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Ask Yvette

Dear Yvette,

We have a puppy and have been told to crate her. Is this a good idea? It looks so uncomfortable and I want our puppy to have the freedom to enjoy our home.

Adel

Personally, I am a fan of crate training if it is done with certain conditions. Obviously, no dog should spend their whole day inside a crate. They do need time to exercise and be with families. The crate should be large enough that the animal is comfortable.

The eventual goal should be that the dog does not require the crate. But they should love the space in case its use is very required.

There are many reasons you should consider crate training your puppy, and they go far beyond simple convenience.

The primary reason to use a crate is for house training. Most dogs do not like to eat or sleep where they eliminate. If the crate is an appropriate size, the puppy will hold their bladder until let out. Of course, you do need to pay attention to the age of the puppy. It is not fair to ask a dog to hold it longer than they are capable. If you anticipate that your puppy will require a larger area in the near future, there are crates that come with dividers. These can be removed to provide additional space as the dog grows.

Safety is another reason to consider this tool. Puppies and young dogs use their mouth to explore the world. This can include chewing electrical cords or walls. Dogs seem to find trouble if unsupervised. When you cannot supervise a yet untrained dog, you have a safe zone to place them into. Think of it as a playpen for puppies. Make sure you have a safe and fun busy toy, and your puppy can start to love the experience.

Teething is an ongoing process. Just because you think you have passed this phase, it does not mean a second is not on the way. Dogs typically go through a second destructive phase during adolescence. Unaware owners get rid of the crate thinking their dog is trained. Then overnight they find their angel has turned into a little devil. They come home to a destroyed house. Once a dog has learned that shredding bedding is fun, you cannot erase that from their mind. Trust is earned.

Crates can also be used for travel. They can provide a safe zone for travel in a vehicle. They can also be used in hotel rooms. The dog has a place they are used to.

Finally, there is a very important reason to crate. Although you hope your puppy never becomes ill or injured, it can happen. If your dog breaks a leg or has to spend time at the veterinary clinic, you want them accustomed to a kennel. Do you really want your dog thrashing about in a kennel when they are ill or hurt? Plan for the worst. It may never happen, but when your veterinarian requests a month of crate rest, you will be glad you have a well trained dog.

The ultimate goal is to provide freedom. Make sure you give freedom in baby steps. See if your dog can handle being in one room for 15 minutes. Increase the time as your dog earns your trust. The weaning process shouldn't be until the dog has passed through adolescence.

But, should you set up a crate, you also want a dog that is happy to see a happy and safe environment. If you make their early experiences positive, this is possible for most dogs.

Yvette is an award winning pet writer and pet behavior columnist. She also is the author of Meeting Milo, a North American dog bite prevention program to reduce the approximately 2 million children bit by dogs annually. She is the owner of AwesomeDogs.ca and works as a behavior consultant in London, Ontario.

This column was originally featured in The Londoner
See more of Yvette... www.awesomedogs.ca
www.meetingmilo.com

Yvette has 2 dogs of her own, KIKI and KAYA. Take a look...

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