How to Crate Train a Rescue Dog

• Get a crate large enough for him to sit, lie down (full extension) and turn around. Match durability with your dog’s size.
• Encourage him to enter the crate on his own.
• Make it an inviting space with a bed/blanket, appropriate chew toys, treats.
• Go slow. In small increments, work up from a few minutes in the crate to longer periods.
• If your dog vocalizes or paws at the floor or is otherwise stressed, wait for the split second of calm before releasing so you reward calm behavior.

Tips:

• If your dog is stressed in his crate, go back to shorter increments of time and build from there.
• If he’s just not having it try a dog-proof room or area of the house and follow same steps.
• Some dogs do not like confinement even for the briefest of times. In those cases, consider a house sitter, small scale reputable daycare or reach out to a professional rewards-based trainer.

Dos

• Do find a long-lasting chew your dog loves: save it only for crate time.
• Do exercise your dog first: set him up for success to rest.
• Do put the crate in a low-traffic area for privacy and security.
• Do see if your dog likes a blanket/cover over the crate to help create a safe space.
• Do keep the door open all the time so he can go in at will and chill.
• Do provide water.

Don’ts

• Don’t go too fast. Allow your dog to ease into the idea at his pace.
• Don’t immediately confine for long periods.
• Don’t confine for longer than necessary. A full workday can be too much for any dog. See if a friend, neighbor or even qualified pet sitter can come give him a break.
• Don’t force him into the crate.
• Don’t use it as punishment. Ever.

How to Crate Train an Older Dog

Follow the same steps! Additional considerations should be given to padding and for space, particularly  if your dog has arthritis or is showing any signs of lameness and especially if symptomatic of canine cognitive dysfunction (doggy dementia). Always good to check in with your vet here.

How to Crate Train a Dog with Separation Anxiety

If your dog already suffers from separation anxiety, or the equivalent of human panic attacks, crates are not the answer. Separation anxiety is a serious issue that needs serious help: call in the pros. You can find a certified rewards based CSAT (Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer) trainer here.

Crates can be a dog’s den or his dungeon. Create positive associations and give your dog safety and security and yourself peace of mind.

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There is one benefit to crate training a new dog or puppy which may not be obvious, but for many dog guardians becomes the only reason: crates are instrumental in house training (potty training) dogs.

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Crate training your dog comes with ample benefits for the both of you, so let’s review the several varieties of dog crates on the market, and what each crate is best suited for!

5 Types of Dog Crates:

1. Plastic Portable Dog Carriers

Plastic dog crates like these are generally used for small to medium-sized dogs. They are typically made entirely of thick plastic, have a front-facing swinging door and a carrying handle on the top. This type of crate is helpful for dogs who are on the go with their owners. Portable and sturdy, these crates are good for car and plane travel. If you’re flying with your dog and you know he’ll need to go in the cargo hold, a strong-walled crate like this will offer the most protection.

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2. Folding Wire Dog Crates

Here is the ubiquitous dog kennel – the wire crate. Most are folding, so you can easily move them around the house or into the car. The upsides of these crates are that they come in all sizes, your dog has unrestricted view of the house from within, and they are easily cleaned. Putting a cushion or thick blanket down on the metal bottom tray makes it comfortable for your dog. A common issue with these crates is often they are too big for the dogs that use them. A roomy crate might just be big enough for your dog to eliminate on one end and curl up for bed on the other, foiling your housetraining initiatives.

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3. Soft-Sided Dog Crates

This type of dog kennel isn’t for every dog. They are usually made of canvas or nylon, and are therefore more destructible than wire or plastic crates. Dogs who like to scratch or chew at their confines are not good candidates for a soft crate; in general, WDJ doesn’t recommend soft crates for initial crate training. For already crate-trained or exceptionally calm dogs, a soft kennel is a comfortable, lightweight travel option for dogs of any size. WDJ reviewed the best soft-sided dog crates on the market– check it out to see if they’re right for your dog.

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4. Heavy-Duty Dog Crates

Whole Dog Journal does not see an immediate purpose for a “heavy duty” dog kennel, unless of course you need to crate the Hulk. This type of crate is commonly marketed for giant breed dogs, dogs who destroy their crates, or for master kennel escape artists. If this is the only kind of crate you’ve found that is large enough for your enormous dog, fine. If you think a heavy-duty crate is the right solution for a dog with crate anxiety – a dog who relentlessly chews the crate and tries to escape, who can’t hunker down and relax in confinement no matter what – you need to take a few steps back. Remember: the point of a crate is not to be a prison, but a havenfor your dog. If you need maximum security just to keep your dog inside a crate, your dog is not reaping the training benefits a crate is supposed to provide. Instead, some negative behaviors like house soiling may even worsen as the dog’s stress compounds.

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5. Furniture Dog Crates (sometimes called Fashion Crates)

This kind of crate is exactly what it sounds like: a dog kennel that doubles as home furniture. The most typical example of this crate is in the form of an end table or credenza. WDJ does not recommend these crates for dog training. They are not portable or easily cleanable, but they are quite expensive.  Yes, they look nice in the living room, but unless your dog is accustomed to sleeping in cabinets, we don’t recognize this type of dog kennel as an effective training tool.

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Do Dogs Like Kennels? Why Should You Crate Train?

The age-old theory is that dogs, having evolved to be “den” animals who seek the security of small, enclosed spaces to sleep and hide, will avoid pooping or peeing inside the crate because that would defy an instinct to keep their den clean. Dogs find comfort in having a crate of their own – when they have a positive association with the crate, it becomes a place to retreat when the house environment gets overwhelming, or when they want to sleep unbothered by housemates. Naturally, dogs are motivated not to eliminate in their own space. For this reason, you can avoid accidents in the house overnight by crate training your dog.

Dog crates are NOT supposed to be used as punishment! Dragging the dog into his crate whenever he misbehaves will not only encourage your dog to consider the crate as a prison and explore ways to escape it, but will also ruin your dog’s chances of using the crate in its intended way: as a place to relax.

It’s true: some dogs hate the crate. Encouraging guardians to crate a dog who is clearly stressed by it would be irresponsible on WDJ’s part. There are alternatives you can try if your dog dislikes being crated. You can also probably rebuild a more positive association with the crate through careful, calculated conditioning. Even for grown dogs who’ve had a long-time aversion to the crate can be reconditioned to tolerate it.

In summary, the best kind of crate to use to train your dog depends on your lifestyle and intentions. Do you need a dog crate that pops up and breaks down easily for relocation, or something sturdy for frequent car rides? Invest in a properly sized wire crate. Need a carrier for your small dog that he can feel extra safe in? The hard-sided plastic crates are your best bet.

The post Best Types of Crates for Dog Training appeared first on Whole Dog Journal.

1. To evaluate your crating protocols and make any necessary changes (bedding? location? type of crate?) to ensure you are following best crating practices.

2. To help your dog learn to love his crate in case a time comes when he must be confined, for an extended stay at the vet, for example, or (dog forbid) an evacuation.

I first used a crate as a canine management tool in the early 1980s. I was a little skeptical of the concept (“Put my dog in a box? What?”), but within two days was completely convinced that this newly touted training tool had merit for both housetraining puppies and as a “safe space” for older dogs.

Decades have passed since then, and I continue to believe that crates are a valuable tool for successful dog keeping. However, I have also seen some crate abuses over the years that prompt me to add some important caveats to my usual encouragement of their use.

Excessive Crate Confinement

Overuse is probably the most common abuse of crates. I cringe when I hear of dogs who are routinely left crated 10 or more hours a day while their humans are away at work. And what if you get stuck in a major traffic back-up, or your boss decides to call a last-minute mandatory staff meeting?

I can’t think of a better way to wreck your dog’s housetraining than to crate him for excessive periods with no option but to soil his own den – not to mention the potential for creating severe anxiety by forcing him to eliminate in his bed against all his training and instincts. While your dog may be physically capable of going for 10-plus hours without soiling his crate, he shouldn’t have to. There is some evidence that over-crating may lead to kidney damage for dogs who routinely try to “hold it” longer than they should.

Some of us (me included) sometimes crate one of their dogs to prevent intra-family aggression. Using a baby gate to separate the dogs, instead, can keep peace in the family and reduce unnecessary confinement.

Solutions: Examine your crating practices. Do you have options other than crating? If your dog can’t have house freedom, will a baby gate or closed door serve the same management function while giving your dog more room to move and a choice to use his crate – or not? (He still shouldn’t be shut in his room for 10-plus hours a day! If he has to be regularly left home alone for long periods, find a reliable force-free dog walker to give him a daily break.)

If you’re not sure your dog can be trusted uncrated, start a testing protocol, gradually leaving him uncrated for increasing periods.

Improperly Introducing Your Dog to the Crate

Nothing is guaranteed to make your dog dislike his crate faster than being forced into it. If your dog shows resistance to crating, stop! Rather than shoving, try tossing high-value treats inside. If he still doesn’t go in voluntarily, find an alternative until you can take the time to teach him.

Solutions: Good breeders teach their pups to love crates, and an increasing number of shelters and rescue groups are making the effort to do the same with the dogs in their care. If not, and you’re bringing him home for the first time, try a harness and a seat belt or tether to safely restrain him for the trip. Or bring along a friend or family member who can hold him.

Once home, use counter-conditioning to convince your new canine companion that being near a crate makes wonderful things happen, and use shaping to operantly condition him to happily and willingly enter his new bedroom.

Crating a Dog as Punishment

Yikes! If forcing to crate is the best way to make your dog hate his crate, using the crate as punishment may be the next-best way. A cheerful time-out is okay – just to remove him from a difficult situation, but never an angry “Bad dog! Get in your crate!” Similarly, never punish him in his crate by banging on it or shaking it. And never, ever reach into his crate to drag him out and punish him. I don’t reach into my dogs’ crates for any reason; crates are their safe space and I respect that.

Solutions:The easy solution here is – just don’t. If you must crate your dog to give him (or you!) a cooling-off period, do it cheerfully, and give him something nice in the crate – yummy treats, a chewy, or a stuffed toy.

Unprotected Crating

You can accidentally give your dog a negative experience and association with the crate by crating him in a place where he is not protected from the unwanted attentions or proximity of others. If your dog isn’t fond of children and you crate him where children can harass him, he will feel trapped and stressed, and you are likely to make his association with children (as well as with his crate) infinitely more negative.

There can be a similar outcome if he has a tense relationship with another dog in your household and you crate him while the other dog is allowed to be free: Trapped and stressed, his relationship with that dog will likely worsen. If he’s crated in your vehicle and you have to swerve or stop suddenly, the crate bouncing around the back of your SUV is likely to convince him he’d rather not be crated.

Solutions: Always crate your dog in a location where he is protected from unwanted attentions from humans or other dogs. An exercise pen placed around the crate as an “airlock” may be adequate, or he may be better off crated in a separate room with a baby gate across or the door closed. Crates in a vehicle should always be secured so they can’t roll around if there is a sudden stop or worse, a collision.

Crating Tips

With all that said, you might think my ardor for crates has cooled. Far from it; I still think they are a fantastic dog management tool, when used properly. Here are some additional tips to help your dog get the most benefit from his crating experience:

1. If your dog has had past unpleasant experiences with crating, consider changes. If you were using an airline-style crate, try a wire crate. If he was crated in the living room, try the den. If he gets aroused by outside stimuli, move the crate away from the front door, to an isolated, quiet location in the house.

2. Make sure your dog’s crate is placed in an environmentally comfortable location. You may not realize that the sun hits the crate at some point in the day, causing your dog to overheat, or a draft from a vent that makes him uncomfortably cold. Try putting crates in different locations and see if he shows a preference.

3. Respect your dog’s bedding preferences. He may love a cushy comforter to lie on while crated, or he may prefer the coolness of a bare crate floor. Figure out what he likes and accommodate his wishes. If possible, try offering two crates with different types of flooring or bedding and see if he chooses one over the other.

4. While you work to shape your dog to voluntarily crate, try putting something wonderfully irresistible inside the crate (near the door at first) and closing the door, so he gets a little frustrated about trying to reach it. Then open the door so he can reach in and grab it. As he gets bolder about grabbing the item, gradually move it farther back so he has to go deeper in the crate to get it.

