Find out the many advantages of crate training for both you and your dog, as well as how long puppies and adult dogs should spend in their crates at a time.
Most dog owners wonder if crate training is appropriate for their dog. When making this choice, it’s important to keep in mind that dogs are denning animals, even though it can seem sad and isolating. As a result, unless they have had a traumatic experience with crates in the past, they do not have negative feelings about them. Dogs actually have a tendency to seek out these kinds of den-like spaces.
Dogs may find safety in crates, according to Dr The veterinarian Amanda Landis-Hanna is “acting as her apartment inside the house.” ”.
Additionally, there are a number of advantages to crate training that will benefit both you and your dog. According to dog trainer and behaviorist Tonya Wilhelm, “I recommend teaching your dog how to use one.” She outlines the maximum amount of crate time as well as seven reasons why it will benefit your dog.
Lessens anxiety at the veterinarian’s office
Your dog must spend time in a crate when you board them or transport them to appointments. “If your dog isn’t crate trained, her anxiety will be even worse if she already has some anxiety about going away or being in the vet’s office,” warns Wilhelm. “Crate training at home can make these new environments more comfortable for your dog.”
But Doesn’t Crating Cause Psychological Problems?
The use of the crate incorrectly as a tool for punishment and for cruel long-term confinement and isolation is the root cause of all the psychological issues that critics of crating claim it to be responsible for.
Of course, locking your dog away alone for 16 hours a day, five days a week with no interaction, no exercise, and no life could result in separation anxiety, obsessive behaviors like licking and chewing, depression, withdrawal, an inability to bond with humans, and muscular atrophy.
But a dog should never spend more than a few hours a day in its crate, and some days it should not be crated at all.
When a dog is a puppy or adolescent, the crate is most helpful for management and training. However, as most dogs grow older and gain experience adjusting to life in the modern world, the need for the crate decreases over time.
But until then, the average Labrador sleeps 14 hours or more every day, so it doesn’t matter if they spend some of those hours dozing off somewhere they feel secure and safe.
And for the majority of their lives, your dog will spend time with you in a loving, esteeming, and desired capacity as a member of your family.
Not locked away inhumanely. By misusing a crate, a person can be cruel; the crate isn’t cruel in and of itself.
Once they receive the proper training, your dog may even choose to retreat to their crate on their own because they come to regard it as their own personal haven of comfort, security, and safety.
Less Traumatic Time In Kennels Or Boarding
If your Labrador is used to and at ease with being confined in a relatively small space, the experience of having them quarantined before travel or having them crated in kennels while you travel will be much less traumatic.
When entering kennels for any reason, dogs who have never been crated may find the experience to be extremely traumatic and upsetting.
You can best prepare your puppy for the possibility of having to stay in kennels by crate training them. Moreover, the majority of dogs will require boarding at some point in their lives.
FAQ
Is it OK to keep a dog in a cage all day?
Don’t leave your dog in the crate too long. Because they don’t get enough exercise or human interaction, dogs kept in crates all day and night may develop depression or anxiety.
Is it cruel to crate a dog while at work?
While it is not advised to crate a dog while at work, no more than 8 hours should be attempted if this is unavoidable. If you can’t crate a puppy while you’re at work, dog-proof the space you’re keeping it in so it can’t hurt itself while you’re gone.
Is it cruel to keep a dog in a cage overnight?
It is not cruel to crate your dog at night. In fact, a lot of dogs enjoy going into their crates at night because they feel safe there.