Collar, leash, food, and a crate – this is a very standard checklist when anyone decides to bring a new dog home. But of those basic supplies, none is more controversial than the crate. As dogs have become viewed as true members of the household, and rightfully so, crates have developed a stigma as a tool for discipline and neglect. This is likely because many owners only utilize the crate as a form of punishment for the dog – making them fearful or aggressive when locked inside. Crates and cages of any type serve very beneficial purposes for our dogs. It’s why dog trainers and veterinarians alike highly recommend crate-training dogs. While typically done when they are young, it’s never too late to crate train your dog. Here are just three of the reasons why you should:
  1.       Safety Without a doubt, the best reason to crate-train your dog is because of the safety it provides. A dog that is used to his crate can use it to avoid harm to himself, and humans can use it to avoid their dog harming anyone else. It serves as a safe space to contain your dog without inflicting pain or damage on him or anyone.
This is especially useful when you have new visitors in your dog’s space, or he is visiting a vet or groomer, in which he will likely need to be held in a crate until he can be seen for his appointment or picked up. In case of emergency, having a crate-trained dog can be the difference between life and death.
  1.       Comfort Contrary to popular belief, crates should be used to develop a sense of peace and comfort for your dog. It acts as a space reserved for them and many dogs find the snug interior relaxing. To help your dog associate his crate with comfort, feel free to add a blanket or flat dog bed to keep him from lying on the hard bottom.
Many dogs will even seek out their crate when stressed – especially those that are noise-phobic during thunderstorms and fireworks.
  1.       Travel While you may be able to get away with your dog being loose in your car (hopefully buckled in, safely!), it’s much harder to travel via airplane and train without a crate. Overall, crates provide security and safety for your dog when traveling. An untrained dog could become aggressive or panicked with traveling via crate – making him a dangerous liability to you and the transportation provider.
Additionally, if you choose to leave your dog behind while you travel and board him, he will most certainly be caged at some point during his boarding. You can avoid a lot of stress on his behalf by having him crate train prior, bringing peace of mind to him, you, and the boarding facility.