5. Consider giving your dog more spacious accommodations. When housetraining, we want the crate to be just large enough to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably, so he can’t soil one end and rest comfortably in the other. After he is well housetrained, there is no need to keep him a small space – he can have a bigger crate if he likes.

So Why Even Crate?

Why bother to crate at all, especially once your dog is housetrained and past the puppy chewing stage? There are times when it can be very useful to be able to crate your dog. It is certainly safest to transport your dog in a vehicle if he is properly crated. Also, there comes a time in the lives of many dogs when they need to be on “restricted activity,” whether following surgery, or perhaps for a torn ACL, broken limb, or some other medical mishap.

A dog who is calm, relaxed, and even happy about being crated will endure these trying times far more easily than one who is stressed about his enforced confinement. Be a responsible crate practitioner, and your dog will be much happier for it.

Author Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, is WDJ’s Training Editor. Miller is also the author of many books on positive training. Her newest is, Beware of the Dog: Positive Solutions for Aggressive Behavior in Dogs.

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Not that long ago, crates were typically limited to bulky plastic or wire enclosures that were cumbersome to move from place to place. Today, dog owners have many choices when it comes to portable containment options, including a growing market of lightweight, foldable “soft crates” that are easy to transport from place to place.

Skip to the dog crate review chart.

Is a Soft Crate Right for Your Dog?

As a trainer, I feel strongly that soft crates are meant to be used only by dogs who are already reliably crated trained. Confining a puppy or non-crate-trained adult dog using a soft crate is, in my opinion, just asking for trouble. No matter how the soft crate is constructed, canvas and mesh just aren’t designed to withstand the expected clawing and biting that often accompanies a puppy or young dog’s attempts to exit a crate without direct invitation. Until I have solid knowledge of my dog’s ability to crate calmly, I use a sturdy plastic kennel at home, or an exercise pen or collapsible wire crate for travel.

Some well-crate-trained dogs have even been known to free themselves from a soft crate in a moment of circumstantial excitement or frustration. My very first soft crate has a memorable Whippet-head-shaped hole in the mesh door from when its then inhabitant, Zoie, decided she’d had enough of sitting in the crate while I ran her housemate in a dock jumping competition. My current Golden, Saber, once left his mark of disapproval on the zipper seam of another soft crate when he decided it wasn’t right to be left behind when I had to go lead a group training adventure. He likely heard the group outside – comprised of many of his favorite people – and the damaging scratching ensued. I considered both dogs to be reliably crate trained, and both dogs had crated successfully, in soft crates, in similar situations, prior to their escape attempts. But sometimes mistakes happen.

In some cases, mesh damage can be repaired using a screen-mending kit or with some creative sewing. Several manufacturers also sell replacement covers – however, replacement covers often cost almost as much as a new crate.

Like most any dog product, it’s important to know your dog. In the wrong hands (er, paws!), a soft crate can be an expensive experiment. But if your dog is truly ready for the experience, soft crates are perfect when you want something easily portable.

Advantages of a Portable Dog Kennel

Virtually any soft crate is going to come out on top in terms of portability when compared to a traditional plastic crate, collapsible wire crate, or exercise pen. Visit any competitive dog event or training class and you’ll find a sea of soft crates in all shapes, sizes, and styles. By design, soft crates weigh considerably less than plastic or wire crates of a similar size. Generally speaking, they also tend to fold flatter than collapsible wire crates. Each of these factors combine to make them a great choice for dog owners who need to frequently set up and break down their crate.

A soft crate also works well for home-based situational crating. The small footprint when folded makes it easy to tuck the crate away in a closet or under the bed if you only use it occasionally, such as when certain visitors stop by, when restricting a dog’s activity as she recovers from an injury, or when traveling.

While a soft crate is highly portable, we recommend against their use as travel crates in the car. Most any crate or pet seatbelt system helps protect against a dog interfering with, and dangerously distracting, the driver, making it a better choice than riding loose. However, the amount of force generated during even a minor collision could potentially catapult a dog through the mesh panels of most (if not all) soft crates.

Soft Crates: Most Important Features

When I’m shopping for a soft crate, I look for supreme ease of use, both in terms of how quickly I can set up and break down the crate, and how easy it is to carry to my designated crating area at weekly dog classes and events. I also want my dog to fit comfortably in a crate recommended for his size.

I almost always use the soft crate at outdoor events, so good ventilation is important. I want a product that is sturdy enough to support a few assorted training items on top, so I can use it as a temporary table while I train. And, because I know “dogs can be dogs,” and even the best crate-trained dog will occasionally manage to damage the crate beyond repair, I don’t want to spend a lot of money on a soft crate.

How We Reviewed the Dog Crates

We chose a total of eight crates for review. Some were selected based on recommendations by fellow dog enthusiasts; some because they are made by manufacturers of well-known wire crates and exercise pens, and some based simply on Google search results and/or an inexpensive price tag.

After carefully analyzing the pros and cons of each crate, we saw a lot of really wonderful features, but, sadly, not one single crate managed to offer all of our favorite features in one product. (Hey, manufacturers, call me!) Still, it was pretty easy to come up with a couple of overall favorites, a least favorite, and some honest feedback about the pros and cons of the remaining crates, which we hope aids in readers’ decision making.

2017 Soft-Sided Crate Reviews

Our 4-PAW Favorite Soft Crates

We found just two crates that met our criteria for a four-paw rating (the highest rating we confer on any products).

Elite Field’s Three-Door Folding Soft Crate

Elite Field’s Three-Door Folding Soft Crate (pictured above) was the standout leader in terms of available features and overall value. We reviewed the 36-inch version, which measures 36 inches long by 24 inches wide by 28 inches tall. Most notable was the additional headroom, making it more likely the crate’s inhabitant can sit comfortably while maintaining a natural head position.

This crate packs a punch with its features. The crate quickly takes shape after unfolding by easily connecting both ends of the lightweight internal steel-tube frame, accessible via a zippered, mesh “sunroof” panel on the top of the crate. Set-up and break down can be done in seconds. After releasing the frame, the crate quickly folds into itself and is held in the folded position with two quick-release buckles.

The crate cover, made of thick canvas and sturdy mesh, can be removed and washed, if needed. The Elite Field soft crate features rounded, reinforced corners and feels sturdy when set up. The 36-inch crate weighs 14 pounds.

We appreciate how this crate has front and side entry doors, along with one full-length mesh window on the opposite long side, and a partial mesh window on the short side. The zippered side entry is helpful when you need to position the crate sideways, which then restricts access to the front door. (I sometimes run into this issue in hotels.)

The sheer amount of mesh means this crate is well ventilated, making it a wise choice for use in warmer climates. While not shown on the manufacturer’s website, the crate is also available, in specific colors, with “curtains” that can be rolled down to cover the mesh door and windows. This is a nice feature for times when obstructing a dog’s view helps reduce over-arousal and related vocalization.

Elite Field has thrown in several value-added features, such as storage pockets on both the top and short end of the crate, and the crate comes with a free mat and carrying case. I’m personally not a fan of encasing my crate in its own bag when not in use, so I was pleased to see the crate itself has multiple built-in handles, making it easy to transport even when out of its case. If anything, Elite Field almost went overboard with carrying options. Not only is there a handle for carrying the crate when folded, every size crate also comes with a cross-tied handle on the top of the crate. I could see using this option if carrying the small-size crate while occupied by a small dog, but definitely not while housing a dog in one of the larger size crates.

Our one notable disappointment with this crate is the inability to secure the zippers in the closed position. As someone who has spent countless weekends at dog events, I know how quickly clever dogs can figure out how to open a zippered door by positioning a toenail “just right” on the frame of the zipper pull. Many soft crates come with a small clip just above the zippered door. The clip can be used to “lock” the zipper, thus thwarting a clever dog’s attempt to open the zipper with his claw.

Firsttrax Noz2Noz Sof-Krate

A close second to the Elite Field crate is the Firstrax Noz2Noz Sof-Krate. We tested the 42-inch crate, which measures 42 inches long by 28 inches wide by 32 inches tall. This crate is similar to the Elite Field crate, but without the bells and whistles of storage pockets, a crate mat, or a carrying case.

Like the Elite Field crate, set-up involves pulling both ends of the internal frame into position, where they fit together and are secured by a closure sleeve. Set up can be done in seconds. The crate cover, made of thick canvas and sturdy mesh, can be removed and washed. Replacement covers are available from the manufacturer. The Noz2Noz Sof-Krate soft crate has reinforced, rounded corners and feels sturdy when set up. The 42-inch crate weighs 19 pounds.

This crate also features front and side-entry, mostly mesh doors and a canvas “sunroof.” We were pleased to find “zipper lock” clips on both the front and side access doors. The remaining long- and short-sides of the crate have mesh windows, allowing for maximum air-flow. The Noz 2 Noz crate folds down similar to the Elite Field crate. The folded crate can by carried by a single handle.

3-PAW Crates

Only one product was close enough to our higher-rated crates to earn our three-paw rating.

A solid, no-frills, functional choice:

Firstrax Petnation Port-a-Crate E-Series

Firstrax also manufactures the Petnation Port-a-Crate E-Series. The lightweight, internal frame works similar to that of the Elite Field and Noz2Noz crate, and the Petnation Port-a-Crate can be set up or taken down in seconds. Of the three similarly designed crates, the Port-a-Crate appeared to fold down the flattest. Its overall shape is slightly different; the top of the crate tapers inward, but not so much as to significantly limit the dog’s usable headroom.

We tested the 36-inch crate, which measures 36 inches long by 25 inches wide by 25 inches tall, making it one of the shorter crates (at that length) in our review. Unlike the 36-inch Elite Field crate, my Golden Retriever, who measures about 21 inches at the shoulders, cannot sit with a natural head position in this crate. This doesn’t bother me, as I prefer my dogs to lie down and rest when in their away-from-home crates, but it’s worth noting, especially if your dog is on the taller side. The 36-inch Port-a-Crate weighs 14.5 pounds.

Aside from the shorter height, the only other potential issue we saw with the Port-a-Crate is the window design. Unlike the Elite Field and Noz2Noz crates, which feature large mesh windows, allowing for significant ventilation, the Port-a-Crate is limited to a mesh front-entry door (with an available zipper lock) and small, bone-shaped windows on the remaining sides. This potentially limits airflow within the crate, an important consideration if used outdoors in hot or humid climates.

On the other hand, less mesh overall might also mean fewer areas for the dog to damage with his claws. Of the three similarly designed crates, we found the Port-a-Crate, available in six sizes, ranging in price from $32-$57, to be least expensive. At this price point, we recommend the Port-a-Crate as a nice “starter” soft crate if you aren’t sure your dog is ready to be contained by mere mesh and canvas.

2-PAW Products

The next three crates on our list failed to impress us overall, yet still have some notable features making them worth mentioning, as your priorities might differ from ours.

Go Pet Club Soft Pet Crate

If your your dog needs a little more room to relax, you appreciate a super-lightweight product, and know you can trust your dog in a soft crate, the Go Pet Club Soft Pet Crate might be worth a look.

Unlike our three favorite crates, which feature interior metal frames and a canvas/mesh cover, the Go Pet Club Soft Crate is made from heavy-duty, PVC-backed polyester. The entire crate literally zips together and holds its shape thanks to zippers and flexible spine strips encased in the crates rounded top. It’s not difficult to set up or break down, but it does take longer than any of our top picks.

The Go Pet Club Soft Pet Crate comes in a surprising assortment of sizes, ranging from 17.5 inches to a considerable 48 inches in length. In looking for a mid-size crate of this model, we had a choice of 32 inches or 38 inches. The 38-inch crate is exceptionally roomy, with a width of 28 inches and measuring a full 34 inches at the highest point of the rounded top.

The lack of an internal metal frame means this crate weighs just 12 pounds and folds down to about two inches thick and stores in an included case. However, the lack of a solid internal frame makes the crate less sturdy overall, and the three mesh windows and mesh front entry door (which work together to provide nice ventilation) appear to be made of lighter-weight mesh than the other brands we reviewed.

