Now Roxy has been crate trained since I first got her at 8 weeks of age. January of this year, Roxy slipped a disc in her back. She was in agony. Her vet said that if the disc continues to move she would become paralyzed so she was ordered to strict bed rest. Roxy spent the next four weeks confined and we even had to carry her out to her potty spot. The vet didn’t want her walking at all. This was devastating for me. She is my active dog that loves to run and play and jog by my side as I ride my bike. This is the dog that got her CGC when most people said it wasn’t possible. 
The dog that was training to be a service dog and doing a great job at it. Now she was this dog that screamed if she moved, was receiving pain injection as well as 3 oral pain pills. By God’s grace Roxy has made an almost full recovery. She will never be a same dog anymore and has to take it easy but she’s not in pain and she’s alive. I can’t imagine what I would have done if she wasn’t crate trained. It could have made her paralyzed because of too much movement. So enough with my story.Many people tell me that it’s cruel to put a dog in a crate, that dogs are meant to be free and not confined so they don’t crate train their dog. As a puppy your dog will go through different life stages. From about 6 months to 18+ months your dog will be in a rebellious stage. They will challenge everything you say or do, they tend to become very destructive, and run away from home if given the chance. They are teenagers! A dog that has been fine out of a crate up to this point will become your worst nightmare. A crate trained dog will still be in the crate when unsupervised and will not have the opportunity to destroy the house. Dogs in the wild are naturally den animals, they love feeling secure and safe. A crate mimics this for our domesticated dogs. So I don’t find it cruel but a must have for a dog. In my home, if a dog is in their crate other dogs cannot bother them, children are not allowed to touch them or get in their face. It is their sanctuary to get away from the commotion. Ever see your dog sleeping under the table or beds or in closets or corners? They do this because they don’t have a safe place where they are left along.
Alright, so how do you teach a dog to LOVE their crate? State off by first buying the correct size. A crate should be large enough for your dog to stand up, sit, lie down, and turn comfortably. If your dog is fully potty trained go ahead and get them the next size larger. If however they are not potty trained it should not be any bigger because then they create one side for sleeping and the other for potting. Take your dog the PetSmart with you so you can try out different crates. There are two types, wire
and plastic.
Wire crates at easily folded down when not in use or for transportation and often include a divider so the crate can become bigger as a puppy grows. These crates are drafty which can be solved by a lightweight sheet or blanket on the back half of it. They also are not airline approved because they do collapse down. Plastic crate are much more sturdy and airline approved. But in a hot summer day there are not a whole lot of places for hot air to escape and circulate. They also are not as portable. But they do naturally create that den environment that your dog desires. I personally have used both and love both so it is all a matter of your preference and needs.To get your dog comfortable with the crate and not terrify them you need to go slowly. Start off with some yummy treats and show them to your dog as you toss them into the crate. As your dog goes in put it to a command such as kennel, crate, or bed and praise your dog gently. Let your dog come out when they want to. Continue to place treats in the crate to get your dog to go in there. After many repetitions see if you can get your dog to stay in there for a little bit by giving them treats while they are inside. Now after a while of that wait for your dog to enter and then close the door quietly for 2 seconds and open it right back up. Do this over and over and very gradually increase the amount of time the door is closed. DO NOT go too fast for your dog. I never want a dog to freak out and be terrified. This should be a pleasant and fun experience.
Now find some yummy chew toys such as a nylabone (the edible or non-edible)
or a Kong with some peanut butter or liverwurst paste 
and give it to your dog while they are in the crate. Praise them the entire time. After a while you can get up and move away from the crate. Your dog will probably follow you with their new toy. When they do take the toy and place it back in the crate. Do this over and over again. As many times as it takes for your dog tot realize that they only get this toy when they are in their crate. Be in the habit of giving them the nylabone or Kong each time you place them in there. I have a 5 month old Australian Shepherd, Cali,
who loves to hear the word; “Crate” because it means yummy treats. Every time I place her in there without fail she gets a puppy size milkbone and then her Kong. She’ll come racing from anywhere to get into that crate. I even catch her occasionally lying in there when she sleeps during the day with the door open. This is her sanctuary. Your dog should be in there crate whenever you cannot keep an eye on them, nighttime, when you’re not home, and when you are distracted; helping the kids with homework, washing dishes, intensely reading a book. One this give your dog more opportunity to become comfortable in their crate and two they can’t destroy your house if they are in there.
So remember, choose the right sized crate, go slowly and make it fun!
Feel free to post any comments, opinions, or questions you may have. My blog is here for discussion and I want to hear from you!
