Field Guide · Glossary
Crate training
Methods and protocolsTeaching a dog to be comfortable resting in a crate, so that it becomes a place they choose rather than one they are shut into.
How it works
It is built by association and in increments: feeding meals inside with the door open, then closing it briefly, then extending the time. The order matters because a dog who is shut in before the association is built learns that the crate predicts being trapped. Done properly, most dogs start taking themselves in to sleep. It is genuinely useful for recovery from surgery, for travel and for safe unsupervised time, which is why it is worth building before it is needed.
What it looks like
A crate is left open in a corner with a blanket and a chew inside, and meals are fed in it for two weeks with the door never closed. The dog begins napping there between meals, and only then is the door shut for thirty seconds at a time.
Commonly confused with
- Management
- Management arranges the environment so a behavior cannot happen, and a crate can serve that purpose. Crate training is the separate work of making the crate somewhere the dog is content to be.
Related terms
Where this comes up
Gear that helps
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Kong Classic (multiple sizes)
The workhorse of enrichment. Stuff it, freeze it, and it buys you a quiet hour. We reach for it for crate time and alone-time practice.
Nylabone chew (durable)
A safe outlet for the power chewers who go through everything else. Chewing relieves stress, so a dog with the right outlet leaves your shoes alone.
Lick mat
Spread something soft and the licking settles an anxious dog. We use them for bath time, nail trims, and vet visits.
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