Crate training is a very polarizing issue, some people believe it’s the best thing for the entire family, including the dog. But others view is as cruel and inhumane, disputing its use as a training tool. There certainly are some inappropriate uses of crate training that can be inhumane, but people can provide a safe and secure environment for their dogs by learning to use crate training correctly and effectively.

Crate training, when done correctly, is not only  humane, but can even be enjoyable for your dog. Crates are not meant to be the place where you put your dog away, out of your hair, when you don’t want it to bother you. The crate is not designed for leaving the dog in alld ay long, and only giving it attention when it is convenient for you. Care should be taken not to use the crate excessively, but only when you are truly unable to watch what your dog is getting into.

With correct use, you will find there are many benefits to crate training. Top of the list, of course, is potty training. You can effectively teach a puppy not to use the house as its bathroom by using crate training judiciously. Dog also may get into trouble by damaging things that are important to their owners, or by ingesting things that can be fatally poisonous to them; proper use of the crate will prevent both of these issues. A crate can also become a familiar, safe, even comforting place for your dog to be.

Dogs naturally like to live in dens. The den makes them feel safe, confident, secure and comfortable. If you effectively create a “den” for your dog with correct, appropriate crate training, it can become used to going there and can even feel happy about being directed there. It also creates a place your dog knows he can go to for safety when he is uncomfortable of scared. Many dogs, in fact, have such a strong sense of their crate as their “safe zone,” that they’ll go to their crate entirely on their own if they feel threatened.

Another bonus is that it teaches your dog boundaries and encourages good behavior. It will promote good behavior along with establishing boundaries, as long as it is never used as a punishment. Crating your dog when you are not home teaches them where they belong anytime you leave the house. Your dog may even become so comfortable with its crate while you’re away from home that it will automatically go there, whether you lock it in or not.

Yet, despite the proven success of proper crate training, the dog owning community remains divided on whether it is a blessing or inhumane. Your guiding points should be: 1) purchase the best quality crate possible, 2) it should be neither too large nor too small, and 3) never overuse the crate inappropriately. However, proper use of the crate will give you a happy, well trained puppy or dog that the entire family will be happy to have around.

Have you ever read about crate training dogs? It sounds like an inhumane act to dogs that don’t do as they’re told. Surprisingly, it’s actually the contrary. Crate training is a good method of training based on the dogs’ natural need for security.

They say dogs and wolves are from the same family, sharing the same behavioral instinct for self-preservation. Dogs may very well have descended from the same line as wolves. This would mean that before they were pets,they lived in the wild. They would use safe dens and lairs to shelter them from all the dangers that abound in open spaces. This is the guiding principle of training dogs to utilize their own crates when they feel threatened or simply stressed out.

This method greatly helps in house training dogs by containing them in their own area – thus minimizing the possibility of them causing any damage to anyone or anything including themselves. Crate training not only give the dogs a haven from a busy household, it significantly decreases inconvenience and stress of their human counterparts. They can put the dogs in the crates during long travels or trips to the vets without much trouble.

Not all animals should be crate trained. Some dogs have had serious trauma in homes before and will get hysterical when placed in a confined box. It is advisable to not follow through if this is the case. Other dogs that are large will break the crate they are contained in and hurt themselves in their panic. There are some pet owners who are still uncomfortable, no matter what facts are presented to them, with the thought of putting their living pets inside a box.

Crate training dogs hinges on how the dog owner essentially views the matter. If thinking of your dog in a box makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to push through with this method of training. However, if you believe that this will be advantageous to you and your dog’s personal space; you will find some helpful tips on how to go about doing this in the next paragraph.

Find a spot that is close to where people would be hanging out often. Ensure that the crate is a comfortable size that can hold the interesting things for the dog to play with. When he is inside, do not close the box just yet. Talk to him and pet him through his crate. Feed him inside. When it seems alright, start closing the door of the crate for several minutes while you are still in the room. If the animal starts to whimper and complain loudly, let him quiet down first before you let him out. This is of course a little frightening for the little pet so do not hurry him this whole process.

For crate training to be successful, never use it as a form of punishment to the dog. This should be a place he seeks out to be safe and calm. If the dog is finally accustomed to being alone in the crate, you can try leaving the house in short intervals and see how he reacts to this. If there is no trouble, then you have a crate trained dog in your hands. Now you have freedom from constantly being anxious of your pet’s situation. More than that, your dog has found a haven of peace and security he can go to to escape from all of life’s stress and busyness.

Geraldine Dimarco can attest to the many benefits of training dogs. Visit the site to get free information on Crate Training Dogs today.