Is crate training cruel?(how to humanely crate train)

Is crate training cruel?

You may know crate training is important, but wonder…this is a small tiny cage…is crate training cruel?

In the video and post below, I talk about how you can HUMANELY crate train, and why it’s important to crate train a new dog or puppy, so watch here.

Before we get started, I want to talk about WHY crate training is important. Crate training is important because:

• It keeps your pup safe while you are away.
• It helps with potty training.
• It can give your pup a place to decompress when they get over-aroused
• At some point, they will most likely *have* to be in a crate (like a stay at the vets office)

That being said if your dog doesn’t destroy things around the house, and they are fully potty trained, it’s not necessary to leave them in a crate when you’re away (I would test short periods first).

However, most people make the mistake of giving their dogs and puppies TOO much freedom TOO soon. When this happens, your pup can potentially ingest things that they shouldn’t. They can also destroy your valuable things.

Alright, so without further ado, let’s learn how to crate train humanely!

Make sure the crate is the correct size

Your pup should be able to stand up and turn around in the crate fully. This is for potty training so they don’t pee on one side of the crate and sleep on the other. If your pup is fully potty trained, then you give them more space in the crate.

Do not overuse the crate cruelly

This is where a crate can be used cruelly. You should never leave your pup in a crate for over 5 hours unless it’s when they’re sleeping overnight. Even then, it’s important that you let your pup out when they wake up in the morning so that they can use the bathroom.

Make sure you’ve done crate desensitization exercises with your pup

I have a free crate training protocol you can download that walks you through exactly how to do this. This is exactly, step-by-step, how to train your dog to enjoy their crate and make sure you’re humanely training them to LOVE their crate. Forcing your dog into their crate, or letting them ‘cry it out’ can be a cruel way to crate train.

When you leave, make sure you’ve given them something to do while you’re away

When I have to leave my puppy alone, I like to keep them entertained with a Kong toy filled with frozen peanut butter. This keeps them happy and engaged while they are in their crate. Additionally, licking the peanut butter can help soothe your puppy and provide mental stimulation. It’s one of my favorite ways to keep my puppy occupied while I’m away.

Make sure they’re getting enough physical and mental exercise throughout the day

If your pup hasn’t been getting BOTH mental and physical exercise throughout the day, then it’s going to be challenging for them to fully relax. Some of my favorite mental exercises include snuffle mats, sniffaries, puzzle toys, and training.

That’s it for now…do you plan to crate train your dog or puppy? Let me know in the comments below.