The crate or kennel is a valuable management tool to help train puppies and adult dogs. It can be used to prevent dogs and puppies from having opportunities to house soil, be destructive, or annoy family members at inappropriate times. A crate can also provide your dog with a safe place where he can go to be away from others, like small children that may annoy him. However crates are too often used as substitutes for, instead of as adjuncts to, proper training. Crating may prevent a behavior from occurring, but does not train the dog not to do it when given the opportunity. If crating time is excessive, your dog may not have sufficient time for exercise and social interaction with family members. Without this time, other problems may be created such as fearfulness of people and new things.
For a crate to be useful to you, you must train your dog to use it. The dog must think about the crate as a pleasant place, and be comfortable when left there. This cannot be done by just putting the dog in the crate and "letting him get used to it". You must acclimate your dog to the crate in a gradual way that is pleasant for him.
Acclimating a Puppy to a Crate
When selecting a crate for your puppy, choose one that allows your puppy to be comfortable while crated. He should be able to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably, shift position and stretch. If the crate is too large, the dog may not inhibit his elimination behavior as readily. If you have purchased a larger crate, in anticipation of your puppy's adult size, consider placing dividers into to make it smaller for now.
It is very important that the puppy's initial experiences with a crate be pleasant. Allow the pup to explore the crate. Toss toys and tidbits inside to encourage the pup to enter. Feed the pup in the crate at least some of the time. When your puppy will enter and exit the crate willingly, without reluctance, close the door for a few seconds or a minute and remain sitting close to the crate. Don't try to push this first confinement period to see how long he will tolerate it. Let the pup out and ignore him. Release from confinement should not result in a "big deal", as this will make it more likely the puppy will view being in the crate as less pleasant compared to being out of it. Take a break for a few minutes, and repeat the exercise again. Slowly increase the time your pup is in the crate with the door shut. If at any time the pup becomes agitated or fearful -- whining, whimpering, yelping, barking or trying to escape -- wait until he has momentarily stopped showing his distressed behavior then let him out. The next confinement should be shorter than the one that distressed him. Don't force the pup to be in the crate when he is distressed. You may want to work up to practicing when the family is eating dinner. Crating the pup during your dinner time prevents pestering and prevents the pup from getting into things because nobody is supervising him. Getting to this point may take several days. Sometimes placing the puppy's favorite blanket in the crate will make it more pleasant to him. If he doesn't have a favorite blanket, placing an old shirt or towel that has your scent on it into the crate may make it more familiar. Alternatively, the item could be draped over the crate rather than put inside it. Recognize that the puppy may destroy the item, so don't place anything in or near the crate that you aren't prepared to lose.
In the meantime, the pup can begin sleeping in the crate at night. It is crucial that the crate be located near or preferably in the bedroom so someone can hear him when he cries to be let outside. While some 8 to 10 week pups can sleep through the night, most cannot. The whole purpose of crate training will be defeated if the pup is not let out of the crate when she needs to eliminate. Even adult dogs should be crated close to the family in order to prevent crating from being perceived as social isolation. Some adult dogs who have no previous experience with a crate may become agitated and fearful if crated for too long. Being able to observe the dog while he is crated overnight will prevent the dog from being trapped in the crate and becoming increasingly upset.
Once your puppy is comfortably sleeping in the crate at night, she can be left alone during the day for short time periods while crated. The first few absences should be less than 30 minutes. It's not a bad idea to leave a tape recorder on at first so you will know if your dog is howling or barking. This behavior is a sign of fear or anxiety, and means that your puppy is not calm in the crate. Perhaps you tried to do too much too soon, or maybe the puppy had a previous bad experience in the crate. Try crating for shorter time periods.
If things go well, gradually increase the duration you are gone, but intersperse brief absences with longer ones. Continue to crate your puppy for a few minutes each day when you are home, so that crating does not always predict that you are leaving. You can leave your dog with a chewie or interactive toy when she is crated while alone.
Appropriate Limits for How Long and When a Dog Should be Crated
Dogs should never be left crated for longer than they can control their bladder or bowels. For young puppies, this may mean no more than a few hours at a time. Geriatric dogs also need to eliminate more frequently than they did as young adults. Many, but not all, young mature dogs may be able to be crated for an entire workday without a break. It is preferable however to give them a break if at all possible.
Young dogs especially need a lot of time for play, exercise and time with you. After being crated all day, they are ready to rock and roll when you arrive home from work, tired and wanting to relax. This is part of owning a dog! If you aren't willing to spend time playing with your dog or taking her for a walk, then you might want to reconsider whether a dog fits with your lifestyle. Don't allow yourself to get into the following trap: Your dog, after being crated all day, is rambunctious and unruly when you arrive home. You find this annoying, and put her back in the crate. You try releasing her a little later, and she is even worse than before because she is even more in need of exercise and play time.
Situations in Which a Crate is Not Appropriate
Dogs and puppies who display signs of separation anxiety almost always become worse the more they are confined. Manifestations of separation anxiety are:
- house soiling, destructiveness or vocalizing within the first 30 minutes after your departure.
- undesirable behaviors that occur consistently when the dog is alone and occur only when the dog is alone. Thus, the dog who steals food from the counter, gets in the trash, or tears up a book every now and then is probably not a separation anxiety problem.
- destructive behavior that is often directed at window coverings, door and window moldings, floor coverings in front of doors, or items with the owner's scent such as personal belongings, the TV remote or the couch cushions.
- following the owner from room to room, not wanting to be left in a room alone.
- frantic greetings upon the owner's return.
If your puppy doesn't seem to have a problem with separation anxiety, but does not tolerate crating, it may be due to other types of fears or anxieties. Dogs who have noise phobias, such as fear of thunder, often become very frantic if home alone in a crate when a storm occurs. Signs that your puppy has not been calm while crate include:
- damage to the crate from escape attempts.
- damage to surrounding objects, that the pup has been able to reach through the bars of a wire crate.
- wet chest fur from drooling or salivating or pools of saliva on the crate floor.
- urination or defecation in the crate.
- the puppy moving the crate from one location to another.
- excessive barking or howling recorded on audiotape.
If you think your puppy may have separation anxiety problems, or other fear related problems, ask a PETsMART trainer or your vet about various options for finding help.
How and When to Help the Puppy Make the Transition from Less Confinement to More Freedom in the House
It's very hard to give a general "rule of thumb" as to when a puppy is ready for more freedom. Certainly, she must be well house trained, and eliminating consistently outside (except of course when she is ill). Some dogs remain destructive when alone until they are two years of age, others can be trusted at a year or less. Most puppies really aren't ready to be trusted when home alone until they are at least six months of age. You wouldn't trust a toddler to be home alone and loose in the house, so you should view your puppy in much the same light.
Start with very brief absences with the puppy free in the house. With very little preparation, walk out the door and be gone for perhaps long enough to pick up your mail or a quart of milk from the store. Be sure to "puppy-proof" the house before you leave -- don't leave any particularly enticing items within easy reach. You may also want to "booby trap" things like the trash with something like a "Snappy TrainerTM". Another option is to close doors of certain rooms or set up some gates. If your five-minute absence results in any misbehavior, try a briefer absence. If, after several attempts, you come home to "messes", perhaps your puppy is not yet mature enough to be left alone loose in the house. It's also possible that your puppy may be displaying separation anxiety behavior which crating is only masking. A consultation with a qualified behavior consultant may be necessary to help you sort things out. However, if your brief absences are successful, gradually lengthen them. Avoid pushing your luck -- don't jump from your puppy being well-behaved for an hour to attempting to leave her free for an eight-hour workday! Continue working up to longer absences on a gradual basis.
