Crate Training 101
Why is it so important to crate train your dog?
Crate time is an important piece of structure that dogs need to get enough rest, to have time to relax independently, and to prevent serious issues like separation anxiety. We will hold our dogs accountable for polite behaviour in the crate and yes, we will correct unwanted behaviour like barking/whining/etc., while also allowing the dog to ‘relax in their own private space. Even when you are home, your dog should be spending some time in the crate which also gives you the opportunity to correct any whining, barking, protesting or other anxious behaviours in the crate.
Are you working from home and starting to wonder how your dog will react when it is time to move back to the office and leave them home alone?
The pandemic has caused a lot of forced togetherness, and folks who’ve relaxed their crating routine are noticing that their dogs are developing separation anxiety is the addiction. There is a direct connection between not providing a consistent crating routine and the development of separation anxiety, aka the addiction to togetherness.
Maintaining a solid crating schedule before you head back to work will help keep everyone at ease when that transition back to the office begins!
Never remove a dog from the crate unless they are calm to reinforce that calm choices are the rewarded choices. If you remove a whining dog from a crate you are reinforcing that whining will get the dog what they want!
Think crates are just for puppies that are potty training?
That’s not the way we see it! A crating routine is a lifelong exercise in relaxation for your dog, where they can learn to be calm by themselves and you have piece of mind knowing they are in a safe environment when you are not home!
Wonder what your dog is up to all day while you aren’t home? Have the neighbours mentioned that your dog whines and barks at everything that moves while they stare out the front window? Come home to a destroyed livingroom?
Break these reactive habits before they get worse and generalize to more situations by crate training your dog. We have lots of videos on the topic on our Crate Training playlist on YouTube.
Can we avoid separation anxiety altogether by teaching our dog how to be calm when they are alone and instilling boundaries on personal space and time spent free roaming?
Crate training is an excellent starting point. Crate time should be done in a different room so that the dog is alone. This helps prevent separation anxiety and also helps you identify issues early. Crating while you are home and can correct bad choices means that crating when you aren’t home will be much smoother and comfortable for your dog. Always crate your dog when you are not home or it is bedtime. We recommend crating for a few hours in the day while you ARE home as well so your dog can have some relaxing time.