The Benefits of Crate Training

When people bring home a new pet they always cover the obvious essentials: food, feeding dishes, toys, treats, collar, etc. These things tend to be obtainable at a fairly reasonable cost, especially for young and/or small animals. When it comes to larger purchases such as kennels (also known as crates), many inexperienced pet owners may decide to put it off or, thinking it’s inhumane, neglect to purchase one all together. This common mistake could lead to a much more difficult and stressful life for both pet and owner. While crate training may be difficult at first, the benefits far outweigh any problems that an owner may face during training.

• A kennel will provide your pet with his or her own personal space. The kennel will be his territory, his safe haven, and in many instances his bed. Providing such a space will help prevent him from trying to claim your entire home as his territory, will relieve stress and anxiety, and will give him someplace he knows he can go when he is scared. If you travel, you can take the kennel with you and your beloved pet will still have his personal space, which makes relocating much less stressful.
• A kennel will provide you with a way to get a break. If you don’t have a fenced in yard, letting your dog out to play while you’re trying to handle something is obviously not an option. Single dogs have a tendency to be clingier with their humans since they don’t have another animal to play with. Trying to clean up the house gets very difficult with a furry friend on your heels; crating him for a short while will give you a bit of free time and give him a secure place to nap.
• Crate training helps with house training. It’s true! Even young puppies have the instinctual preference to not soil their bed, or any area in which they are enclosed. If you’re having house training issues, crating your dog when you’re not watching him will help prevent accidents and help him realize that indoors is not the place to go potty.
• Crate training helps with separation anxiety. While it will not solve the problem, one of the causes of your pet’s anxiety could simply be being alone in an open area. Puppies and pets that are very clingy have a higher tendency to have this problem. Puppies will instinctively think they have been lost/left behind by the pack and bark to help you find them until they recognize their kennel as their den. Clingy pets will just be upset about being alone. Other animals may get anxious or bored and pace or become destructive.
• Cats can be crated too! While canines and felines are most definitely different, many of the benefits surrounding crate training are the same. Training for cats will not be exactly the same as with dogs, but the time taken to do so will be just as well spent.