want the dog to perform reliably. There are instances where ignoring a behavior we don’t like will reduce and eliminate that behavior, especially when the behavior involves a resource we can easily control; food, toys, attention, petting, etc.

1. However, when the behaviors we want to reduce are self-reinforcing, meaning that it just feels good for the dog to do it (i.e.
2. Barking, digging, shredding), they become more challenging to eliminate by just ignoring them.
3. First: Manage the Environment or Control the Resource Barking can be a self-reinforcing behavior – it just feels good to bark! You cannot control the stimuli happening outside your home that is causing your dog to bark, but perhaps you can manage the environment by moving furniture or closing the door to a room to prevent the dog from having access to that window.

If your dog is barking at you because she wants something like her food bowl, a treat, or for you to throw the ball, then refrain from giving her what she wants until she is quiet for a minimum of 5 seconds. When is it time for the Time Out Protocol? When you have done everything you can to manage the environment and control the resources your dog wants, but the barking is not decreasing.

• Time Out Protocol This time-out protocol has been used effectively by us and many of our clients to reduce and eliminate barking.
• The protocol utilizes a simple principle; removing the dog from the environment and access to you for a short time in response to an unwanted behavior.
• A well-timed Time Out provides clear information to your dog that barking is not an acceptable behavior and results in a consequence.

Consistency is key! In Operant Conditioning there is something called Negative Punishment. Yes, we said punishment. Negative in this case means the removal of something, think mathematically, not morally. Punishment, meaning you want less of a behavior, in this case we want less barking.

• Negative Punishment means the removal of something the dog wants in response to a behavior we want to decrease.
• Steps to the Time Out: 1) You’ll need two clear verbal commands.
• Mine are “Quiet” and “Too Bad” for barking.
• Any two words will work, but you must be crystal clear and you must be consistent.

You’ll need a crate or small room (bathroom or laundry room) to confine the dog for the time out. The more boring the space is the better. When you begin this procedure be sure that you are able to follow through every time.2) As soon as your dog begins barking, say your first command “Quiet!”.

1. Don’t expect any reaction from your dog yet.
2. When the dog continues barking, say your second command “Too Bad!” and immediately and matter of factly take her by her collar and lead her to her crate/confinement room, and no, it will not make the crate or room a bad place, nor will she be afraid of it.

(More on this below).3) She will remain in the crate for a 30 second to 2 minute Time Out and you will only let her out of the crate once she has been quiet for about 30 seconds.4) When she starts barking again repeat the sequence. Say your first command “Quiet!” followed by your second command “Too Bad!”, followed by crating her for at least one minute or when she has been quiet for about 30 seconds.) After four to six repetitions, your dog will begin to recognize the cue sequence and may stop barking when she hears “Quiet!”, she may drop her head or turn to look at you.

• Be observant and be ready for her to stop barking.
• When she does stop barking, be prepared to heavily reinforce her with delicious treats, lots of toys and lots of praise, for-being-quiet! This is the moment you’ve been working for – don’t miss it! 5) Be prepared to repeat this sequence for several days until the barking has completely stopped.

This approach works, but you must be consistent and clear. In short, this protocol is providing a consequence that is negative from the dog’s perspective (loss of access to you and the environment) as the result of a behavior we want to reduce and eliminate (barking).

Won’t Using the Crate as Punishment Make it a Bad Place? We absolutely agree that when you are firs t introducing your dog to a crate it is critical to keep the association with the crate happy and positive, but once your dog is acclimated to the crate, it is an incredibly effective tool to provide a Time Out.

If something scary happens to your dog while she is in the crate (i.e. you hit the side of the crate with a baseball bat – please don’t do that) then through the principles of Classical Conditioning we risk making the crate a bad and scary place, but using the crate for a simple 1-2 minute time out will not have this same effect.

