Crate training is a valuable skill for your dog & tool for yourself
Crates provide:
A safe & relaxing place for your dog
Their own personal space away from a busy house hold
Aids in toilet training
Aids in ridding or reducing anxiety & phobias
Aids in teaching your dog to be relaxed
Safe transportation when in a car or on a plane
A safe space when there are hazards about the home (Work men, parties, unpredictable children, cooking or cleaning)
And at some stage in your dogs life it will find itself at the vets hospital, where it will need to be housed in a cage or crate. So crate training them early will allow them to feel more at easy when a visit to the vet hospital comes along.
Now you can’t just shove your dog or puppy in a crate & expect it to be all perfect from that moment. It takes time & training for them to enjoy it.
So how do we achieve out dog enjoying its crate to reap all the benefits?
Feed your dog or puppy multiple small meals in its crate
Don’t let your dog out if its crying, it can only come out once quiet & calm
Except for puppies still in the process of toilet training, on the first cry every half hour take them out for a toilet break. Any crying there after the toilet break, they should not be let out for.
Set up short & frequent training sessions through out the day with luring your dog in for food
Don’t rush or have high expectations. Example: You may only lure the dog's front two feet in for the first 3 days before its comfortable enough to walk all the way in. Then another week before you can close the door for a minute at a time