Still not working?Common mistakes. Closing the door first: make the crate the best spot in the house first, close the door later.
In this guide
The first night with a crate often sounds like a small opera, because the door closed before the crate meant anything good. Flip the order in six steps: best spot in the house first, door closed later.
Set up the crate with room to stand, turn around and lie down, where the family is, with a washable bed and a safe chew. The MidWest iCrate (see MidWest iCrate at Amazon) folds, comes in 6 sizes and has a divider for puppies.
Leave the door open and toss treats into the crate. Feed meals near the back.
Take off the leash and any collar with dangling tags, since they can catch on the wire.
Close the door with you right there, for a few seconds while your dog eats or works on a chew. Open it before they ask to leave, then stretch the seconds into minutes. Move on only when your dog is relaxed.
Walk out of the room for a minute with a chew inside, and come back low-key. Build up the minutes slowly.
At night, put the crate in or near your bedroom at first, so a puppy who wakes up isn't alone. Then add short trips out of the house.
Never use the crate for a time-out: a crate that means trouble stops feeling safe. Our training aids picks cover the gear for the job.
Set it up right
Size: room to stand up, turn around and lie down stretched out. Much bigger, and one end becomes the bathroom. A divider lets a puppy crate grow with the dog.
Spot: somewhere the family actually is, like a corner of the living room. Not the garage, not a back room.
Inside: a washable bed or blanket and a safe chew. Skip anything your dog shreds and swallows.
More sizes and styles, including furniture-style crates, are in our dog crate roundup.
The four stages
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Move on when your dog is relaxed at the current stage. Some dogs take days per stage, some take a week or more. Both are normal.
Stage 1: door open, treats inside
Toss treats into the crate and let your dog go in and out freely. Feed meals in there, near the back. No door closing yet. You're just making it a place where good things show up.
Stage 2: door closed, you right there
While your dog eats or works on a chew inside, close the door for a few seconds, then open it before they ask to leave. Stretch the seconds into minutes while you sit nearby.
Stage 3: you leave the room
Door closed, chew inside, you walk out for a minute and come back. Keep returns low-key. Build up the minutes slowly.
Stage 4: short outings and bedtime
Start with short trips out of the house. At night, put the crate in or near your bedroom at first, so a puppy who wakes up isn't alone.
Crying in the crate: need or protest?
Learn the difference and you'll sleep better.
Probably a need: a puppy who has slept for a while and suddenly whines, especially at night. Take them out to potty on a leash, no play, straight back in.
Probably protest: whining the moment the door shuts, right after a potty trip. Wait for a few seconds of quiet, then open the door. Opening during the noise teaches that noise works.
Probably panic: frantic digging at the door, drooling, hurting themselves trying to get out. Stop crating and read our separation anxiety guide. A crate is not the answer for a dog who panics in it.
Puppies vs adult dogs
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Puppies need frequent potty breaks, including at night at first, so plan your stages around their bladder. Ask your vet how long your puppy can reasonably hold it.
Adult dogs, especially rescues, sometimes bring a crate history you don't know about. Go slower at stage 1, and if your dog stays stressed, a dog-proofed room or a gate does the same job.
House rules for the crate
Never use it as punishment.
Keep crate time to naps, nights and short stretches. Walks and company still happen outside it.
Take off the leash and any collar with dangling tags before the door closes. They can catch on the wire.
Kids and other pets leave a crated dog alone. It's the one place your dog never gets bothered.
Common mistakes
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Skip these
Closing the door first: make the crate the best spot in the house first, close the door later.
Using it as a time-out or punishment: a crate that means trouble stops feeling safe.
Hiding it away: put it somewhere the family actually is, like a corner of the living room. Not the garage, not a back room.
Bedding your dog shreds: a washable bed or blanket and a chew belong inside. Skip anything your dog shreds and swallows.
Crating a dog who panics: frantic digging at the door, drooling or hurting themselves trying to get out means stop crating. A crate is not the answer for a dog who panics in it.
Quick answers
How long does crate training take?
Anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the dog and their past. Going slower at the start usually makes the whole thing faster.
Is crate training cruel?
Not when it's done gradually and the crate is a safe den rather than a jail. Many dogs choose to nap in an open crate. It becomes a problem when a dog is shut in for too long or panics inside.
Should I cover the crate?
Some dogs settle better with a light cover over the top and sides. Leave the front open for air, and remove it if your dog pulls it in and chews it.
