The crate is a valuable tool to deal with many issues related to keeping a pet dog. It prevents destructive behavior and housebreaking accidents while giving your dog a safe haven to retreat to during times of stress and while traveling; but unless your dog really loves his crate it is more of a problem than a help. These simple steps will teach your dog that his crate is great!

Step 1 Choose the Right Create

Your dog’s crate should be just big enough for him to comfortably stand, sit and lay down in and to turn around and get comfortable. If your have a puppy who has some growing yet to do, you can still buy a full sized crate for him. Most large crates come with a divider so you can block off a portion of it and gradually increase the living area as your puppy grows.

A solid sided crate provides more of that dark den feeling but doesn’t offer as much ventilation as a wire cage-like crate. It is also not as easy to clean. However, if your dog is small enough to carry in his crate, solid sided crate with a handle on top may be a good choice.

Wire crates are often collapsible and can easily be folded flat to fit into the trunk of your car underneath the rest of your luggage for the occasional road trip. You can make a wire crate more cozy and den-like by covering it with a festive quilt.

Step 2 Choose the Right Spot

Your dog’s crate should be located in a well-ventilated but draft free area that does not get direct sunlight. It should be in a place that receives a decent amount of traffic but not too much excitement. Dogs ears are very sensitive, so don’t place the crate too near your speakers, near a door that is frequently slammed, or near a grandfather clock.

Step 3 Set the Rules

When you first set up the crate, have a family meeting and make sure everyone understands and commits to following and enforcing the following rules about the crate:

1. Never use the crate as a punishment. You can put the dog in the crate when he’s being a nuisance or to calm him down, but don’t do so in a way that conveys feelings of anger.

2. When the dog is in the crate- ignore him completely.

3. Do not pester the dog in the crate, do not bang on the crate, throw things at it, etc.

4. Nobody should ever go into the crate who is not the dog to whom the crate belongs.

5. Choose one or two favorite treats, a bully stick, kong or knuckle bone that your dog will only get inside his crate. When  he leaves his crate, put the treat away where he can’t get it. When he goes inside his crate he can have the super special treat again.

6. Make sure any treats, toys or cushions you leave in the crate with your dog are indestructible; that will not splinter or break into pieces that your dog can choke on or swallow and get blocked up. This includes stuffed animals!

7. Never let your dog out of the crate while he is making a ruckus.

8. Never show any emotion, no anger, regret or apology while putting your dog in or taking him out of the crate.

Step 4 Introduce the Crate

If your dog is already terrified of his crate by an improper introduction, you may need to get a new crate, or change the look of the old crate by covering it with a blanket and putting in fresh new bedding. Give it a good scrub first to change the smell a bit too.

This process will take several hours. It can be done in a day but is probably best stretched out over three days. If you do this, go back to the previous step each new day and give your dog a refresher of what you did yesterday.

1. Sit next to the crate with a pocketful of treats. Give your dog a treat and pat him cheerfully. Then toss a treat into the crate and say “Spike! Go to your crate”.  He will go into the crate to get the treat and you should praise him while he is in there. He’ll probably come right back out. Repeat this 20 times or so until he catches on to this game. He’ll let you know.

If he refuses to go into the crate, drop the treat right outside the entrance to the crate a few times at first and then right inside the entrance and then proceed as previously directed.

2. After a brief break of 10 minutes or so (you dog could probably use a drink and a trip outside after all those treats) move close (within five feet) of the crate and tell your dog “Fifi! In your crate!”. She will probably be one step ahead of you and standing expectantly in her crate already, she doesn’t get it, move closer to the crate and point to it, if she still doesn’t get it, give her nudge. If she resists, go back to step 1.

Assuming your dog ran into the crate when you told her to, toss her a treat while she’s in there and then call her back out quickly before she gets the idea to leave on her own. (If you’ve taught her a release command, you should use that.)  Repeat this 10 times or so but only toss in the treat sometimes, randomly. 4 treats in 10 is a good ratio.

3. After playing the “ in your crate” game a bit, your dog is probably pretty excited about going into his crate. Now it’s time to make him excited about staying in his crate. To do this, repeat step 2 but instead of tossing in the treat right away, wait five seconds. Tell your dog she’s good as soon as she goes into the crate, but delay the treat. After  five seconds, toss it in. Repeat a few times then wait 10 seconds, then 20 and so on. Once your dog gets the idea that hanging out for awhile is what you’re going for, only give him a treat every third time or so

If your dog takes the delay as an invitation to come out of his crate say “No” (but not in a scary way, just to let him know he’s not doing what you want him to) and point at the crate and say “in your crate!” Then reduce the delay to 3 seconds and start over.

4. Now your dog thinks hanging out in his crate is a blast. Take another break and stretch and return to the crate. Send him to it and close the door give him a treat and then open the door again. Repeat 20 times or so. Give him a treat every second or third time.

5. Once he’s got that down and doesn’t seem to be terribly traumatized by having the door closed; close the door, and leave it closed for 5 seconds. If he fusses at all ignore him till he calms down. Then, after the allotted time has passed, assuming he’s being quiet, give him a treat and open the door. Repeat until 5 seconds is easy, then move to 10, 20, 30, 60 etc. If one jump seems like too much for him, for example if going from 20 to 30 seconds blows his mind, go back to 20 for a few repetitions and then try 25 for awhile then move to 30.

6. Now close the door, get up and walk out of the room, come right back and give him a treat and open the door. If he fusses, ignore him till he calms down. Repeat 20 times or so.

7. Now close the door, walk out of the room, retrieve the super special treat mentioned above, open the crate and put it in and then walk out of the room again. Return, praise your dog, wait 30 seconds or so, then open the crate, call her out and put the treat away. Repeat this periodically over the next few days so your dog gets the idea that the super special treat is a crate thing and the crate is awesome.

Once you’ve completed these steps, your dog should love his crate. If at any point  she seems to regress, go back to the previous steps, or all the way to the beginning and trainer her all over again. It is a lot of baby steps but well worth it to have a dog who can sit quietly in his crate while visiting grandma or while the carpet cleaners are roaming around the house.