We consider crate training to be an important, almost essential part of a dog’s training. Crate training has many, many benefits. Yes, you should create train your dog. Crate training is a very effective training tool that is good for both you, and your dog.
Why should I crate train my dog?
So, when I started wondering if I should crate train my puppy, I started doing research – a lot of it. I was trying to stop my dog from barking at night, and quickly realised that crate training was the only option. By crate training, I could create a safe space for my dog that also stopped her from running around the house, trying to ‘protect’.
The benefits of crate training
There are many benefits to crate training, let’s break them down.
Toilet training
When properly crate trained, a dog will consider their crate to be their ‘den’ or their home. As a result, they’ll want to keep their home clean and comfortable, and be less inclined to urinate or defecate in there. It is important to ensure that your dog has a lot of opportunities to go to the toilet before you put it in the crate, especially after meal times, after playing, and after a long day indoors. Puppies are unable to control their bladders until they get trained so this is particularly important when crate training a puppy.
Creating a safe space
If your dog is alert, in protection mode, is tired or stressed in any other way, a crate can be your dog’s safe space – filled with a comfortable place to sleep, familiar smells and favourite toys. When used carefully, a crate can also be a safe way to keep your dog away from trouble while you are out of the house for a short period time.
Safe transport
A correctly sized and equipped crate is a safe way to transport your dog. It is important to ensure that the crate isn’t too large, and that everything in crate is safe and soft so that you dog isn’t harmed by objects flying around.
Where to buy a crate for my dog
Crate training is very popular, and as a result a crate for your dog can almost certainly be found at your nearest pet store. Crates can also be found through retailers like Amazon. A crate will cost approximately $25 depending on the size and quality. A wire crate is the cheapest dog crate option and will be great for most dogs and owners. If used carefully, a wire crate should last the lifetime of the dog, even with daily use and frequent travel.
