Crate training

Crate Training.

It’s not the easiest or most fun thing to do and working with 2 rescues it’s a constant topic of discussion with new or potential adopters on the dos and don’ts and “why do I need to crate my dog?”.

So, why do you need to crate your dog or at the very least why should your dog know how to be crated safely? Let’s talk about this category 5 hurricane currently coming up the coast. You and your family and your dog need to relocate. You’re probably going to stay in a hotel or with family or friends and your dog is going to be stressed and confused. Some, if not most, hotels will require your dog not be allowed to free roam in the room while unsupervised to prevent damage. If your dog isn’t crate trained, this becomes an extra stressor on everyone, now including your hotel neighbors. Most people don’t think about natural disasters when it comes to basic training but should. Or, god forbid, you are displaced from your home for other reasons and you just simply need to board your dog. Boarding an uncrate trained dog is not fun. It is not safe and it causes additional stress in times of already high stress. If only there were a way to fix this 🤔

Now think about this. You enjoy your space and alone time, right? Have you ever considered that maybe your dog would like a space of their own? A space that communicates to you that your dog doesn’t want to interact right now. That there is too much stimulus and they need to decompress? Did you know the crate can provide this?

Crate training is not my favorite thing to do but every single dog that comes through my home will be crated. It is for their safety and their sanity. It teaches them structure and boundaries. My dogs don’t associate the crate with punishment. They get fed their meals in their crates if we aren’t training. They are free to hang out in their crates whenever they please, and they often do. More importantly, they are crated when we are not home or able to supervise. This prevents fights, destructive behavior and anxiety to consume them.

I am not saying that your dog MUST BE CRATED ALL THE TIME, but your dog should know how to be ok in a crate. Crating is such important tool to have and you never know when you will need it. The above are only a few of the many other reasons it should be done.

Pictured below: Tango and Athena waiting patiently for their food I’m holding hostage while snapping this photo.