The assumption here is that your dog is not having any adverse reaction to the crate to begin with. If your dog is panicky, fearful, anxious or demonstrating other questionable behaviors when it comes to the crate, then please contact us for advice on whether or not this protocol is right for your dog.

How Do I Know if it’s Working? With most dogs, we start to see that the dog has a recognition response to the first cue, “Quiet” after 4-6 repetitions. Meaning the dog may stop barking or at least hesitate for a second or two. This is progress! Keep up the consistency and soon you may just have to use your warning cue to get the dog to stop barking.

Once you have established an effective way to interrupt the behavior, you should start to see an overall decrease in the frequency of the behavior as long as you remain consistent about interrupting it. If you have repeated the Time Out Protocol consistently over a period of time with no noticeable decrease in the behavior or recognition response to your verbal warning cue then please contact us for assistance.

The purpose of punishment is to decrease behavior so if the behavior is not decreasing, we may need to make adjustments or try something else. Don’t Ignore the Quiet! When your dog responds to the first cue by stopping her barking, provide your dog with generous treat reinforcement to let her know that she made the RIGHT choice! This is the moment you have been working towards – don’t miss it! The protocol will not be effective unless you reinforce your dog for making the correct choice.

Why is my dog so sad after boarding?

5. My pet is clingy and won’t leave me alone. He even gets upset if I leave the room. What can I do? – Many animals suffer from a little separation anxiety when they are left in boarding and it isn’t at all unusual to find that your pet is more than a little clingy when you first bring him home.

• Chances are that your pet is just feeling the effects of separation anxiety and wants to spend as much time with you as possible once he comes home.
• With a lot of love and reassurance he will soon adjust.
• It is best to go back to your usual routine as quickly as possible so that you don’t set up any unrealistic expectations for how much time you will be able to spend with him normally day to day.

If your pet has recently stayed with us at Friendship Veterinary Hopsital for boarding and you are concerned about anything relating to his or her behavior or health, or if he or she has not yet boarded but you have questions about what to expect, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment by contacting our veterinary hospital in Fort Walton Beach, FL today at 850-810-0700.

Is it OK to crate a dog for 12 hours?

What is the maximum time you can crate a dog for? – There is no definite time limit to how long you can crate a dog for. Of course, if he has an accident in the crate, you had him in there for too long. It is important to distinguish between occasional longer crate times and kenneling your dog for endless hours on a daily basis.

• If you have a family emergency and need to leave your dog in a crate for 12 hours, he will be just fine.
• However, if you plan to do this as a general management every weekday as you are at work, this is too long! The same applies for car rides.
• In a car your dog is safest if he rides in a crate.
• One or two long days of driving across the country will not be a problem.

However, if you want to crate your dog for 10 hours each day while he is at home – this is not going to go well.

Should dogs be Kenneled at night?

Sharing Your Bed – Some believe that when a, it’s their way of asserting their dominance and claiming the title of pack leader. However, our canine companions are not that devious and actually just enjoy being close to you and using your body heat to keep themselves warm. However, there are a few downsides to letting Fido sleep in your bed with you that should not be overlooked:

If you’re a light sleeper, then your furry friend could be preventing you from getting a good night’s rest. This is because canines don’t usually sleep all the way through the night., shift, readjust, get off and back on the bed, and sometimes if it’s too warm, they pant. If you have a younger pup that likes to roam the house in the middle of the night to amuse themselves, then they should be crated. Dogs who aren’t house trained should also be crated and should definitely not be allowed to sleep in your bed as you could wake up to an awful accident in the middle of the night.

However, if you have a well-trained dog and you sleep just fine with them on your bed, they should be fine. To make sure that Fido doesn’t annoy you by taking up too much space or restricting your movement in your sleep, you should teach them where their specific spot in the bed is.

How long can a dog be Kenneled overnight?

Q: I keep hearing about how dog crates are so great, but I wouldn’t want to sit around in a cage, so why would I want to put my dog in one? A: Prison or cozy retreat? It all depends on perspective and on how you use the crate. Dogs have a natural denning instinct, normally preferring safe, enclosed quarters for their naps.