This crate’s biggest “pro” is its generous dimensions. If your goal is to secure the most internal real estate for the price, the Go Pet Club Soft Pet Crate could be a good option.

If you miss your old Cabana Crate:

Precision Pet’s Soft Side Pet Crate

A decade ago, WDJ’s top pick in soft-sided crates was a product called the Cabana Crate. For reasons that escape us, the product was discontinued long ago. The Precision Pet (recently purchased by PetMate) Soft Side Pet Crate resembles the Cabana Crate of yore, with some differences. It’s an attractive crate with a nice assortment of features, such as front and side-entry doors, storage pockets, non-skid feet, a water bottle opening and holder (for a ball-tip style water bottle), and a crate mat and carrying case. The canvas and mesh are of a nice quality, and the design appears to allow for desirable airflow.

Like many of the other crates we tested, this crate takes shape via a lightweight metal frame. However, of all the similarly designed crates we explored, the Soft Side Pet Crate took the longest to set up. Assembly reminded me of the discontinued Cabana Crate: first remove the crate’s cross bars from their self-fastening ties and swing them into position along the front and back (short sides) of the crate. Next, align the twist handles with the corner holes and turn the handles until fully engaged and secure.

This process is not at all difficult, but it does take longer, and it’s easy to become spoiled by the even-faster set up of the other crates we tested. Who wants a bulky old CRT TV version of a soft crate when the sleek flatscreen TV variety of crates are out there?

We also found it odd that the side entry door, when unzipped, flips out, not up, creating what looks a bit like an attached doormat rather than being kept out of the way by resting atop the crate.

In short, there’s nothing wrong with this crate, but the additional steps required for set-up and break down kept this option off of our “favorites” list.

A neat idea, but use it wisely:

Sport Pet’s Pop Crate

Pop goes the soft crate! If small and lightweight are your top priorities, and you have a medium-size, exceptionally well crate-trained dog who needs crating for just short periods of time, consider the Pop Crate by SportPet Designs.

Unlike every other crate we tested, the Pop Crate has no internal frame of any kind. The crate consists of two plastic ends – one with a spring-loaded metal door similar to a traditional plastic crate, and one with a full panel of air vents – connected by a rectangle of thin polyester fabric and mesh. To be sure, it wouldn’t take much effort at all for a dog to claw or chew his way through the fabric if he were so inclined. I’m not even positive the crate wouldn’t tip over if a large dog were to rest his weight against the side.

This crate’s claim to fame is its unique twisting design. Unclip the quick-release buckles and the crate springs into shape. To close the crate, stand it on end and twist the front frame 180 degrees, which compacts the crate back onto itself much like a pop-open car window shade.

The Pop Crate comes in two sizes, neither of which is very big, making this, in our opinion, a poor choice for dogs much larger than a Shetland Sheepdog. Also, while we like the use of the plastic frame and metal door (adding durability to a commonly chewed and clawed area), the location of the door hinge makes the already tiny opening even smaller. My dog startled himself more than once by hitting the door or doorframe on his way in and out of the crate. It’s also so lightweight (the large only weighs 6.35 pounds), it easily slid around on my hard floor with each entry and exit, again, startling my dog.

The large Pop Crate measures 36 inches long by 20.75 inches wide by 22 inches tall. The small Pop Crate is significantly smaller, measuring 22.5 inches long by 14.25 inches wide by 14.5 inches tall. Both collapse to 4 inches high, making it reasonable to pack in a suitcase for travel.

Elite Field’s Two-Door Soft X-Pen

In selecting products to review, we expanded our definition of “soft crate” to include what is best described as a fully enclosed, soft exercise pen. Like a traditional exercise pen, Elite Field‘s Two-Door Soft X-Pen consists of eight connected panels, only in this case, the panels are constructed of canvas and mesh. These create an octagonal enclosure with a diameter of 36-62 inches and a height of 24-36 inches.

We tested the 48-inch pen, which provided plenty of room for two adult Golden Retrievers. The pen has two zippered doors, two storage pockets, a water bottle opening and holder, and a removable (zippered) washable floor mat and mesh top. It’s lightweight and comes with a carrying case. Having recently refinished my hardwood floors, I loved the idea of a soft pen.

Elite Field’s Two-Door Soft X-Pen seemed like a strong contender as a top pick until it was time to fold it up. It does not come with detailed instructions, nor is it super intuitive. Even after we determined the need to remove the top and bottom of the pen before folding (a disappointment in itself), it took several attempts to discover the correct order in which to fold the panels onto themselves.

When we contacted the manufacturer for input as to the best way to fold the pen, we were told see the set-up instructions (which basically say, “unfold the play pen and expand the play pen”) and then to “please just reverse the set up process.” Gee, why didn’t we think of that? #Sarcasm.

This pen has a lot of potential. If Elite Field would number the panels and add simple instructions for folding it up, this pen could rise to the top of our list. We love the concept, but don’t recommend this product if you plan to set it up and take it down often, or if you have low frustration tolerance!

1-PAW Dog Crates (Lowest Rated)

The following crate might offer some utility for some dog owners, but didn’t, in our opinion, possess enough positive features to outweigh the factors we considered to be drawbacks.

Midwest Pet Product’s Canine Camper

Midwest Pet Products is a key player in the wire crate and exercise pen market. Unfortunately, it brought a wire crate mindset to the soft crate market, with (in our view) a poor result.

The Canine Camper is essentially a sparse wire crate encased in canvas. On the outside, it looks similar to any of the soft crates held together by lightweight metal frames. Underneath the attractive canvas cover is a wire frame, which requires a somewhat counterintuitive, two-step process to secure.

To add to the challenge, unlike similar soft crates where assembly is easily accessed via a zippered “sunroof” on top of the crate, no such sunroof exists on the Canine Camper; we had to reach in through the crate’s front door – awkward!

The extensive wire frame also adds to its weight. We tested the 36-inch model, which weighs 17 pounds – a good bit heavier than the 14.5-pound Port-a-Crate and 14-pound Elite Field crate of the same length.

We did find the Canine Camper to have the sturdiest mesh window and door panels. Rather than a fabric-type mesh, it features thicker, rubberized window and door panels that feel like they might better withstand clawing.

Stephanie Colman is a writer and dog trainer in Southern California.

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Most puppies are crate-trained with relative ease. Remember that the crate should be just large enough for your pup to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. If you want to get one large enough for your puppy to grow into, block off the back so he has just enough room, and increase the space as he grows. Cover the floor of the crate with a rug or soft pad to make it comfortable and inviting, and you’re ready to begin training.

Start with the crate door open, and toss some irresistibly yummy treats inside. If your pup hesitates to go in, toss them close enough to the doorway that he can stand outside and poke his nose into the crate to eat them. Each time your pup eats a treat, click your clicker (or say “Yes!” if you are using a verbal marker).

Gradually toss the treats farther into the crate until he’s stepping inside to get them. Continue to click each time he eats a treat. When your pup enters the crate easily to get the treats, click and offer him a treat while he is still inside. If he’s willing to stay inside, keep clicking and treating. If he comes out that’s okay too, just toss another treat inside and wait for him to re-enter. Don’t force him to stay in the crate.

When he’s entering the crate to get the treat without hesitation, start using a verbal cue such as “Go to bed!” as your pup goes in, so that you’ll eventually be able to send him into his crate on just a verbal cue.

When he’s happily staying in the crate in anticipation of a click and treat, gently swing the door closed. Don’t latch it! Click and treat, then open the door. Repeat this step, gradually increasing the length of time the door stays closed before you click. Sometimes click and reward without opening the door right away.

When your pup stays in the crate with the door closed for at least 10 seconds without any signs of anxiety, close the door, latch it, and take one step away from the crate. Click! Return to the crate, reward, and open the door. Repeat this step, varying the time and distance you leave the crate. Don’t always make it longer and farther; intersperse long ones with shorter ones, so it doesn’t always get harder and harder for him. Start increasing the number of times you click and treat without opening the door, but remember that a click or a “Yes!” always gets a treat.

Leave the crate open when you aren’t actively training.
Toss treats and favorite toys in the crate when your pup’s not looking, so he never knows what wonderful surprises he might find there. You can even feed him his meals in the crate – with the door open – to help him realize that his crate is a truly wonderful place.

Many puppies can do the whole crate-training program in one day. Some will take several days, and a few will take weeks or more. If at any time during the program your pup whines or fusses about being in the crate, don’t let him out until he stops crying! This is one of the biggest mistakes owners make when crate training. If you let him out when he fusses, you will teach him that fussing gets him free. (The exception to this is if you think your pup is panicking in the crate. If that’s the case, do let him out and seek the assistance of a qualified positive-behavior professional.)

Instead, wait for a few seconds of quiet, then click and reward, and let him out. Then back up a step or two in the training program. When your pup is doing well at that level again, increase the difficulty in smaller increments, and vary the times rather than making each repetition more difficult.

Once your pup is crate-trained, you have a valuable behavior-management tool for life. Respect it. If you abuse it by keeping him confined too much, for too long a period
of time, or by using it as punishment, he may learn to dislike it. Even though he goes to bed willingly and on cue, reward him often enough to keep the response happy and quick. Keep your verbal “Go to bed!” cue light and happy. Don’t ever let anyone tease or punish him in his crate. (Kids can be especially guilty of this. Watch them!)

The post How To Crate-Train Your Puppy appeared first on Whole Dog Journal.

Although there was $5,000 worth of body damage, and the driver’s side passenger seat window shattered, there were no injuries other than my minor glass cuts. Our guardian angels were riding shotgun that sunny Sunday in the park. While there was shattered glass in one crate, neither Meg, our 10-year-old Cardigan Welsh Corgi, nor Zebra, our 5-year-old Bull Terrier, was injured, or traumatized – and neither dog had an opportunity to either escape or bite somebody in a panic.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS
The route to car-crating was not easy for me. Along the way there were signs it was the right thing to do, but it took me longer than it should have to heed them.

– There was the time in the 1980s when 4-month old Bram, learning to stay quietly in the backseat, leaped out of the drivers’ side window before the car had come to a complete stop, so excited was she to be at the dog park. I drove with the window all the way up for a long time thereafter. But it couldn’t have happened, had she been properly crated.

– Next I was rear-ended by a young man who had lost his license and had “borrowed” his mother’s car. He never noticed that red light I was stopped at. BLAM! Amy, Bram’s daughter, sleeping on the back seat, hit the back of my seat so hard it broke loose, shoving me forward into the dashboard. That wouldn’t have happened had she been properly crated.

– Once at a dog show on a cool day, I left my two un-entered Bull Terriers sleeping on the back seat of my locked car while I went to meet someone. The girls barked and security guards showed up, scaring off three young men in a pickup truck, who by all appearances intended to steal my girls through the open sunroof. That wouldn’t have happened had they been properly crated.

– In 1993 I traded my mini-car for a maxi-car, one I could get crates into. It was a less-than-perfect solution, as there were no “tie-down” points to secure crates, and the two would not fit side by side in the back. But now that a 2011 Subaru has come to live in our garage, there are tie-downs to secure the crates, and both fit side-by-side. I’d prefer that Zee be in a VariKennel, rather than a wire crate, but better visibility trumps here. I can’t see to the rear with a large VariKennel in the back.

– Had my girls been loose in the passenger area of the car when that bike hit, they would have been injured. I’m sorry beyond measure that the demonstration proving crates essential happened, but I’m beyond glad that they were crated. Can you imagine how you’d feel if your dogs were injured or worse and you could have prevented it? I can.

Reasons To Crate
Properly secured crates provide the greatest safety for dogs, as well as for their people. Why secured? So the crate containing the dog does not itself become a projectile if there’s a crash.

