T o get yourself in the right frame of mind to crate train you dog, it’s important to think about a dog’s ancestry. Dogs are descendants of wolves. Wolves sleep in dens. By nature, dogs feel secure in a crate because it is like a den.

Why should you crate train?
1. To give your dog a safe place to retreat when he is feeling overwhelmed
2. To save yourself the aggravation of your dog’s destructive behaviors (chewing, barking, digging, etc)
3. To help facilitate housetraining (see housetraining your dog or puppy for information on how to use the crate for this purpose)
4. To make travel easier by giving you a means to confine your dog and giving your dog a familiar place to rest in an unfamiliar situation

To successfully crate train a dog or puppy, you must rely on positive reinforcement. Be sure your dog associates only positive experiences with crate training.

While some dogs will love their crate right away, others may need some persuasion. For dogs that are particularly reluctant, you should start with the basics. Find a crate that has a removable top (most plastic airline crates come apart in this way). Take the top off of the crate and put it aside for later use. Begin by feeding your dog all of her meals in the half-crate. Make her a comfortable bed in it and keep her favorite toys inside. Reward her when she ventures inside. Associate a command with the reward. Some common commands are “load” or “kennel”. Use irresistible treats or whatever reward she responds to best. Over a period of time, your dog will become comfortable with this arrangement. It could take days or weeks. Be patient.

Eventually you will be able to attach the top of the crate. However, do not attach the door. Continue the routine of feeding, rewarding and praising. Leave a blanket or other bedding in the crate so your dog will find it a comfortable and inviting place to sleep. You may be surprised that Fido will begin going into the crate unprompted. This is a good clue that you can make some trial runs at closing the door.

Make these short trials. Once he’s inside, treat him and close the door. Leave the room for just a few minutes. If he starts to whine or bark, refrain from going back or even talking to him (don’t even say, “Be quiet” – this is reinforcing an undesirable behavior) until he is quiet. As soon as Fido is quiet return to him, give lots of praise and rewards. You can begin extending the time he spends in the crate. He’ll see that you’ll always come back.

Some dogs may panic when confined. If this happens simply stop the trial and start the process over from the last place the dog was comfortable.

Many dogs will take much less persuasion. Some basic positive reinforcement should do the trick.

Here are some tips for making the crate experience positive for any dog:
1. Freeze beef broth in an ice cube tray and put a few cubes in the crate for Spot to lick while confined. Yummy for him, easy for you!
2. Purchase a hollow toy from your pet supply store. Fill it with peanut butter. She will entertain herself for hours trying to lick all of that sticky goodness out of the toy. Be sure that the toy is meant for this purpose.
3. Throw a favorite toy into the crate. TIP: Avoid rawhides. They can be a choking hazard and should only be offered when you are there watching so that you can take away small the chunks.
4. Leave on some soothing music.
5. Try aromatherapy – something soothing like lavender. Talk to your veterinarian or pet supply store about options.
6. Make sure the crate is just big enough for your dog to sit up and turn around – this is especially important when housetraining.
7. Keep the crate in a quiet part of the house so that it can be used as a safe haven when your dog needs a break.

Before long you may notice that your dog will voluntarily go her crate for a “time out”. She will feel secure in her crate when the house is too noisy or when she’s tired. Congratulations! You’ve successfully crate trained your dog.