Crate training

Crate training is the process of teaching a pet to accept a cat or dog crate or cage as a familiar and safe location. Advocates claim that dogs are den-dwelling animals and that a crate can become a den substitute.

A dog in a wire crate strapped into a car for safe traveling.

Crate training

Crate Training is the process by which a domestic pet becomes accustomed to and eventually accepts a crate. This can involve placing small familiar toys inside, moving the pet bed into crate, leaving unwashed items of the owner's clothing inside, rewarding pets for entering the crate and remaining inside, incorporating the crate as part of play, feeding the pet in the crate, allowing the pet to explore and use the crate until it is no longer intimidating, eventually building to the pet sleeping in the crate overnight.

Part of proper crate or cage training requires the pet owner to observe calm and relaxed behaviour around the crate. The pet will attribute any emotional responses such as raised voices or other nervous behaviours to the foreign object in their normal environment. It is important for the owner not to create any negative associations with the cage in order for the pet to accept the crate in a calm manner.

Cage selection

It is important to pick a crate that is the correct size for the pet and is appropriate for its purpose. A cage for use at home can be larger than one used for travel. Crates used for international transport should adhere to international regulations stipulated by IATA [1]. If the crate is too big the pet may be inclined to defecate at one end and sleep in the other, which undermines one of the purposes of crate training.. During air travel, an oversized cage does not permit the pet to use the sides easily as a brace during turbulence. Likewise, crates that are too small pose a health risk by restricting and preventing proper air-flow and ventilation. This is of particular concern to domestic pets of a Brachycephalic breed require extra room due to the high incidence of death in these pet transports. Due to their size, density and heavy fur, they require more ventilation and extra room to turn than the average cat and dog.

A dog in a soft crate.

Objections

Crates are not universally accepted as a positive method of dog training. Steven Lindsay, in his Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training compares a dog’s attachment to a crate with the Stockholm Syndrome.