The Great Crate Debate

There is a joke among the dog training community that if you put 3 dog trainers into a room the only thing 2 will agree on is that the third one is wrong. The debate about crates is no different.

Crates can be a great tool when properly conditioned. Puppies often use crates to help them learn daily routines like napping, potty training and to help manage the environment when they can’t be supervised.

On the flip side, many puppies aren’t properly conditioned to crates, often put into crates too soon and for too long,  left to cry, bark or worse during important developmental periods and can develop negative associations to confinement very quickly. If using a crate for a puppy or new adult dog please take the proper time to condition the crate to good things and be patient! Dogs are social animals and despite what you might read on the internet dogs are not “den animals” that are naturally drawn to crates.

Crates can be used for safety in vehicles, after surgeries or injuries and as a safe place to nap or rest. Some dogs find crates to be very comforting and choose to sleep there at night or throughout the day, but not all dogs will naturally gravitate to crates.

Then there are some dogs who are in crates for 8-18 hours a day while their humans work or in the name of training.  Or those in shelters waiting their forever homes.  This can be scary, loud and stressful.

But what about the separation anxiety dog? As a certified separation anxiety trainer my relationship with crates has changed a lot over the years. I used to think all puppies needed them, now you might be surprised to hear I rarely recommend crates for any dog or puppy as a general rule. I’d prefer roomier confinement areas for puppies!

Dogs with separation anxiety (or isolation distress) are often living at a heightened state of anxiety. They often live with chronic stress and confining them to a small space and then leaving them alone (already panic inducing) can increase that anxiety. I liken it to claustrophobia.

When working with dogs who struggle with anxiety when left home alone, confining them to a crate or other small area is very often recommended by well-meaning training professionals. They might suggest using an exercise pen, a baby gate, or closing the dog in one small room. The reasoning behind these suggestions is usually to prevent accidents & destruction to the home while the human is gone or as a way to control the dog. The irony is that many dogs with separation anxiety manage to cause even greater destruction and can even harm themselves while in their confinement area or crate. Things like shredded bedding, bent crate wires, broken teeth or bloody gums and broken nails all while in a panic and trying to escape. Not to mention, their anxiety typically worsens now that there is a combination of “home alone” and “confined to a small area.” Then the solution from some trainers is to “get a stronger crate” please don’t fall into this trap.

It is very common for dogs with separation anxiety also suffer from confinement anxiety. When allowed to be free roaming in the home or at least more space, we often see more relaxation more quickly and with that, faster progress with our behavior modification. Once we eliminate this confinement, they no longer have that feeling of being trapped, or as if the walls are closing in on them. My clients are very relieved once they see their dogs begin to relax and lie down on their comfy dog bed or couch and not bang against the crate or scratch at doors.

The gradual training protocols keeps the dog below their stress threshold during the desensitization process, which means they are not pushed to the point of destruction or self-mutilation. This allows the dog to move about and explore their environment calmly while their guardians’ know they won’t return to a mess. Humans are usually fine forgoing the crate once they realize how calm their dog is becoming.

Please understand that every dog is different.  I know that a crate can be a wonderful thing for a some dogs. In fact, some dogs I work with will seek out their crate and willingly go in it several times a day. I just think it’s important for all of us, including trainers and veterinarians, to consider that this is not a “one size fits all” solution. We must be willing to consider what’s best for each individual dog and honor those needs.

Always work with qualified, educated trainers who follow humane training protocols when addressing separation anxiety or any behavior modification protocol. Certified Separation Anxiety Trainers (CSAT’s) like myself are some of the best around!

Struggling with separation anxiety? Check out my services here