Crating Your Dog
Why crate training isn't mean
Crating your dog is not mean. You are not punishing them. You are not abusing them. You are not even neglecting them.
A crate is a bedroom (or bed) for your puppy. No, it's not big and spacious like your bedroom may be. It's nice and
cozy and warm--just the way they like it. It's a den; someplace to curl up, tuck in their nose and take a nice little snooze.
It's a place to get away from the world if it gets overwhelming.
A crate is a good help in housebreaking. It's a way of helping the puppy learn self control. You put a baby in their crib to
take a nap. A crate is a good place for a puppy to be when they need a nap or break. It's a playpen when you can't
watch the puppy. And it's something you can replace with a bed (if you want), once the puppy is housebroken.
A crate is a good place to put your dog when traveling--like a car seat. You can strap it in and know that you can safely
drive wherever you need to go, knowing that your dog is safe and secure and not a distraction for you while driving.
You do not want to put food or water in the crate (unless you are traveling). It's a bedroom, not a bathroom and putting
food in there will create a bathroom situation. If you are going to be gone for long periods of the day, it's better to put up
a baby gate across a doorway and confine the puppy to a small area of the house in order to contain the messes. This
way the puppy is on an easy-to-clean floor and with a baby gate can see outside of the room.
As long as the crate is not used as punishment, your dog will love having their own little bedroom. Crates are not meant to
be long-term holding areas, but for a break, a ride, or temporary housebreaking helps.