Crate training can be one of the biggest favors you do for your dog or puppy. This doesn’t mean you keep your dog in the crate all the time, but it gives your dog a place of his own to go when he needs to feel safe or get some privacy. When they are younger and shouldn’t be left alone unsupervised, a crate is a safer place for your home as well.
The crate should be large enough for your full-grown dog to be able to sit up and stretch out comfortably. The crate can be metal or plastic, but dogs who chew may demolish a plastic crate. Many metal crates come with plastic trays. Replacements are available in both plastic and metal.
Your dog or puppy may not like being closed up at first, but if they are permitted to be part of your family, they will also take to napping in their crate if you leave the door open for them. Some people choose to feed their dog in the crate, so something pleasant is associated with the crate. This is useful if you have more than one dog at reducing food aggression issues.
Another benefit of crate training your dog is when guests or service people come to your home. Before they arrive, you can instruct your dog to go to her room (or whatever term you teach them to use), and you won’t have to worry about them jumping on guests or scaring them.
You never want to have your dog spending hours on end locked in their crate, but it’s a useful tool for their safety as well as your home’s safety. As your puppy matures and demonstrates an ability to not chew things not belonging to him in your home, crating them when you’re away is less necessary.