Is Crate Training Cruel?
Crate training. If you’ve just got a new dog you’ve probably heard the term. But you may not know what is meant by it. To be honest, it’s not well defined and can mean wildly different things to different people.
Certain types of crate training ARE effective and aren’t cruel or even uncomfortable for the dog. However, some people misuse their crates, and their dogs suffer for it.
What Crate Training Shouldn’t Be
To some owners, the crate is used as a punishment, or to get the dog out of the way. This is NOT the right way to use a crate to train your dog. In these homes, the dog is often confined during the entire workday, and again during the night. Three-quarters of their lives are spent in a cage. This is cruel and wrong.
People can crate their dogs like this for a wide range of reasons. They can be uninformed, misinformed, or just plain careless. Thankfully you’re here to educate yourself, saving another dog from a lifetime in a cage.
These types of people may have some sort of reasoning as to why it’s actually “not that bad” to leave their dog caged for the majority of its life. They may tell you that the dog goes there on his own to sleep, or that dogs are naturally denning animals that need a closed space or den to feel safe.
A domesticated dog does not need a den. A domesticated dog does not want to live in a cage. Do dogs like being in crates? No. I understand that with most families working all day and the home being empty, there is no one to look after the dog. Leaving him in a cage is not the right decision. Instead, look to a service like Rover, which can connect you with responsible and experienced dog walkers and caretakers to give your loyal friend the attention he deserves.
In short, crate training is not a lifestyle for your dog.
What Crate Training Is
Crate training is a tool, just like a clicker, or a leash. It is useful for certain applications and is very effective when used correctly. In the previous section, you can see that a dog in those homes would see the crate as a negative, a bad place. A dog that has been crate trained properly would know that the crate is a good place.
Proper crate training takes planning and effort and is not just a “get out of jail free” card, where you just throw the dog in there when you don’t want to deal with him. To get you and your dog up to speed, make sure you read our How To Crate Train a Dog article.
Use the crate as a means to teach your dog specific behaviors, like where to sleep and especially; where to (not) go to the bathroom. These two behaviors are where crate training really shines. Its use here is practical, humane, and can be a good bonding experience.
Although there are exceptions, you should always be home when your dog is in her crate. It is an active training method, not a passive one.
Done properly, crate training is a positive experience for your dog and an effective training tool. He will soon learn where to sleep and feel comfortable there, so much though that the door doesn’t even need to be closed. She will know to hold her bladder, and not pee inside. And it won’t take yelling, punishment, or stress. Just a little planning and oversight.
We all know, somehow, that our dogs don’t like being in a cage all day, waiting for us to come home. Call it common sense or empathy, but one should always listen to that inner voice when it comes to matters like this, especially when you are responsible for another’s life.
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