-A properly sized crate allows dogs to stand, to turn, to lie down, providing some freedom, but not so much as to permit them to rattle around like teacups in an oak barrel.
-A dog crate contains . . . well, everything you don’t want all over your car. Ordinary dog hair, dirt, and mud for sure, but also any unexpected vomitus, diarrhea, slime, or slobber.
-A crated dog cannot leave the car without permission. Even the best-trained canine can sometimes forget to “Wait!”
-Crated dogs in a multi-dog household cannot get into fights. Ever try to drive with two dogs fighting in back? Don’t.
-Crated dogs can’t breathe heavily in the driver’s ear or stomp on or get under the gas pedal. They can’t knock a gear shift from Drive to Neutral. Crated, they must be little ladies and gentlemen; this is management at its finest.
-If there is an accident and dogs are injured and / or terrified, total strangers will feel safer helping than if they were loose and potentially threatening. Confined to their car, they will not be loose on the freeway. There is no chance that they’ll be lost, strayed, or stolen.

Alternatives
There are other ways to address dog safety in cars, and there are also pros and cons for each.

– Seat belts follow crates in effectiveness. However, the part that the dog wears needs to fit properly, and should be easy to put on. Metal hardware, less likely to break, is preferable to plastic. No restraining system should ever attach to a dog’s collar; the risk of tracheal injury or a broken neck looms large. More and more canine seat belts are being crash-tested; this should be a requirement for any product you buy for your dog.

– Dog car seats abound. There are many models to choose from. Consensus is that they are best for smaller dogs, and that they are not as safe as crates or seat belts.

– Barriers, usually made of metal, though mesh or plastic can be used, are more about safety for humans, rather than safety for dogs. While barriers can effectively prevent canine passengers from distracting the driver, or from becoming projectiles in the event of an accident, they don’t do much for the safety of the dog.

Since “There’s no place like home for the holidays”, please crate your dogs while you travel there. You might be very thankful, and so might they.

Shari A. Mann lives in San Francisco. She mans the “help desk” at bullterrierrescue.org, and enthusiastically supports dog rescue.

The post Crate Thanks appeared first on Whole Dog Journal.

1. Find confinement alternatives

Every time your crate-hating dog has a bad experience in a crate, it increases his stress and anxiety and makes it harder to modify his crate aversion. Your dog may tolerate an exercise pen, a chain-link kennel set up in your garage, or even a room of his own. A recent Peaceable Paws client whose dog was injuring herself in the crate due to isolation anxiety found her dog did just fine when confined to the bedroom when she had to be left alone.

2. Utilize doggy daycare

Many dogs who have dog crate high anxiety are delighted to spend the day at the home of a friend, neighbor, or relative who is home when you are not, or at a good doggie daycare facility – assuming your dog does well in the company of other dogs. This is not a good option for dogs with true separation anxiety, as they will be no happier with someone else when they are separated from you than they are in a crate.

3. Teach him to love his crate.

Utilize a combination of counter-conditioning (changing his association with the crate from negative to positive) and operant conditioning/shaping (positively reinforcing him for gradually moving closer to, and eventually into, the crate) to convince him to go into his crate voluntarily. Then, very gradually, work your way up to closing the door with your dog inside, and eventually moving longer and longer distances away from your crated dog for longer and longer periods of time. (See “Dog Crating Difficulties,” WDJ May 2005). Note: If your dog has a separation/anxiety issue, you must address and modify that behavior before crate-training will work.

4. Identify and remove aversives.

Figure out why your dog has dog crate high anxiety. If he was crate-trained at one time and then decided he didn’t like it, what changed? Perhaps you were overcrating, and he was forced to soil his den, and that was very stressful for him.

Maybe there are environmental aversives; is it too warm or too cold in his crate? Is there a draft blowing on him? Is it set near something that might expose him to an aversive sound, like the washing machine, buzzer on a clothes dryer, or an alarm of some kind? Perhaps his crate is near the door, and he becomes overstimulated when someone knocks, or rings the doorbell, or when mail and packages are delivered. Is someone threatening him when he’s crated – another dog, perhaps? Or a child who bangs on the top, front, or sides of the crate? Maybe he’s been angrily punished by someone who throws him into the crate and yells at him – or worse. All the remedial crate training in the world won’t help if the aversive thing is still happening. You have to make the bad stuff stop.

If he’s a victim of generalized anxiety or separation anxiety and the crate aversion is part of a larger syndrome, or his stress about crating is extreme, you may want to explore the use of behavior modification drugs with your behavior knowledgeable veterinarian, or a veterinary behaviorist, to help reduce stress enough that he can learn to love his crate. Note – if your vet is not behavior knowledgeable, tell her that many veterinary behaviorists will do free phone consults with other veterinarians.

5. Take him with you.

Of course you can’t take him with you all the time, but whenever you can, it decreases the number of times you have to use another alternative. Some workplaces allow employees to bring their dogs to work with them; you don’t know until you ask. Of course you will never take him somewhere that he’d be left in a car, unattended, for an extended period of time, or at all, if the weather is even close to being dangerous. A surprising number of businesses allow well-behaved dogs to accompany their owners; if it doesn’t say “No Dogs” on the door, give it a try! Your dog will thank you.

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CRATE TRAINING BENEFITS OVERVIEW

1. When doing early crate-training, don’t let your dog out of the crate when he’s whining or barking. Even if you’re certain he really needs to go potty, try to wait for a few moments of silence before opening the door.

2. Use the crate as a rewarding place, not a punishing one! If you use it consistently for “time-outs” rather than “time in with a Kong,” your dog will start to resent and avoid it.

I am a huge fan of crate training for dogs. I think the ability to spend an extended amount of time in an enclosed space quietly and calmly is a valuable life skill for dogs. And it certainly has dozens of benefits for us, too.

Benefits of Crate Training for Your Dog:

1. Dog has safe space where he can’t be bothered by other dogs or household pets or people.

2. Dog has a safe place to enjoy a bone or food-stuffed Kong, without worrying about having it taken away from him.

3. Dog has a comfortable, enclosed place to nap or sleep – somehow reminiscent of the canine’s evolutionary den.

4. In an emergency or in the case of an injury that requires the dog to be kept quiet, the dog can be safely contained, keeping him out of harm’s way in a familiar, comforting environment. This point is really important to me. In California, I’ve lived in areas that suffered week-long floods and fires that burned tens of thousands of acres. I was living in San Francisco when the Loma Prieta earthquake struck in 1989, sparking fires that destroyed dozens of homes. I have friends in the Bay Area who had to evacuate their neighborhood after a gas pipeline explosion a few months ago. I haven’t yet needed to evacuate my pets, but I could if I had to – and I wouldn’t have to worry that my dog was traumatized and freaking out because he was put into a crate. I also feel much better knowing that if he’s ever confined to a crate for a hospitalization or recovery from an injury, he’ll be absolutely content and comfortable.

5. If the dog is boarded or has to stay overnight or for an extended stay at a veterinary hospital, he’ll be much less anxious if he’s well habituated to his crate. My friend and trainer Sarah Richardson, of The Canine Connection in Chico, California, puts it this way: “It’s like eating at McDonalds in a foreign country – a familiar place where they can relax and know what to expect.”

Richardson also operates a daycare and boarding facility. She says there is a striking difference between dogs who are crate-trained and those who are not. “Daycare and boarding can be exciting for a dog, but they can also be stressful. Crate-trained dogs always seem grateful for some rest and relaxation in the midst of a stimulating stay here, and they come out of the crate refreshed and ready to play again. The crate has become their cue for relaxation. It’s much more difficult for dogs who aren’t crate-trained to fully relax and sleep well when they are in unfamiliar surroundings.”

Benefits to an Owner of Crate Training:

1. Peace of mind in an emergency (again, fires, flood, etc.).

2. Peace of mind that a comfortably crated dog can’t destroy one’s house or car. 

3. As a testament for all the reasons to train your dog to perform a rock-solid sit, trainer Ian Dunbar often cites a list of things that a dog can’t do when it is sitting, such as jumping up, humping your leg, getting in a fight, etc. The list of things a dog can’t do while crated is even longer, and includes chewing through electrical cords, stealing your socks, getting into the garbage, tormenting the cat, and peeing behind the sofa.
Also, I was caring for a friend’s dog once, and left him in my car for a short time while occupied with something else. When I came back, I found that he had chewed through every seat belt in the car. I don’t leave dogs uncrated in my car any more!

4. Crates are a valuable tool for house-training a dog. Few dogs will soil their crates if they can help it. After each stint in a crate, take them directly outdoors to potty. If they don’t go, bring them back inside and pop them right back into the crate. If they do potty, reward them lavishly, and allow them to be free in the house for a while – but only about as much time as it might take for them to need to go potty again. At that point (and it depends on their age, when and how much they eat and drink, and other factors that you will know best), take them back outdoors. If they go potty, reward them again. If they don’t, back into the crate they go.

See “How to Potty Train A Dog” for more information on a potty training program for puppies, or remedial training for adults.

5. A crate and crate-trained dog ensure that you and your dog will be welcome at most friends’ and relatives’ homes. I recently stayed at a friend’s house over the holidays, with my foster dog! She doesn’t have enough training or self-control to abstain from chasing a strange cat, eating the cat’s food, chewing on the furniture, or stealing food off the table, but none of these things happened, because she was happy to spend all of her unsupervised time in their home in her crate. My friend commented, “We’re crate-training our next dog, for sure!”

6. Crates enable me (and others) to foster dogs from the shelter. I can say in all confidence that at least five dogs have found really great homes because I took the time to house and train them, and find just the right family to adopt them. If I didn’t have a safe place to put an untrained dog at night, or even just while I run to the grocery store, I wouldn’t be able to provide this service.

Prepare for Crating

You’ll need a few things to get started on the crate-training project.

First and foremost, you need the right crate. There are three major types that are appropriate for training: plastic (or aluminum) airline-style crates; wire crates (they look like cages); and “furniture” style or “fashion” crates that are disguised to blend in with your decorating motif. Most dog owners choose a utilitarian (and affordable) plastic or wire crate; the aluminum and fashion models cost upwards of $500. (There are also “soft” fabric crates; these are appropriate only for dogs whose crate-training is rock-solid, since a determined or panicked dog can very easily chew or scratch his way through the mesh and escape.)

Each of the two most popular types offer one major benefit. Plastic crates seem to evoke the “den” feeling for the dog; many dogs accept being in a solid-seeming structure more readily than being in an airy cage. Wire cages offer more flexibility in where you can put them; most have at least two doors and some have three. This helps you position the crate in just about any corner or cranny in your home. Dogs will generally accept either type of crate, if you introduce the dog to the crate properly and don’t abuse or overuse crating.

The crate you buy needs to be large enough to permit your dog to comfortably enter, stand, turn around, and sleep in his favorite position. If he can’t get comfortable, the odds of his acceptance of the crate are poor! Measure your dog’s height and length; don’t rely on your memory and estimation of his size when ordering. If you’re in doubt, get the next size up. More room is always better, with the following exception: buying a crate for your medium- to large-breed puppy.

Knowing that your pup is going to stand 26 inches or so at the shoulder, and weigh 80 or more pounds, you select a very large crate. It’s good to plan ahead, right? Yes, but in the here and now, instead of providing a snug little studio apartment, we’ve supplied that puppy with a vast loft, complete with what he may perceive as a backyard bathroom. In other words, if he has just enough space to feel comfortable, he’ll make an effort to “hold it” in order to keep his bed clean. If he has too much real estate, he’ll probably start using some of it for going potty.

Most wire crates can be ordered with a divider panel that allows you to “fence off” some of that extra space while the puppy is little, and gradually expand the room he needs. I’ve never seen a plastic airline crate that offers this feature, although I’ve known owners who actually bought a small crate for the pup, and a larger one when he was older, larger, and already reliably crate-trained.

Next, find a good place for your dog’s crate. It should situated in a place that is neither too hot (next to a heater vent or in direct sun from a window), nor too cold (on a concrete floor in a chilly room or in a breezy, unheated hall). Remember that the dog will be stuck in that one temperature zone; you are depriving him of the ability to get up and move to a more temperate location, so the spot should be pretty comfortable.

Consider, also, your dog’s temperament and the traffic flow in your home. If your dog gets overstimulated by the sight and sounds of your kids’ playing and running with their friends, put the crate somewhere out of the flow of traffic. But if your dog gets a little anxious when he’s left alone, put his crate close to the center of action in your home, so he can be reassured as much as possible by the sounds of someone cooking in the kitchen or the television.

