Crate Training 101: Train Your Dog Successfully

Michelle King, of Reseda, California, thought Crystal, her 6-month-old Golden Retriever, looked so cute snuggled into the pillows on her son's bed. “She was asleep, so I left her alone and took a shower,” Michelle remembers. “When I came back to the bedroom, there was stuffing scattered everywhere. Crystal had chewed up the bedding and even had a piece of fabric hanging from ear to ear. A friend suggested that Michelle try putting her puppy into a crate when she couldn't keep an eye on her. “I resisted because I didn't want to confine Crystal, and I didn't think that she would cause any more damage. But I was wrong,” she says. “When my pup chomped off chunks of mattress one evening soon after, I bought a crate that same day. I wasn't thrilled about using it, but Crystal's crime sprees were becoming too expensive.”

At first glance, putting your puppy into the small, confined space of a crate may seem cruel, but it's actually one of the kindest things you can do for your dog. Marcus Thompson, a German Shepherd trainer and breeder 3 from Vermont, makes the following connection between dogs and their wolf ancestors: “Wolves and dogs are den animals that feel protected and comfortable when they're sleeping in a covered area. The den provides security and a calming effect,” Marcus says. “Besides the bed or the couch, many dogs naturally choose places to sleep in the house that closely resemble a den or crate, such as beneath a desk or dining table, behind the drapes, or in an alcove.”