by Susan Nichols

Created on: January 27, 2009

Crate training is not a cruel method of training whatsoever. If anything, it is one of the best forms of training if it is used properly. For example, sending a dog to his or her crate as a punishment is not at all the correct use, however, when you are going out somewhere without your best friend, or when you are going to bed, crating your dog can be one of the safest places for them. The crate provides a comfortable place for them to go where nothing can hurt them. It gives them time to sleep and relax and it is a place that is only for them. When a dog becomes more comfortable with their crate and they start to realize that it is not a bad place to go, many of them will actually choose to go to it when they are tired or not feeling well because they know that in there, they are "untouchable" and nothing can bother them. I have a lot of experience with dogs and I had my black lab trained by a professional. Before she was trained, she slept in a play pen, but she very quickly outgrew it. At that point the only thing to do was to buy her a crate to sleep in because without being restricted to a certain space, she felt that it was okay to destroy everything in sight., which not only is bad for me, but could potentially harm her as well. When we first got her crate she actually liked it a lot more than I had expected her to. Some dogs will cry constantly in their crate and many people let them out at the first cry, however, this is the opposite of what should be done. If you're going to crate train your dog properly, you have to let him cry without letting him out of the crate and without giving ANY kind of attention, until he stops. He should remain silent for about 5 minutes before you let him out. When you do decide it's time for him to come out, DO NOT let him run out. You make him sit first, open the door, and he should remain sitting until you release him. This shows your dominance over him and gives you control. Letting a dog run out of their crate or go out of a door before you gives them power over you. Crate training has helped alot of people and can save your dog as well. In a crate, there is no way they can get into anything that may hurt them. Most dogs only need to be crate trained for the first year or so of their life. Once they learn what they are and are not allowed to do in the house, crate training is not as much necessary. Although crate training is a great method of training, you don't want to over-do it either. If you or someone else is home and able to watch your dog, you shouldn't crate them. They still have a lot of energy they need to get out and crate training should only be when you are unable to give them the attention they require in order to stay safe.

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