Note that if your dog displays serious anxiety when separated from the family, and hurts himself, destroys the crate, eliminates in the crate, and/or vocalizes nonstop, you’ll need the services of an experienced animal behavior professional to help properly diagnose and treat the behavior. See “Serious Separation Anxiety Calls for a Different Approach,” below.

The next thing you need to do is make sure that the crate is an incredibly cozy and inviting space for your dog. It should be equipped with a thick, comfortable bed or pad – not a thin little towel. The only exception to this would be for dogs who chew, eat, or otherwise destroy their beds; then you might have to experiment to find something that is comfortable but resistant to chewing. My dog is attracted to chewing up foam-filled beds, so I bought two of the thick, fuzzy “EcoNap” mats (not one of the many thin imitations) from West Paw Design. Otto is comfortable and the washable beds are still intact and attractive after two whole years.

The only acceptable reason (from my view) for not providing your dog with a thick bed in his crate? Very young puppies and a few adult dogs sometimes prefer peeing on a soft surface; you might have to eliminate padding for them, which means you have to keep the crate somewhere warm (in cold weather). You also should shorten the time you leave these individuals in a crate so they don’t feel the need to eliminate in their dens.

The last things you need for successful crate-training are a good supply of safe and attractive chew items and/or food-stuffed toys, such as Kongs or one of the stuffable “Busy Buddy” toys from Premier Pet Products.

Don’t Crate Dogs With Severe Anxiety

It’s a dilemma: A dog with severe separation anxiety may destroy their homes in a desperate effort to distract and console themselves when he is in the midst of an attack of separation anxiety. He may eat couch cushions, claw his way through drywall, attempt to crash through windows, and/or urinate and defecate all over the house. Sound like a dog you’d like to put in a crate? Actually, probably not.

Some dogs actually suffer worse symptoms when they are not only left alone, but also, when locked in a crate, are deprived of the things that might make them feel a bit better, like lying on your bed or sofa, or being able to look out the living room window from time to time. Most trainers have heard at least one sad story from a desperate owner whose dog mutilated himself — with bloody paws or even broken teeth — in an all-out panic to escape a crate.

“Crating is completely inappropriate for many, if not most, dogs who have true separation anxiety,” warns WDJ’s Training Editor Pat Miller. “Those with lesser levels of stress behavior about being left alone may be able to tolerate the close confinement of a crate, but for dogs who are truly panicked about being by themselves, crates seem to intensify their anxiety. Crating can worsen the separation anxiety behavior, and the dog can injure himself seriously, or even be killed, in his desperate attempts to escape his prison.”

A dog whose symptoms of separation distress are this severe will require some professional help, perhaps in the form of anxiety-reducing medication and the help of an experienced veterinary behaviorist.

For a description of the various types of behavior professionals you could hire, see “How to Find the Best Dog Trainer for Your Dog,” WDJ September 2010.

Crate Training Your Dog Step By Step

Start the crate-training program by giving your dog some really over-the-top, delicious treats in the crate. Or, if he won’t go in, feed him the treats at the crate’s entrance. Slowly lure him into the crate with these treats, reinforcing each approach with praise – but don’t close the door! In his first dozen or so experiences with the crate, he should be free to enter and exit at will. If you slam the door on him before he even knows what it’s all about, he’ll be double-wary of approaching again. There is no hurry.

As soon as your dog is enthusiastically entering the crate in anticipation of goodies, ask him for a sit or down before you give him the treat. After a few repetitions of this, ask for a sit or down, swing the door closed for a few seconds, and then open it and pop that treat into his mouth. Good dog!

Your goal is to reward him for increasingly longer stays in the crate, but don’t increase the length of every visit to the crate. Keep the duration unpredictable, and the rewards variable.

At this point – but in a whole new session, not when he’s already stuffed with treats – prepare a really special food-stuffed Kong or other toy. Layer it with several yummy, stinky foods, such as anchovies, cream cheese, and bacon. Show this wonderful concoction to your dog, and then make a show of carrying it to the crate. Place it in the crate, far enough inside that your dog can’t snatch it and run out.

If your dog enters in a relaxed manner and picks up the toy and starts chewing, go ahead and close the crate door. Stay close, though; it’s too soon to leave him all alone in there, even if he’s absorbed by the food in the toy at the moment.

If he doesn’t go right in, close the door to the crate, locking him out of the crate and preventing him from eating the delicious food that you stuffed into the toy. In the best case scenario, he walks around the crate, trying to figure out how he can get in and get that treat. If he goes in the next time you open the door (and pick up the toy, and maybe even let him to lick it before putting it back in the crate), great. Close the door and proceed as above. If he still doesn’t go in, go back to the high-value treats and the shorter trips in and out of the crate. At no time should you forcibly drag, pull, or push your dog into the crate.

Depending on your dog’s comfort in the crate, have him go in the crate to enjoy a special treat (such as a big meaty bone, his favorite bully stick, or a food-stuffed toy) for increasingly longer sessions, several times a day. At first, stay close by while he’s locked in. Enter and exit the room, but gradually increase the amount of time that he’s in the crate in a room alone. Build the sessions to the point where you can actually leave your home for short, and then longer errands. As long as he seems happy to enter the crate and comfortable once in there, keep building on these sessions. If he’s reluctant to enter, or gets so preoccupied by his captivity that he starts whining or pawing at the gate, keep the sessions shorter, the treats high-value, and stay closer.

Here’s an important point: When you let your dog out of the crate, don’t make a big deal out of it. If you treat him like the three-month survivor of a raft at sea, he’s going to look forward to getting out of the crate so he can be the star of that particular newsreel. Instead, don’t make eye contact as you approach the crate, casually open the door, and ignore him for a few minutes when he comes out. You might even find that he doesn’t come out; that means you are really on the right track with the whole “comfortable in the crate” project.

What about the dog who barks, whines, or paws at the door during his longer sessions in the crate? You have to use your best judgment. Does he seem completely panicked or just a bit upset? Does he have to go potty immediately, or not at all? If you ascertain that he’s putting on a big act – he’s not panicked, just not happy, and he doesn’t have to go potty – then you will have to steel yourself for listening to a bit of fussing (or even some unpleasant barking). If you let him out in the middle of a frustrated tantrum, you will have just reinforced tantrums, and the next one may well be louder and longer.

Instead, lurk close by so that you can leap to release your dog when his whining or barking stopped for a few moments. Try your hardest to reinforce him for longer and longer periods of silence.

Crate Safety Considerations

I don’t want to scare you away from crating. But if you are going to employ this valuable management tool, you need to do so in a responsible manner. Take steps to avoid whatever hazards that crating may present to your dog.

Use an ID tag pouch, or an alternative to conventional, dangling ID tags — but don‘t forego identification.

lf I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would have been skeptical that it could even happen, but my most recent foster dog caught her lD tag in the slats of a plastic crate. It’s a testament to her acceptance of the crate that she neither panicked, fought, nor even whined. I opened the crate the other evening and realized she was sitting with an odd, hunched posture. I thought, “Uh oh,” but I was thinking about bloat. l patted my leg to encourage her to come out of the crate. She wriggled, but maintained her odd posture. I got down on my knees to take a closer look — and that’s when I saw that her ID tag was
stuck, wedged in one of the crate vents; she was being tightly held there against the wall. I’m a huge advocate of having ID on a dog at all times, but now I feel that it’s best if the dog wears a breakaway collar, or that some sort of alternative to a dangling tag is used. 

Maintain safe temperatures for your dog.

It’s your job to make sure that your dog doesn’t roast or freeze in his crate, because there is precious little he will be able to do to help himself get cooler or warmer when he’s locked into a small space.

Provide water.

There are only a few reasons to withhold water from a dog in a crate – and no valid reason to keep him

without water for more than a couple of hours. Often, people who are trying to housetrain a puppy don’t want the pup to be able to “tank up” and later urinate in their crates. It’s safer to set your alarm to let the puppy go outside and pee once in the middle of the night than to prevent him from drinking for eight or more hours in one stretch — especially in hot weather.

If you’re concerned about the water spilling and making a mess, try one of those hamster-style water bottles that dogs have to lick to get a drink (available at pet supply stores) — or better yet, give the non-spilling Buddy Bowl a try. Your dog can flip this bowl completely upside down and still the water won’t pour out. The Buddy Bowl is widely available at pet supply stores and Internet sites.

One last point: Don’t overcrate your dog. Crates are a great tool, but they can be overused. When you walk toward the crate and your dog suddenly runs the other way, you need to increase the fun of crating, and decrease the time he spends in it. Also, keep in mind that puppies can’t “hold it” for all that long. A rule of thumb for pups during the day for up to one hour longer than they are months old. (A three-month old puppy should be able to hold it for four hours.)

I said at the beginning of this article that the ability to calmly spend time in a crate is a valuable life skill. And yet, in an average month, my own dog doesn’t spend much time (if any) in a closed crate. Why? Because he spends so much time in his open, well-padded crate that I rarely need to close its door!

Nancy Kerns is the Editor of WDJ.

The post The Benefits of Crate Training Your Dog From an Early Age appeared first on Whole Dog Journal.

My smile quickly vanishes, however, if the dog has her head stuck out the window, is sitting in the driver’s lap, darting back and forth across the seats, or worse, riding loose in the back of an open pickup truck. And the ultimate crime – leaving a dog in a hot car – motivates me to grab my cell phone and call out the animal cops.

As much as we love our dogs and want them with us all the time, we have an incontrovertible obligation to transport them safely, for their own welfare as well as ours, and that of other drivers on the roads. All dogs, large and small, should learn to ride politely in their cars. There’s a long list of safety hazards concomitant with having an unrestrained obstreperous canine in a moving vehicle. Here are some:

• A dog who interferes with driver’s physical ability to drive the car. A dog sitting on the driver’s lap can interfere with steering. A dog who gets on or under the accelerator or brake pedals, hits the gear shift, or blocks the driver’s view can cause an accident.
• A dog who interferes with driver’s mental ability to drive the car. When the driver’s attention is taken away from the road to deal with dog’s behavior, the dog has become a safety hazard.
• A loose dog can become a flying missile if the car stops abruptly or is hit by another car.
• If the car windows break or the doors pop open in an accident, a loose dog can escape, get hit on the road, or run off and become lost.
• An unsecured dog can interfere with the efforts of rescue workers in an emergency.
• A dog with her head out the window can suffer injury to her eyes from bits of flying debris, or worse, can have her head smashed by objects that pass too close to the car (other vehicle mirrors, signs, branches).
• A loose dog can fall or jump out of an open window or back of a truck.
• The temperature in a parked car on a warm (not even hot!) day can kill a dog.

I’m probably missing some, but I hope that’s enough to make you stop and think next time you’re planning an outing with your furry friend. That doesn’t mean you have to leave your dog buddy at home; there are lots of options for keeping everyone safe while enjoying canine company in your car.

Reducing the Risk

Not every dog loves car outings. Some high-risk car behavior is a result of canine stress and/or arousal. Reducing stress and arousal will decrease car-ride risks and increase car-ride enjoyment for both of you.

Tools and techniques for reducing stress in the car include covering your dog’s crate to reduce sensory stimulation; using a Calming Cap (see “Now You See It, Now You Don’t,” next page) for the same purpose; and incorporating a program of counter-conditioning and desensitization to overcome your dog’s car-related fears and arousal triggers (see “Road Scholar,” May 2001).

Additional tools for maximizing your car safety and pleasure are those that restrict your dog’s movement about the cabin. Many dog owners choose crating as a relatively safe car restraint option. This can be an excellent choice, and it does have drawbacks. To be super-safe, the crate needs to be fastened securely in the back of the vehicle.

Space is another consideration. Crates require a lot of room. If you have a mini-car and a maxi-dog, there’s no room for a crate – you need to explore other options, like canine seat belts.

