“Crate training” is the buzz-phrase for a very effective way to teach your dog household protocol. Confining the dog to the crate is how you’ll prevent your pup from messing on the rug or chewing the sofa, but that’s only half of the reason why crate training is so essential. The main reason is that real learning happens when the pup is allowed to be successful at the right things. There is no learning if he does his business in an inappropriate place (well, there’s learning, but not the right lesson!). You want the puppy to eliminate outside and to chew only what’s appropriate. The crate allows him to be successful at that.

            The crate isn’t a cage, nor is it a prison. It’s not a form of punishment, or a place to put the dog when he’s being pesky or inconvenient. On the contrary, the crate is a safe space designated specifically for the dog (not for the kids to play in or for extra storage). Dogs are denning animals that feel safe in small, dark places. With the proper training, the dog will become very attached to the crate, taking his toys inside, going inside for a nap even when you don’t ask him to, and hanging out inside when he’s feeling vulnerable, like during a thunderstorm or when a gaggle of children are chasing him and he has had enough. Dogs often choose an “underneath” place to rest – under the table, chairs, and bed – they like being enclosed. It makes them feel safe.

            Will you use the crate forever? Some people do and some don’t. If your dog becomes a trustworthy part of the family he can eventually roam the house (or part of the house) when you’re not home. But until then, the crate is an important training tool. 

Aside from the house training and behavioral reasons, there are other important reasons for crate training:

• Boarding. If you have to board your dog in a professional facility, or perhaps even at a friend’s home, you’ll want the dog to be used to a crate so that it doesn’t panic when confined. If the dog knows the crate well, it will transition more easily away from home.
• Plane Travel. The last thing you want when traveling is a whining, scratching, drooling, barking dog underneath your seat on an airplane or in the cargo hold. If the dog is used to the crate, he will generally settle down easily and take the trip in stride.
• Car travel: Traveling in a car is safest when the dog is in a crate, not only for the dog, but for the passengers. If there is an accident, emergency personnel can more easily deal with a dog in a crate than one that’s roaming the inside of the car, possibly injured and afraid.