Crate Training
Why crate training can be so beneficial
Before I begin, I want to start by saying that crate training is a preference. Some will say it is essential when you have a dog or a particular breed of dog, but I have been around both crate trained and non-crate trained dogs, generally, they are all lovely. However, I feel there are real benefits in crate training from an early age and I am so glad we changed our minds to do this with Fenrir.
Let’s start by eliminating the perception of a crate…
The purpose of a crate is NOT:
For punishment
To shut them away to get some peace and quiet
To keep them in when you are going to be out for all hours of the day
The purpose of a crate IS:
To provide a safe space for your dog so they can rest without feeling vulnerable
To tap into their natural denning instincts
To keep them safe when you need to nip out for a couple of hours
To get them used to being in a smaller space if they need stay overnight at the vets, kennels or even various transport (car rides, flights or trains)
Let me go through these points a little more.
Dogs, but puppies in particular, have a wonderful way of pushing our buttons. Be it chewing furniture or ankles, getting into places they shouldn’t, or having unexpected accidents. Since you are going from no puppy one day, to pure chaos the next, it is a real shock to the system and takes time to adjust. It is easy to want to just put the dog in the crate and have some time to yourself. In doing this, you are associating the crate with something negative. The dog will learn that the crate is something to be feared and may associate that fear with you as well. This can then lead to destructive habits, panic or frantic attempts to escape, which can result in injury. This could then impact the occasions when you actually need them to be in a small space - car ride, vet stay etc.
Dogs should also not be crated ONLY when you leave the house. This association then teaches the dog that going into the crate means you leave. To your dog, you are their entire world, and they don’t like it when you leave them. If you create an association between the crate and you leaving the house, you will have a dog that will refuse to go into their crate, knowing it means you are going to be leaving.
Dogs naturally like enclosed or small spaces. It is their ancestral drive to seek out such locations for safety, emotional regulation and rest. This is what crates are designed for. With the appropriate sized crate for your dog and plenty of positive reinforcement, this becomes their haven! Providing their meals, favourite treats, licky mats, Kongs etc. is the key to associating the crate with something positive.
Crates are also great for your peace of mind too. If you do need to nip out, especially with a young dog, you need to know they are safe. Dogs can get up to all sorts of mischief - I’m sure you’ve seen videos online of dogs that have completely destroyed sofas, ripped up carpets and found their way into human food they should not have!
One note I would like to include following this; if you have children or children who visit - please do not allow them into the dogs crate or to interfere with it. It is the dogs space, and should be respected as such.
Once again, crate training is a preference for owners. Our old family dog was not crate trained, and she was a sweet, calm and near perfect dog, but she was relatively low energy. Our Fenrir is a high energy dog and needs support learning to settle and calm down, which the crate has provided him with.