When the “fasten your seatbelt” sign lights up on your dashboard, so can your dog’s. Many dogs ride comfortably and calmly secured in their seats with a belt designed for just that purpose. There are numerous models to choose from. (See “Seat Belt Your Dog,” February 2004.)

To avoid the potential for serious injury to his neck, though, be sure to select one that attaches to a harness, not your dog’s regular collar. Some dogs who habitually pace nervously back and forth in their cars settle down and relax when restricted by a seat belt. It’s easier on your nerves, too!

If you choose the seat belt route, be aware that the air bag danger that precludes small children from riding in the front passenger seat applies to dogs, too. Either disable your passenger air bag so Rover can ride in the front, or strap him into his seat belt in the back seat.

There are dogs who are not good seat belt candidates – typically puppies, young dogs, and others who might be tempted to try their teeth out on the seat belt or harness straps. Reprimanding your dog for chewing his belt comes under the “driver distraction” risk category. You can try applying a sour-tasting product such as Bitter Apple to the straps. This works for some dogs – but not all.

Another solution for strap chewers is a tasty stuffed Kong or other chew to keep their teeth otherwise occupied (see “King Kongs,” October 2000). You’ll need to secure the Kong so it doesn’t fall off the seat out of reach of your dog, by running a cord through the hole at the small end and tying it to a handy spot in the car. If that doesn’t work, you may need to give in and buy a bigger vehicle to accommodate a crate, or settle for a physical barrier. You might also teach your dog to love a basket muzzle and have him wear one while he’s belted in the back.

Barriers are designed for use in station wagons, mini-vans, and SUVs, and range in price from $40 to $80. The metal barriers are pressure mounted, and tend to be sturdier than the mesh ones, which attach with straps.

Barriers are not as safe as crates or seat belts. While they may protect human passengers from flying dog bodies in case of a wreck, they don’t protect the dog from getting bounced about the back of the vehicle, or stop him from escaping through broken windows. If you have a large dog and a small car, barriers won’t work; you’re still out of luck – and will need to reconsider the seat belt option.

Good Car Manners

Congratulations if you have already accustomed your dog to riding in the back seat (or “way back” of your car) with a harness and securely fastened seat belt. This, or a securely fastened crate, is the safest mode of car travel for your dog. But if you choose to ride with your dog unrestrained in your car, the least you must do is teach him to be calm and lie down in a safe spot other than your lap. (Dogs who are quiet and well-mannered in the car, but prefer to sit up and look out the windows, would be safer if they were secured with a harness and seat belt. When sitting up, a dog’s center of gravity is higher, putting the dog at higher risk of being thrown through the air in an accident.)

Some dogs prefer to lie down on the back seat, the floor of the back seat, or the way back of a station wagon, with little or no guidance. Dubhy, our Scottish Terrier, lies like a rock on the back seat of a car – you wouldn’t even know he’s there. In contrast, Bonnie, our newest acquisition, paces nervously in the car, and if allowed will attempt to climb into the front seat, and sometimes my lap. Given how deeply ingrained this behavior is, attempting to train her to lie down in the back seat would probably cause both of us undue stress. We crate her in the car, even for short trips. Your dog should have a solid and reliable “down” behavior on verbal cue (see “Sit Happens,” February 2001) before you expect him to ride politely in your car. If he does have a solid down, you can cue him (and reward!) for lying down quietly while you are driving (or rather, when you are safely stopped during drives).

If your dog does not reliably respond to a “down” cue, a program to teach polite car manners is in order. This will require two people – one to drive the car, one to reinforce your dog for appropriate car behavior. A large empty parking lot is a good place to start your lessons, to minimize distractions for both driver and dog.

Cue your dog to lie down on the back seat. When he does, mark the behavior, with the click! of a clicker or a verbal marker (such as the word “Yes!”), and give him a treat. Drive a short distance while your helper continues to mark the desired behavior and reward your dog at a rate of reinforcement high enough to keep the dog in his down position. Depending on your dog, this may be every few seconds to start, or it may be a slower rate if your dog is already reasonably calm in the car.

Continue to drive short distances with stops in between to give everyone a break. Gradually increase the distance of your practice runs, while your helper gradually decreases the rate of reinforcement. As you increase the length of the runs, keep the time between reinforcements of a random interval – some longer, some shorter. This way, your dog won’t get antsy as he starts anticipating the next click; he’ll never know when it’s coming! Have your helper ultimately fade the clicks and treats altogether as the car is moving, since you won’t be able to click-treat safely when you’re driving alone. Your goal is to have her reinforce polite car behavior only occasionally, and only when the car is stopped.

When your dog rides well in an empty parking lot, move your practice sessions to a parking lot with traffic, so your helper can reinforce your dog for riding politely in a more stimulating environment. Again, start with a high rate of reinforcement. When he has impeccable manners in the parking lot with clicks and treats only when the car is stopped, you’re ready to take it on the road, still with your helper present to reinforce appropriate car behavior. With that step accomplished, you can fly solo. Go back to the empty lot and give it a trial run. If your dog has learned his lessons well, you’ll zip through this part with ease. Drive a short distance with your dog lying down in his back-seat spot. Don’t try to click and treat while you are moving! Stop, click, and treat.

As long as he’s staying in his place, gradually increase the length of your runs, sometimes giving him a click and treat when you’re stopped, sometimes not. When he’s ready, move to a parking lot with traffic, and practice there until you’re ready to face the real world.

Pat Miller, CPDT, is Whole Dog Journal’s Training Editor. Miller lives in Hagerstown, Marland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center.

The post Driving Safely with Your Dog appeared first on Whole Dog Journal.

I first discovered crates some 30 years ago, when they were relatively new to the dog scene. I was skeptical about putting my new Australian Kelpie puppy in a “cage,” but since Keli was part of a Canine Field Agent program for the Marin Humane Society where I worked as a Humane Officer, I was determined to do everything perfectly right. I reluctantly decided to try crating.

On the third night, when I went to deposit Keli in her crate, I found Caper, my three-year-old Bull Terrier, happily curled up in the pup’s den. Caper smiled up at me and thumped her tail in the blankets, clearly saying, “This is wonderful! Can I have one of my own? Please, can I?”

I bought Caper a crate of her own the next day, and have been a total crate advocate ever since. How could they now be perceived as a bad thing?

As I followed the discussion, I realized that the negative crate perspective stemmed from concerns of “overcrating.” Apparently some owners crate their dogs all day while they’re at work, let them out for a couple of hours when they come home, and then crate the dogs all night while everyone is sleeping. This, some shelters fear, is too much time in a crate for a dog’s physical and mental health.

They’re right.

The crate is an invaluable management tool. Like any training tool, it can be misused. Even when used properly, it’s not necessarily the appropriate tool for every dog in every circumstance. The discussion that follows may help you decide when, and whether, it’s the right choice for you and your canine pal.

Overcrating Dogs

A properly used crate can be the answer to your housetraining prayers. I was astounded by the ease with which I was able to housetrain my Kelpie pup. I also, however, was in the enviable position of being able to take my baby dog to work with me, so I was never tempted – or compelled – to crate her for longer that she could “hold it.”

If you’re a normal person whose boss frowns on dogs at work, you simply can’t crate your pup all day while you’re gone. He’ll be forced to eliminate in his crate, breaking down his inhibitions against soiling his own den – the very inhibitions you rely on to be able to accomplish house-training.

A general rule of thumb is that puppies can “hold it” during the day for up to one hour longer than they are months old. In other words, your eight-week-old baby dog can be crated for perhaps up to three hours during the day. They can usually go somewhat longer at night because metabolism slows, but it’s a rare two-month-old who can go through the night without a potty break.

So, you can only crate your pup during an 8- to 10-hour workday if you can arrange for at least two bathroom breaks. One quick run home at lunch won’t be enough, at least not until he’s five to six months old.

In addition to performing necessary bodily functions, a growing pup needs to move around in order to develop properly. Some runaround time during the day helps him develop mentally and physically, practicing skills and learning lessons he can’t make up later in life.

Finally, a pup who spends his entire day in a crate stores up mental and physical energy. When an owner comes home exhausted after working all day, she’s rarely in a state of mind to cope with pent-up puppy frenzies, or to provide adequate exercise and mental stimulation to make up for a day of relative deprivation. The rela-tionship suffers, and the pup gets relegated to the backyard, alone, or worse – put back into the crate.

While adult dogs are more physically capable of “holding it” for extended periods than puppies, it’s still not appropriate for a dog to be routinely crated for 10 hours. Hence, the concerns of adoption agencies.

Solution for Overcrating Your Dog

Alternatives to crating include finding alternative confinement options, arranging for multiple bathroom breaks, or finding a daycare situation of some kind.

Some owners simply leave their dogs – including puppies – outside in a fenced yard during the day. This allows the dog total freedom to poop and pee at will. It also leaves him vulnerable to threats from the environment – theft, poisoning, accidental escape, snakes, raccoons, skunks, coyotes. I even met a pup once with a huge scar across his back – souvenir of a brief flight, fortunately aborted, in the talons of a Golden Eagle.

Outdoor confinement also leaves the dog free to practice inappropriate behaviors such as digging, escaping, and barking, and exposes him to the extremes of weather.

It might be safer to confine your pup indoors, either in a small puppy-proofed room such as a bathroom, or in a secure exercise pen. This requires newspapering the floor, and perhaps encouraging the dog to use one of the commercial pee pad products or a litter box, essentially giving him permission to eliminate in the house.

This solution has risks as well. Your pup can learn to rip up vinyl flooring and chew on cabinets if he’s loose in a bathroom. He may be able to knock over his exercise pen if it’s not well secured, climb out (some come with lids), or get a leg caught between the bars. If you plan to use an ex-pen, get him used to it while you’re home, to be sure none of these things are likely to happen.

Multiple bathroom breaks may be easier than you think. If there are two adults in the household, perhaps you can stagger your lunches – one at 11am, one at 1pm – to give him two breaks. If not, a commercial pet sitter can take a daily turn at potty breaks. Other options include friends, neighbors, or family members who live close enough to provide the service until the pup is older. You might even find a local teenage dog lover who would cherish the opportunity to earn some spending money.

Finally, Spot may just need to go somewhere else during the day. Commercial doggie daycare centers are increasingly popular and available.

If Your Dog Soils His Crate

If Spot eliminates in his crate even when not overcrated, your first course of action is to rule out medical problems. Loose stools, a urinary tract infection, or other incontinence problems make it impossible for a dog to hold it for normal periods of time.

Assuming all is well, there are several other possible causes of crate soiling:

• Your dog has been routinely overcrated in the past, and was forced to soil his crate. His inhibitions against soiling his den have been damaged. He now thinks the crate in an acceptable bathroom.

• Your dog isn’t eliminating outdoors before being crated.

• Your dog has separation anxiety (SA) and is voiding his bladder and bowels during his SA panic attack.

Solution for Crate-Soiling

Your approach to Spot’s crate-soiling behavior depends on the cause. If he has learned to soil his crate, it may help to change his bedding, or remove bedding altogether until he’s retrained. Bedding that absorbs fluids, such as a blanket, can make it more comfortable for your dog to be in his soiled crate. His current bedding also may have become his preferred substrate. Try newspaper instead, a square of heavy duty compressed foam rubber (the kind used for flooring), or no bedding. A tether may be a reasonable alternative to nighttime crating.

Make sure his crate is the correct size – big enough for him to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. If it’s too large he can potty in one end and sleep in the other.

Perhaps you’re just not making sure Spot eliminates outside before you crate him. In your morning rush to get to work on time, you let him out in the backyard and assume he empties before he comes back in. That may be an incorrect assumption. If it’s cold or rainy, he may have huddled on the back porch, waiting to be let back in. Perhaps he was distracted digging for moles under a bush, or barking at the kids walking past the yard on their way to school. Maybe he gets a cookie for coming back into the house, so he’s skipping the step where he’s supposed to go pee on the grass first. It could be a substrate preference problem – he wants to pee on grass, and all he can find is snow!

Set your alarm to awaken you 15 minutes earlier than normal, so you can go out with Spot on leash before and after he eats his breakfast to make sure he’s empty when you crate him. If he’s reluctant to out in inclement weather, create a sheltered potty spot, so he doesn’t have to eliminate with rain or snow dumping on his head, or strong winds buffeting him. Would you be able to “do your business” under those conditions?

