The best thing you can do for your dog is CRATE TRAIN them.
Crates seem to be a source of high controversy in the dog world, but they don’t have to be. They save lives, keep dogs safe, and allow owners to prevent bad behavior before it grows. What’s so controversial about that?
With a little consistency, time, and positive association, all dogs can learn to love their crate. Sort of like a crib for a baby, it will become a safe place for them to relax, be left alone, and a place where their expectations are clear: chill out and go to sleep, and mom or dad will come get you when they’re ready.
Ready to hear about the benefits? Here they are:
1: Safety while you’re gone.
It doesn’t matter how well-trained a dog is, or how well-behaved they usually are, ALL dogs are susceptible to environmental temptations, and if you’re not there to watch them, all it takes is one moment for disaster to strike. Whether it’s getting into cleaning supplies, ingesting something inedible, getting into the trash, or hurting themselves, the safest place for a dog to be when you’re not home is a crate.
2: Separation anxiety.
So many dogs struggle with anxiety when their owners leave, but a crate can help with that! Instead of letting your dog wander around the house and work up their anxiety physically, the crate can help show them a pattern of being put away and sleeping until you come back. They won’t be able to get destructive, and will be able to calmly wait for you to come back.
3: Injury.
Your dog might suffer an injury in which your vet recommends that they rest as much as possible. Maybe they pulled a muscle, broke a leg, have an open stitch from a surgery. The crate will be a place they already associate calmness, and it will be easy to keep them from further injuring themselves if they’re crate trained.
4: Overnight vet visits.
Even worse, there’s a chance your dog will need to stay with a vet overnight, and they WILL be crated at that time. Wouldn’t you rather the crate be a familiar place of comfort, not an additional stress?
5: House fires.
There’s a fire in your home. You either get evacuated, or you come home to it already burning. Your first thought is your dog. A firefighter asks if there’s anyone else in the home, and you immediately say, “Yes, my dog.” The firefighter asks where they are. Wouldn’t you rather be able to say, “They’re in the living room in the corner next to the kitchen in their crate,” and not, “I don’t know”?
People often think that dogs are safer loose because they’ll be able to run from natural (or manmade) disasters, but that is so rarely true. Most dogs will actually just run and hide. And the only thing worse than a dog trapped in a burning house is a dog trapped in a burning house and you can’t find them.
6: Evacuations.
In the event of a natural disaster requiring evacuation, many shelters or hotels will not open their doors to pets unless they’re crate-trained. With a crate-trained dog, you can assure any location that your dog will not be destructive or out of control, AND you can provide a familiar, calm place for your dog while you’re waiting to see if you can go home.
7: Managing multiple dogs.
It’s not normal for dogs to be together all the time. It doesn’t matter if they live together, or if they really like each other. Dogs need their own space and time to rest, relax, chew on their bones or treats in peace. Crates are a great way to give dogs their separate space.
Questions?
We are a dog training company located in the California Bay Area, and we want to help you! We work with all dogs, all breeds, all owners, and all behavioral problems. We can help you train recall, leash walking, obedience commands, in-home manners, puppy training, reactivity, and more!
You can fill out a form HERE OR contact us directly.
info@foundation-canine.com
510-936-0316
Happy training!
— The Foundation Canine team
