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Beagle puppy resting on a soft bed inside a wire puppy crate with the door open, in a family living room

How to Crate Train a Puppy

To crate train a puppy, pick a crate just big enough to stand, turn and lie down in. Make it a place of treats and comfort, with the door open, before you ever close it.

Build up time slowly, keep stays short, and never use the crate as punishment.

The aim is a puppy crate your puppy is happy to rest in. Here is how the veterinary guidance says to get there, step by step.

Why crate train a puppy at all?

A crate gives your puppy a safe place to rest when you can't watch them. Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center lists house training and preventing destructive behavior among its uses.

It also pays off later. Cornell notes that a dog used to a crate has a less stressful time with travel, a hospital stay, or an emergency.

Here's a fact worth knowing. Cornell points out that in a disaster-relief shelter, animals must be crated to stay with their owners. It describes getting used to a crate as potentially life-saving.

AAHA adds car rides and vet visits to the list. If car trips are hard on your puppy, our guide to motion sickness in pets explains the causes.

What size crate does a puppy need?

Cornell's rule is simple. Your dog should be able to stand without ducking their head, turn around, and lie down comfortably.

Much bigger than that is a problem during potty training. Dr. Mark Stickney at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine advises a crate big enough to stand, stretch out and turn around, but no larger.

A growing puppy doesn't mean buying three crates. Cornell suggests buying one that fits your dog's adult size and using a divider. Without one, a puppy can sleep at one end and use the other as a toilet.

Wire, plastic or fabric?

  • Wire crates are durable and fold for storage, and many come with dividers. Cornell suggests covering one with a sheet, leaving one or two sides open, because many dogs find a den comforting.
  • Plastic crates are durable with solid walls, so no cover is needed. They are bulkier to store.
  • Fabric or mesh crates suit short trips with small dogs. Cornell warns that puppies and chewers may destroy them.

How do I introduce my puppy to the crate?

Slowly, and on your puppy's terms. AAHA says a puppy should learn to like the crate through positive association, never by being forced in or left to cry it out.

  1. Put the crate where your puppy can see the family. AAHA recommends a spot where your puppy can see everyone.
  2. Add soft bedding and leave the door open.
  3. Toss treats and toys inside throughout the day, so good things keep turning up there.
  4. Let your puppy go in and out freely. AAHA advises against closing the door until they are happy to rest inside by choice.
  5. Then close the door briefly. The ASPCA's puppy training steps are to toss treats in, let the puppy go in, secure the door, and reward the puppy when they are quiet.
  6. Build the time up in small steps.

Some puppies love meals in the crate. AAHA's new-dog checklist says to discuss this with your vet or trainer first, because it is not advisable for every dog.

Cornell stresses that not every dog settles easily. Some need systematic, reward-based training at their own pace, and that is fine.

How long can a puppy stay in a crate?

Not long. AAHA's checklist is clear that dogs should not be kept in the crate for long periods, and that crates are for short spells when you cannot supervise.

Cornell puts the limit in terms of needs. A dog should never be left in a crate for an extended time without the chance to relieve themselves, play, exercise and behave like a dog.

A puppy's bladder sets a practical ceiling. Dr. Stickney's rule of thumb is one hour per month of age between toilet trips, so about three hours for a three-month-old.

If you'll be gone longer than that, plan around it. Merck suggests having someone come in to take the dog out, or using a pen with an indoor toilet area, as described below.

Should my puppy sleep in a crate at night?

Many new puppy parents use one, often for safety. An AAHA article also quotes trainer and author Kathy Callahan, who says a night-time crate is not absolutely necessary.

If you do use a crate at night, AAHA suggests keeping it close to your bed. Your puppy can sense you nearby, and you'll hear when they need a toilet break.

Expect to get up in the night for a while. AAHA says it may take several months before a puppy can reliably hold it through the night, and our guide to puppy potty training covers the rest.

Crate or playpen: which is better?

They do different jobs. Merck lists a pen, a room or a crate as reasonable places to keep a puppy when you can't supervise.

A puppy playpen gives more room. Merck describes setting up an indoor toilet area, such as paper or an indoor puppy potty, inside the confinement area for when you are out. A crate sized correctly has no room for that.

A pen can also suit puppies who struggle with a crate. Cornell suggests a large, pet-proof exercise pen or a pet sitter for dogs that are very stressed by confinement.

The crate keeps one advantage. It prepares your puppy for travel, hospital stays and emergencies, which is why Cornell says all dogs would benefit from learning to accept one. In the sources we checked, none compares the two for housetraining.

Is it ever okay to use the crate as punishment?

No. AAHA's checklist lists it among the things not to do, along with forcing a dog in.

AAHA's writing on separation problems explains why. It is very difficult to teach a dog that being crated is wonderful if the crate is also used for punishment.

The same article is firm on forcing. A dog that is hesitant or must be pushed inside should not be made to stay, because it can make the fear worse.

Call your vet promptly if your puppy:

  • panics in the crate: freezes, tries to break out, damages the crate or injures themselves
  • barks, paces, pants, drools or soils the crate each time they are shut in
  • destroys things, cries, paces or soils the house whenever left alone, crate or not

AAHA's behavior guidelines treat panic in a crate as a sign to stop crating and look for alternatives. Cornell advises working with your vet to lower the anxiety. Merck lists that last group of signs among those seen in dogs distressed at being left alone.

Questions new puppy parents ask

Should I cover my puppy's crate?

For a wire crate, Cornell suggests a sheet or crate cover that leaves one or two sides open. Plastic crates already have solid walls.

What should I put in a puppy crate?

AAHA suggests comfortable bedding plus treats placed inside through the day. The ASPCA also recommends a clean blanket or pillow in a training crate, washed often.

What size crate for a puppy that will grow?

Buy for the adult size and use a divider, Cornell advises. Move the divider back as your puppy grows.

Should I let my puppy out when they cry?

AAHA advises against leaving a puppy to cry it out. Cornell recommends training at the puppy's own pace, so going back a step is reasonable.

Sources

This article is for general information and is not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet about your own puppy — they know the animal in front of them.

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