If he’s determined to go on grass, it’s the dead of winter and there’s no grass available, you may need to scrape snow away from the grass in his sheltered potty spot or provide indoor-grown grass until you can teach him a new substrate preference. Maybe Astroturf would work!

When Your Dog Refuses to Go Into the Crate

Dogs who refuse to enter their crates may have never been crate trained, or the crating process was somehow abused. Spot may have been overcrated and now resists entering a den he fears he’ll be forced to soil. Perhaps someone previously used his crate as punishment, or forcibly crated him. He may have had a bad experience in a crate that may have been improperly secured and rolled with him in it, or by having loud noises or other fear-inducing stimuli occur while he was crated.

Teach Your Dog to Love the Crate

Whatever the reason, you’ll need to embark on a program of counter-conditioning and desensitization to change Spot’s association from bad to good, and retrain his crating behavior.

Start by scattering yummy stuff around the outside of his crate, placing a couple of tidbits just inside the door so he can stick his head in to get them. Gradually toss more yummies inside the crate to entice him further in. When he’s going in easily, start handfeeding tidbits while he’s inside, to encourage him to stay in. If you use a clicker, you can now begin to click! and give him a treat for going into the crate.

When he’ll go in and stay calmly inside the crate while you feed treats, close the door gently, feed treats through the door, and then let him out. Gradually increase the length of time you keep the door closed, until he’s quite comfortable with this step. Then take a step away from the crate, click! and return to give him his treat. Continue this process until he is happy to enter and stay in his crate.

You can play another crating game to motivate your dog to “kennel.” Take something scrumptious, like a meaty knucklebone, and put it in the crate. Show it to your dog, then close the door with him outside the crate. Let him spend some time trying to get into the closed crate to get at the bone, then open the door allowing him to zoom in (and back out, if he wants) to claim his prize.

To keep crating fun for your dog, be sure to practice crating games often, not just when he’s going to be crated for extended periods. You can also give him food-stuffed Kongs and other interactive toys to keep him happy in his crate.

If your dog absolutely refuses to enter the crate, get one that comes apart. Take the top off, then start the counter-conditioning process.

Incessant Barking in the Crate

Sometimes barking happens because the dog really needs to go. While it’s critically important to heed your dog’s bathroom calls, it’s equally important not to succumb to crate barking when it’s simply his insistent plea to get out and play, or cuddle. The more often you let him out on demand, the more the behavior is reinforced, and the harder it will be to ever successfully train him to stay quietly in his crate.

Solution to Barking in the Crate

If you’re just starting your dog’s crating lessons, be sure he empties his bowels and bladder before you begin, so you know he doesn’t have to go. Ignore his barking, and let him out of the crate when he’s quiet. At first, he may be quiet for just a few seconds. Mark the quiet with a “Yes!” or a click! so he knows it’s the quiet behavior that gets him out of the crate. Gradually increase the length of quiet time before you let him out.

If your dog has already learned to demand-bark to gain freedom you’ll follow the same procedure as above. However it will take longer to extinguish the behavior because it’s been previously reinforced. Your dog is likely to go through an extinction burst – more and/or louder barking, as he tries to make this formerly successful behavior work again. Be strong; if you give in during an extinction burst you will reinforce your dog for an even more intense behavior, and it will be even harder to make it stop.

At first, listen for and reinforce even very brief pauses in barking. You have to show your dog what behavior will work – quiet – if you want him to offer more of it.

When Your Dog Panics in the Crate

This is very different from demand barking. Some dogs, particularly many of those with separation anxiety (SA), can’t tolerate the close confinement of a crate. They experience a full-blown panic attack, and frantically try to escape from their prison.

A panicked dog’s efforts to escape from his mental and emotional anguish may include hysterical, non-stop barking and howling – for hours and hours without pause; frantic attempts to bite and claw his way out – often breaking teeth and ripping out nails in the process; and stress-induced urination and defecation – which he proceeds to paint all over the walls of his crate as he thrashes around.

Solution to Panicking: Don’t Crate the Dog

You cannot subject a panicked dog to these conditions. You must address the SA problem through behavior modification, and may someday be able to use a crate with your dog, if you are successful in modifying the SA. In the meantime, look for doggie daycare-type management solutions.

When Your Dog Gets Aggressive in the Crate

Some dogs become ferocious in their crates, usually manifesting territorial aggression, fear aggression, or resource guarding. The behavior is alarming, especially to an unsuspecting passer-by – human, canine, feline, or other – who inadvertently walks too close to the crate and is greeted with a fierce roar and crash when the dog lunges into the side of his kennel.

Managing Dog Aggression in Crates

Management is your best approach to this behavior, followed by behavior modification.

Dogs who are aggressive in their crates shouldn’t be subjected to environments in which the behavior is constantly triggered. These dogs should not, for example, be left crated and unattended at canine sporting events. If children are in the household, they must not be allowed to approach Spot in his crate.

Some dogs will crate calmly if the crate is covered to reduce the stimuli that triggers their aggression. Others do well as long as there’s nothing of high-value to be guarded in the crate, such as a favorite toy or stuffed Kong.

If Spot is fearful, taking refuge in his crate out of fear, be sure to do nothing to intimidate him while he’s crated. No reaching in, for example, to remove bowls, toys, or dog from crate. You may do better to refrain from crating a fearful dog until he’s become more confident with you, to avoid setting him up for crate aggression.

To modify crate aggression, return to your old friends, counter-conditioning and desensitization. If your dog is aggressive to passers-by, arm yourself with a large supply of high-value treats (canned chicken, rinsed and drained, works well), and sit next to the crate. When your dog alerts to a member of the trigger species (whether it is dog or human) passing at a noticeable but low-arousal distance, begin feeding him treats, non-stop, until that someone is gone. Each time the trigger appears, wait for your dog to notice, then start feeding him tiny tidbits of chicken, non-stop, until the trigger is gone.

Keep watching your dog’s reaction. You’re looking for his response to the appearance of the trigger to change from wary or alert to “Yay! Where’s my chicken!” When you get the latter reaction consistently, move the trigger closer and repeat the lessons, until the trigger can pass next to the crate.

If your approach triggers an aggression response, do lots of practice sessions where you walk up to the crate and drop chicken into it, so your dog learns to associate your approach with good stuff. Never punish your dog for being aggressive in his crate – you’re likely to make the behavior worse!

The Best Kinds of Crates

Some dogs crate best in wire crates, others seem to prefer the plastic airline-style kennels. Portable, collapsible soft crates have become hugely popular. Some owners only crate through the puppy stage, others use crates throughout their dogs’ entire lives. Both are acceptable.

Despite the potential for crating woes with some dogs, I remain a staunch fan of this invaluable management tool. We can educate owners about proper crate use to avoid overcrating and other abuses. The crate is so useful, it distresses me to hear that some well-meaning shelter folks have such a low opinion of it. Let’s not throw the puppy out with the bath water!

Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She is also author of The Power of Positive Dog Training, and Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog. 

The post Dog Crating Difficulties appeared first on Whole Dog Journal.

Crates are perhaps second only to choke collars as the most misused training equipment forced upon dogs. However, unlike choke collars, there is a terrific training principle behind the use of crates.

A crate, or, in other words, short-term close confinement, can be used to help dogs teach themselves two very important skills. The first is eliminating only when and where it is appropriate. The second skill is keeping out of trouble – behaving appropriately in the house. Without these two skills, a dog doesn’t have much of a chance in this world.

But before I tell you how to help your dog learn these skills, let me say what crates should not be used for.

What Dog Crates are NOT For

They are not for punishing your dog for doing something wrong; if used in this way, the dog will quickly learn to avoid ever going in the crate, or how to be as obnoxious as possible in order to get let out.

They are not for “warehousing” a number of dogs, so you don’t have too many underfoot. I have to say that breeders abuse the use of crates more than all other dog owners. You often see breeders who don’t actually want to live with the dogs they breed and raise; they use crates to contain their “merchandise,” keep it out of the way until it’s ready to sell. This is in itself objectionable, even more so when they force this prison concept of the crate upon the people who buy their dogs and puppies. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve spoken to who faithfully lock their perfectly well-behaved dogs in crates for hours every day because the breeder they bought the dog from told them they had to.

Puppies are Babies

Crates are also not for keeping puppies out of trouble all day. Puppies are just like babies; they need to be watched every minute, and few puppy owners seem to understand this. People make arrangements for their new babies to be supervised when they are at work or school or going to the movies and so on; they have to learn to do the same with puppies.

Recently, I was talking about this to a dog trainer friend from Manhattan. She was discussing this with a number of students in a dog training class, and several people were having trouble accepting it. Finally, frustrated, she told them, “Look, I’m sorry, I must end the class now, because my two-year-old daughter is at home on her own and I’ve been away for several hours, so I should get back and see how she is.” Everyone went, “WHAT?” And she said, “See? Actually, I don’t have a child, but you accept that you can’t leave one kind of baby alone; why is it any less dangerous or cruel to abandon another one?”

When the puppy gets older, say, six to 12 months old, you can begin leaving it for longer periods of time. However, you can’t just go out the door and hope for the best. You have to teach your puppy how to cope with short-term close confinement, and later, with long-term confinement.

Simply stated, crates are not for long-term close confinement of puppies or adult dogs. They are too small; any animal suffers when it is forced to stay that closely confined for more than a few hours.

Long-Term Dog Confinement

Until your new dog is house-trained, you can’t give it the run of the house all day while you are at work – it would get into trouble – but you can’t put it in the crate, either.

In my opinion, you can view each mistake a dog makes while you’re gone all day as 20 mistakes, because one puddle, or one little chew, sets the precedent for many other mistakes. And when the dog’s bladder and teeth get bigger, and bigger mistakes are made, the dog will be put outside, where it will then learn to dig and bark, and then the neighbors will complain, and then it goes into the garage as a temporary stop, before it goes to the humane society to play the Lotto of life, where only one out of eight dogs win.

So, instead, when you’re away from home, you use long-term confinement to keep him or her out of trouble. The most suitable place for teaching long-term confinement would be a bathroom, one with all the toilet paper, towels, shower curtains, and carpets removed. You’d leave only a few things in there: the dog’s bed (which could be a cozy blanket placed in a crate with the door open), an adequate supply of water, some safe hollow chew toys which are stuffed with food treats, and the dog’s toilet. For the latter, I suggest something like two short rolls of turf on a sheet of plastic. The benefit of this, rather than those commercial puppy pads, is the dog will train itself to urinate on turf or dirt.

If your new dog is extremely anxious, and it takes desperate measures to escape, such as tearing the bathroom door apart, you can’t use this method. You will need to consult a professional for advice on dealing with about extreme separation anxiety.

The long-term confinement method is a temporary measure, only meant to keep your new dog out of trouble until you have the time to potty- and house-train it.

Crates for “Potty Training”

All right. Back to what crates are for! The first proper use of a crate, as I said, is for teaching a puppy or dog to eliminate only when and where it is appropriate.

You can teach this to an adult dog within three days. This is something we did with the San Francisco SPCA in the mid-1980s, when I started the animal behavior program there. We taught the volunteers how to take home dogs that weren’t house-trained and house-train them using the umbilical cord method, where the dog is tied to your waist, so you can watch it every second. Then, every hour on the hour you take it outside, to the place where you want it to eliminate. When they do, you give them three liver treats, take them back inside, and let them off the leash for a little while. If they do not eliminate, they do not get a treat, and they go back inside still on the leash. By four days of this, there were no longer any mistakes; the dog thoroughly wants to use its dog toilet.

Puppies may or may not take a little longer to potty-train. Your consistency will make all the difference.

When at home, confine the puppy all the time that you can not watch it 110 percent. Few dogs or puppies will soil their bedrooms unless they are really desperate; don’t keep the puppy (or a dog, for that matter) in there long enough to get desperate.

