Crate Or Not To Crate

To Crate Or Not To Crate

I always promote crating of dogs. Why? For lots of reasons. From your dogs point of view it is more like the place they would choose for themselves. Dogs in the wild would sleep in a hollow in the ground or an outcrop of rock or anywhere where they would be protected on three sides (and above) with one side to look out of to see any approaching danger. Dogs will normally lie against or under something in the home. Crates (or cages) are invaluable. They are brilliant for travelling. They help enormously with stressed and anxious dogs. Both prevention and cure and also with house training. They are a sanctuary when the dog wants some peace and quiet away from the kids or visitors or to take refuge from thunder for example. It should never be used as a punishment or used for excessive lengths of time.  

Crate training can be done at any age, though it may take a little longer with an older dog. It has to be done gradually. The crate needs to be big enough for your dog to lie flat out in and high enough for it to stand or sit up in. It shouldn’t be too much bigger than this especially if it’s to help with house training. They are made from a variety of materials from metal and plastic to fabric ones. The crate needs to be away from draughts and out of direct sunlight and not against a radiator. It’s best to cover in up with a blanket or something leaving the front uncovered. You can move the crate from room to room Put the dog’s bed in there, make sure it’s his only bed, feed him in the crate and place his toys in there, just inside the door initially. Once he starts to go in to get his food etc you can gradually move them further in so he has to enter the crate. The door is left open at this stage. He will soon choose to go in there to sleep, when he is comfortable with this you can bolt the door quietly behind him when he is asleep. When he wakes don’t open the door immediately give him a second or two. Then, as long as he is comfortable with it leave it a little bit longer each time. You need to be in the same room as the dog initially so you are always there when he wakes. Then you can leave the room for a short time and working up to leaving the house for a minute or two, gradually increasing the time left, until he is happy and feels safe in there. 

Linda Bettles

Canine Behaviourist 

01296 733747 or 07749240471

lindashearman@btinternet.com

Linda kindly supports the dogs in the care of the Algernon Trust and also offers a private service to people in need of advice with their dogs.