Crate Training
You want me to do what? Put my dog in a cage? How cruel? Cruel? NO. Done properly, crate training can be the answer to many problems faced by dogs and their owners.
First, what is a crate? A crate is an indoor dog house, with a door. It is big enough for your dog to easily stand up, turn around and lie down in. This "indoor dog house" is placed in a much used area of your house such as the living room or kitchen during the day. At night, the crate should be moved to an occupied corner of a bedroom. It can be made of plastic, wire, wood or a combination of all three. It is a place for your dog to relax in when no one is around to make sure Rover is staying out of trouble. It is your dog's space in your house. It is his bed (or room) and sanctuary; it is his.
Why crate train? Many people crate train their dog for the simple reason that the dog can do no wrong while he is in his crate. Your dog can't piddle on the rug or chew on the furniture. He learns to relax and go to sleep while you are away. This in effect is teaching him good habits...SLEEP while his family is away. And while he sleeps, you can go shopping or run errands and not have to worry about what kind of shape the house is going to be in when you get home. You put your dog in his crate, shut the door and leave for a few hours, knowing that when you return it will be a happy reunion and not a one-sided yelling match, with your dog cringing in the corner.
Won't my dog be cramped in such closed quarters? NO. Before putting your dog in his crate each day before you go to work, you will have made sure he has had a good exercise session with you. Remember, you won't be putting your dog there forever. Four or five hours while you go shopping, or overnight so you can sleep without having to worry about what your dog is doing is fine. He will not have to spend every day of life in his crate anyway. Just until he outgrows that puppy destructive stage, or until you teach him your household rules or until he adjusts to living with you (especially in the case if you have adopted a shelter dog). Your dog will actually enjoy being in his crate after you have taught him that it is his "room." For longer periods of time (generally anything over eight hours during the day), your adult dog should be confined to a larger area such as a completely enclosed dog run along side your house so he has the choice to eliminate if needed.
Then why crate train at all? Can't I just leave my dog in the yard all day?
Because dogs by nature are pack animals, they are very social. They prefer the company of others probably more so than humans do. They need to be in the house, even when you are not there or when you are sleeping. They need to feel that they are part of your family "pack" and that means being in the house (the pack's den), even though you may not be in the house. Depriving your dog of that feeling of "belonging" and of being a part of your family pack can do as much psychological damage as locking a child in the closet for most of the day. They become neurotic or psychotic.
But won't he get bored being locked up? NO. He will learn to just sleep while you are away. That's a lot better than leaving him out where he learns it is fun to chew on the door or piddle on the rug. A dog will sleep eighteen hours a day if you let him. And remember a dog's version of recreation while you are away often involves destroying your house or your yard. Also, it is not as if he must remain in his crate for the rest of his life; just until they get over the destructive period all dogs go through when they are young. Many dogs form habits, such as house soiling, that can easily be changed by crate training. If a dog has formed the habit of urinating or defecating in the house wherever and whenever he feels like it, then crate training can teach your dog to hold it until you provide him the opportunity to go out and to relieve himself. A normal, healthy dog will try very hard not to urinate or defecate in his crate.
How many months/years should I use the crate? It is highly recommended that any newly adopted adult dog be crate trained until he understands your household rules and has proven to be trustworthy when left alone for short time periods. For most newly acquired adult dogs, plan on using the crate regularly (when ever you are not home or can't directly supervise the dog) until the dog reaches at least 1 to 2 years of age or for a minimum of 8 consecutive months if the dog is past this age. For puppies, plan on using the crate for a minimum of 1 to 2 years to assure the dog has matured and grown out of the adolescent/destructive phase that ALL dogs go through. The crate can be used for the rest of the dog's life as well; the door tied open so the dog has the choice to use it or not.
What size should I get? Your dog's crate should be big enough for him to easily stand up, turn around and lie down in. If he piddles in one corner of the crate then just make it smaller by adding cardboard boxes, bricks or a wire barrier. As he gets the idea that the toilet is outdoors, then you can take the barriers out of crate and let him have a "king sized" room.
How much money are we talking about? It depends on the size of your dog and where you purchase the crate. Just remember though, a crate is something your dog will have the rest of his life. Also, compare the initial cost of a crate with the cost of destructive behavior. Shelling out sixty dollars for a new crate is nothing compared to buying new carpet or a sofa.
Once I have the crate, where do I put it? Your dog's crate should be placed in the most often used room in the house during the day. The living room, the family room, the kitchen, wherever your family spends the most time. At night, especially if you have a puppy, the crate should be moved to a corner of an occupied bedroom. This helps the puppy sleep at night (being in the same room with their "person"), helps the pup bond to the family and helps with house training as you will know when the pup needs to go outside.