In the wild, a den is a secure place to get some shut-eye without becoming someone else’s meal. If a dog is properly introduced to a crate as a young pup he will view it as a safe refuge from the hustle and bustle of the house (and away from any pesky children!)—a place for peace and quiet and serious snoozing.

When wild dogs aren’t looking for food, trying to mate, or taking care of young, they are resting up to save energy for those key, life-sustaining activities. Most domestic dog owners are surprised to learn that wild dogs spend up to 16 hours a day sleeping! Rest periods in snug quarters are a natural part of caring for our dogs’ needs. But dogs have many other needs that crates interfere with. Dogs are social animals; they require interaction with other dogs or people. They also need exercise, mental stimulation, and appropriate “potty” opportunities. So, while some time spent in a crate is usually a positive element of dog rearing, too much time spent in a crate can have disastrous consequences.

Choosing a crate Crates come in a variety of sizes and materials. The two most common models are plastic, such as those required for airplane transport, and collapsible metal wire crates. Provided they are of adequate size (see below), either model will serve equally well as dual-purpose den and training tool.

Is Your Dog Ready To Stop Using Their Crate?

The bottom can be covered with a blanket or thick towel for warmth and comfort. Fleece-covered foam dog beds make for an even cozier cave, but can only be used with non-destructive types; “piranha” puppies will make a mess out of them! Plastic crates are often preferable for small breeds since they are compact enough to use in the car, and can be opened (most models split into a top and bottom half) and used as snug, high-sided doggie beds once the little one is fully housetrained.

• Collapsible metal crates are often more practical for large breeds since they can more easily be sectioned off into appropriately-sized spaces during housetraining, and are easier to store.
• But if you ever plan to travel by air with your dog, you will need an approved, hard-sided plastic crate regardless.) A great metal crate we’ve found is the Revol from Diggs, which collapses easily, has a puppy divider for smaller dogs and (most importantly) a removeable bottom tray, because no one likes to spend their vacation dealing with a difficult mess.

Any small safe space, such as a beanbag chair tucked away in a corner with a low ceiling or a comfy duvet bunched up between your desk and the wall, can function as a cozy den for the fully housetrained dog with no behavioural “issues” necessitating confinement when unsupervised.

The crate as housetraining tool Crates are virtually essential for any dog that isn’t yet housetrained. When of appropriate size, it serves as a comfortable, den-like bedroom, something almost all dogs naturally want to keep free of urine and feces. Any crate you use, for whatever purposes, must always be large enough for the puppy or dog to stand up without having to hunch, to lie on his side with legs outstretched, and turn around with ease.

But a crate used for housetraining should be no bigger than this, or the dog will have space enough for both a bedroom and a bathroom. If the crate is of the right size, the dog is pretty well guaranteed to want to take a pee (and maybe a poop as well) when he comes out; so a swift trip outdoors will give him the opportunity to practise doing his business in the right place.

In turn, this gives you the opportunity to congratulate him with a walk, game or treat—the perfect housetraining scenario. Used properly, a crate can theoretically lead to a puppy never having an “accident” in the house! For older dogs who may have poor bladder control, make sure you cover your crate mat or bed with an easy-to-clean cover (try 4Knines Waterproof dog bed liner ) to protect against mold and ensure the crate is always a clean and comfortable space for your dog to be in.

The crate as chewtoy habit facilitator Chewtoy (not shoetoy) fixations are good. And the crate is a fabulous tool for turning any dog into a chewtoy addict. A food-stuffed chewtoy such as a Kong, or a Nylabone with some drilled holes filled with wet dog food, low-fat cream cheese or any other wholesome filling, or a filled kibble dispenser will keep a pup busy for hours.