Every hour on the hour, release the puppy, saying, “Let’s go potty!” and run with it to its doggie toilet. (Running is helpful because you don’t want an accident to happen on the way to the toilet, and because running “jiggles” its bladder and bowels.) Most puppies will urinate within two minutes. If it does, give it three liver treats, and go back in the house. By doing this, you actually give the puppy the desire to wait until you come home and take it outside to eliminate, because that’s the only time it can cash in its urine and feces for liver treats.

Once it has eliminated, then you can take it back into the house and turn it loose, where your empty puppy can spend some time exploring the house under supervision. Then you’ve only got to watch that it doesn’t chew the wrong things! After an hour or so, put it back into the crate, and start the process over again.

However, if it doesn’t eliminate, it goes back in the crate for another hour, and you start over again.

House-Training Your Dog

“Potty-training” is what most people are worried about, of course, but what I call “house-training” is just as important, and, fortunately, it’s a nice side-effect of crate-training. In just a matter of days, the dog will learn that every time he is confined, he gets to chew on toys, and soon, he’ll become addicted to chewing toys. That means he won’t destroy the rest of your house, and it mean he won’t become a recreational barker. He’ll still alert when the doorbell rings, but recreational chewers almost never become one of those annoying chronic barkers.

The dog will also self-train itself to settle down and to enjoy time spent when at home alone. After a week or two of this procedure, the adult dog can safely enjoy the full run of his home for the rest of his life. Again, I do not advise that puppies are left alone – for any length of time – until they are at least 12 amonths old.

Crate-Training Mistakes

The most common mistake I see people making with their crates is using it as a prison, or shoving the dog into the crate when he’s been “bad.” That’s the very best way to teach him to avoid going into the crate at any time.

Instead, a dog should regard the crate as his play room, his doggie den. Confining a dog or puppy to a crate should be on par with confining your child to a room with a TV and VCR, a Sega, and a ton of toys. This is a simple thing to teach puppies. When a puppy is tired and hungry, you put him in the crate along with his dinner and some toys, and you leave him there. He’ll eat his dinner and fall asleep.

If someone has taught an adult dog to have apprehensions about the crate, though, it will probably take at least a few days to overcome them. The process here will be a little different; he’ll need additional time to get over his anxiety that he will be locked and trapped in the crate. While you are trying to convince him of this, don’t lock and trap him in the crate!

Dog Training Theory

The point of “training” is to make the dog want to do what you want it to do. If your dog doesn’t want to be in the crate – if he has only unpleasant associations with it – use your head. How can you make a dog want to be in the crate? Food is one way.

First, I would always feed this dog in his crate, and make the most of his daily ration by feeding it to him in numerous courses – as many as a dozen, even. I’d put a little food in the crate, let him go in and eat it, and then let him out right after he’s finished. I’d also make the final course of the day a big one, mixing his kibble with some juicy canned food. Put the bowl in the crate and then shut the door, with the dog on the outside, and let the dog think about this for a while. After a minute, he’ll be saying, “Hey! Open the crate door! Let me in!” This is what training is all about. When your dog is pleading to get in its crate, let it in!

Here’s another tactic. Throw a bit of kibble in the crate. Let him go in and get it; he’ll come right out again. Do this three or four times. Then, throw a bit of kibble in, and when he goes in to get it, shut the door and immediately feed him another couple of bits of kibble through the bars. Then, let him out, and ignore him for three minutes. Then, put a bit of kibble in the crate, shut the door, feed him five bits of kibble through the bars, and then let him out and ignore him for five minutes.

The next time, put a bunch of kibble in a Kong toy, along with some freeze-dried liver and a bit of honey in the Kong, so it is difficult to get the food out, and put the Kong in the crate. Let the dog in and shut the door. Before he’s finished trying to get all the food out, after about 10 minutes, open the door, let him out, take the Kong away, and ignore him for five minutes.

What is the dog learning? “When I’m in the crate, my owner talks to me all the time, she sits next to me and reads me a book, and keeps feeding me. And there are toys in the crate. There are no toys anywhere else – that crate is OK!”

If a dog is expressing dissatisfaction with its lot, you haven’t really done your job as a trainer to teach him to want to do what you want him to do.

Every dog develops favorite places to lie down. If you’ve crate-trained your dog properly, that favorite place will be in the crate with the door open. If the dog goes there of his own accord, it’s a good sign that you have done a good job as a trainer.

Dr. Dunbar is the founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the creator of the K9 Games, and is best known for his SIRIUS Puppy Training program.

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Some twenty years ago I got a new puppy. Keli was an Australian Kelpie, acquired by the Marin Humane Society to be my Canine Field Agent, partner and assistant in my daily duties as an Animal Services Officer. Being selected for this program was a huge honor and responsibility. I was determined to do everything right in caring for and training my pup.

I had heard about a new technique in puppy-raising, called crate-training, where you put your dog in a small kennel at night, and whenever you had to leave him alone. I was skeptical. Put a puppy in a cage? It sounded cruel! Still, determined to provide cutting-edge care for my pup in this cutting-edge program, I decided to try it. After all, the puppy would be with me most of the time in the animal services truck, so we were really only talking about nighttime crating. Unconvinced but determined to try, prior to bringing the pup home I purchased a crate and set it up in my bedroom.

When I brought the 10-week-old pup home, I braced myself for the two most trying challenges of puppy-raising: house training and chewing. I was about to be pleasantly surprised. The first night in her crate, Keli cried for a few minutes – typical behavior on the first night away from her mother and littermates. But then she curled up and went to sleep.

At 2 a.m. she woke me with insistent crying. She was telling me she needed to go out – WOW! I got up, took her out to pee, then returned her to the crate and went back to bed. After another perfunctory period of protest she went back to sleep. When I woke up the next morning her crate was clean, I didn’t have to worry about stepping in – or cleaning up – puppy piles or puddles, and thanks to the boundaries of the crate, there were no chewed up shoes or electrical cords. My skepticism started to fade.

Two nights later it vanished completely when I went to put Keli in her crate and found Caper, my three-year-old Bull Terrier mix, already curled up on the soft pad in Keli’s airline kennel. Caper looked up at me and thumped her tail several times, clearly saying, “These are cool! Can I have one of my own?” I went out the following day and bought Caper her own crate, and I’ve been a crate convert ever since.

The Dog Crate as a Home Within a Home

The crate is a sturdy plastic, fiberglass, wood, metal or wire box just big enough for a dog to stand up, turn around and lie down in comfortably. It can be used with the door open, at your convenience, or with the door closed, when mandatory confinement is called for.

When the crate is properly introduced using positive training methods, most dogs love their crates. Canines are den animals and a crate is a modern den – a dog’s personal portable bedroom that he can retire to when he wants to escape from the trials and tribulations of toddlers and other torments. He can take it with him when he stays at boarding kennels, and when he travels with you and sleeps in hotels and motels.

Owners love crates because they generally make house training a breeze and prevent damage to the house, furnishings, and personal possessions. They can give a new puppy-owner peace of mind when Baby Buddy has to be left home alone. They can be used for a positive time-out when visitors tire of Buddy’s antics, or when he insists on begging at the dinner table.

The crate is also a great tool for convincing owners of backyard dogs to bring their hounds into their homes (where they belong). By bringing the dog indoors but keeping him confined, at least at night, hesitant owners can ease their fears about mayhem and ruined rugs while at least partially integrating the deprived dog into the family.

The Crate is NOT a Punishment

A crate is not a place of punishment. Never force your dog or puppy into a crate in anger. Even if he has earned a time-out through inappropriate behavior, don’t yell at him, throw him in the crate, and slam the door. Instead, quietly remove the dog from the scene and invite him into his crate to give both of you an opportunity to calm down.

Nor is a crate appropriate for long-term confinement. While some puppies are able to make it through an eight-hour stretch in a crate at night, you should be sleeping nearby and available to take your pup out if he tells you he needs to go.

During the day, a puppy should not be asked to stay in a crate longer than two to four hours at a time; an adult dog no more than six to eight hours. Longer than that and you risk forcing Buddy to eliminate in his crate, which is a very bad thing, since it breaks down his instinctive inhibitions against soiling his den. Dogs who learn to soil their dens can be extremely difficult, sometimes nearly impossible, to house train – a common behavior problem for puppies from unclean puppy mills.

Training Your Dog to Get into a Crate

Most puppies, even the majority of adult dogs, can be crate-trained with relative ease. Remember that the crate should be just large enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. He doesn’t need to be able to play football in it. If you want to get one large enough for your puppy to grow into, block off the back so he has just enough room, and increase the space as he grows. Cover the floor of the crate with a rug or soft pad to make it comfortable and inviting, and you’re ready to begin training.

Start with the crate door open, and toss some irresistibly yummy treats inside. If he is hesitant to go in after them, toss the treats close enough to the doorway that he can stand outside and just poke his nose in the crate to eat them. If you are training with a clicker or other reward marker, each time he eats a treat, Click! the clicker (or say “Yes!” if you are using a verbal marker).

Gradually toss the treats farther and farther into the crate until he steps inside to get them. Continue to Click! each time he eats a treat. When he enters the crate easily to get the treats, Click! and offer him a treat while he is still inside. If he is willing to stay inside, keep clicking and treating. If he comes out that’s okay too, just toss another treat inside and wait for him to re-enter. Don’t try to force him to stay in the crate.

When he enters the crate to get the treat without hesitation, you can start using a verbal cue such as “Go to bed” as he goes in, so that you will eventually be able to send him into his crate on just a verbal cue.

When he happily stays in the crate in anticipation of a Click! and treat, gently swing the door closed. Don’t latch it! Click! and treat, then open the door. Repeat this step, gradually increasing the length of time the door stays closed before you Click! Sometimes you can Click! and reward without opening the door right away.

When your dog will stay in the crate with the door closed for at least 10 seconds without any signs of anxiety, close the door, latch it, and take one step away from the crate. Click!, return to the crate, reward, and open the door. Repeat this step, varying the time and distance you leave the crate. Don’t always make it longer and farther – intersperse long ones with shorter ones, so it doesn’t always get harder and harder for him. Start increasing the number of times you Click! and treat without opening the door, but remember that a Click! or a “Yes!” always gets a treat.

It’s a good idea to leave the crate open when you aren’t actively training. Toss treats and his favorite toys in the crate when he’s not looking, so he never knows what wonderful surprises he might find there. You can even feed him his meals in the crate – with the door open – to help him realize that his crate is a truly wonderful place.

If at any time during the program your dog whines or fusses about being in the crate, don’t let him out until he stops crying! This is the biggest mistake owners make when crate training! If you let Buddy out when he is fussing, you will teach him that fussing gets him free.

If, however, he panics to the point of risking injury to himself, you must let him out. You may have a dog with a separation anxiety challenge. A crate is generally not recommended for dogs with separation anxiety, since they tend to panic in close confinement. If you believe your dog has a separation anxiety problem, stop the crate training and consult a behaviorist or a trainer who has experience with this behavior.

Instead of letting your dog out whenever he fusses or whines, wait for a few seconds of quiet, then Click! and reward. Then back up a step or two in the training program until he is again successful at the task you’ve set out for him. When your dog is doing well at that level again, increase the difficulty in smaller increments, and vary the amount of time, rather than making it progressively longer. For example, instead of going from 5 seconds to 10 to 15, start with 5 seconds, then 7, then 3, then 8, and so on.

Maintaining Dog Crate Reliability

Sometimes dogs and often puppies can do the whole crate training program in one day. Some will take several days, and a few will take weeks or more. Once your dog is crate trained, you have a valuable behavior management tool for life. Respect it. If you abuse it by keeping Buddy confined too much, for too long a period of time, or by using it as punishment, he may learn to dislike it. Even though he goes to bed willingly and on cue, reward him often enough to keep the response happy and quick. Keep your verbal “Go To Bed” cue light and happy. Don’t ever let anyone tease or punish him in his crate. (Kids can be especially obnoxious about this. Watch them!)

All of my dogs quickly learn the “Go to bed” routine. I don’t even have to use the verbal cue; usually, when I emerge from brushing my teeth, they are already curled up in their crates for the night.

Pat Miller is a freelance author and a professional dog trainer in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

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