Respected teacher and mentor Sam Malatesta is known to say: “The crate is preparation for life.”
I have witnessed and experienced firsthand just how true that is, and yet I frequently encounter dog owners and folks in the dog training press who are anti-crate – too many if you ask me.
If you’re among those who are uncomfortable with the idea of crating dogs, I hope this blog persuades you otherwise.
Crating critics think crates stress dogs and cause physical problems, as if crates don’t come in all shapes and sizes and owners aren’t still responsible for their dogs’ health, welfare, and fitness. Critics also associate crates with problem behaviors when it is the lack of foundations provided by sensible crating that is often to blame.
Some go as far as to suggest that crating was invented to justify the laziness of those who can’t be bothered supervising their dogs and to excuse the neglect of busy people (you know, those who have to work to make a living!).
I understand that crates can conjure images of captivity, puppy mills, shelters, and other difficult situations that we wouldn’t want our dogs to be in. Yet in and of itself, the crate is a neutral object. It is what we make of it.
Countless times, I’ve witnessed the benefits of crating dogs consciously and correctly, as part of a larger plan to impart lifelong foundations of stability, maturity, and bond. Because of that, I include crating in my coaching, teaching my clients how to ground their dogs and prepare them for life.