• If he isn’t ready for a nap when you put him in, he will be after working away on a well-stuffed chewtoy for a while.
• Chewtoys keep dogs physically and mentally stimulated and are a wonderful substitute for hunting.
• Or if you want to tire out your puppy more before the crate nap, try running through some quick training exercises and using a more vigorous playtime as a training reward,

Remember: those wild dogs sleep up to 16 hours a day because they are working really hard during the other 8 hours! Give your dog lots of chewtoy hunting projects—a tired dog is a happy dog. (But be sure to decrease regular mealtime calories accordingly.) The crate and the time-out Yes, you can use a crate for time-outs without causing “crate-hate.” Do you like your bedroom? Sure you do—even if you don’t want to be there on a Friday night.

• Your dog can like his crate too, even if he doesn’t want to be there while scheming to scam some chicken off the dining room table.
• Crates are okay for time-outs, because it isn’t the crate that is punishing it is the loss of freedom in the middle of fun times that is punishing (see my Summer 2004 article for more on rewards and punishment).

The same reasoning extends to children: they can be sent to their room as a consequence for misbehaviour without learning to fear or hate their room. Your dog will only become afraid of his crate if bad things happen while he is in there—so never scold him while he is inside. The crate as management tool The crates is also a terrific tool for the overall management of dogs. Trainers will often divide the plan for fixing a behaviour problem into two components, training and management. Training is where you actively work on correcting a problem—like teaching Lola to sit to greet guests at the door instead of jumping up or goosing them.

Management is where you avoid the situation altogether—like crating her with a stuffed chewtoy when the doorbell rings so that she is physically unable to jump on the pizza delivery man—because you are not ready for a training session at that particular moment. With young puppies we use the crate to manage a whole raft of anticipated problems, such as destructive chewing, nipping at young children, and housesoiling, when unable to supervise them properly.

While crated they may not be learning all of the good habits we want to teach them, but at least they aren’t reinforcing any bad ones. How long is too long? A good rule of thumb is that a dog can be crated overnight and for up to half the day, provided his social and physical needs are being met while not in the crate.

Young puppies need more frequent naps and much more frequent opportunities to “do their business” than adults. A good estimate of how long a pup can wait before needing to relieve himself is as many hours as he is months old, plus one. So a three-month-old pup can manage for about four hours. Overnight he can usually hold a bit longer, usually about 1.5 times the daytime maximum—about six hours for a three-month-old.

But don’t forget that puppies need to be thoroughly socialized before they are five months old—so those hours awake and out of the crate are very precious for socialization! How to introduce a dog to a crate Puppies are introduced to crates quite easily by tossing food-stuffed chewtoys inside when they are hungry and letting them work away while someone familiar is nearby.

Gradually they can be left on their own with the door closed, and many will readily go to their crate voluntarily for naps or in the hopes that a stuffed chewtoy will miraculously appear. Adult dogs without any crate experience can be trained to like a crate in the same manner, but it may take longer; and the guidance of a pet behaviour counsellor is sometimes required if the dog is anxious about entering.

A great trick for dogs of all ages is to lock dinner inside the crate until poochie is throwing a major tantrum wanting to go inside then you can open the door and let him in for a yummy meal. He probably won’t even notice when you close the door. What if he is whining to come out? The only whining that should successfully elicit crate door-opening services with a puppy is if puppy needs to pee.

1. If you aren’t sure, take puppy out of the crate very matter-of-factly and place him outside.
2. Carry the puppy instead of allowing him to meander at his own speed.) If he produces, it was legitimate.
3. If he doesn’t, he goes back in the crate for half an hour he was just whining to come out, and needs to learn another way of asking (like sitting quietly).

The other exception is if the puppy or dog has an anxiety problem such as fear of crates, separation anxiety, or fear of noise in the environment. If this is the case, seek the help of a professional trainer or behaviour counsellor. Otherwise, the rule of thumb for crate whiners or barkers is that they need to be quiet for at least three minutes straight before they get let out.