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There is still some disagreement about whether or not crate training dogs is the right way to go. Crating a dog involves keeping them in a cage just slightly larger than themselves, usually a plastic or metal one for a time, either at night or during the day.

The proponents of crate training maintain that a dog which has been crate trained is easier to housebreak, since crating a dog teaches them to hold off on elimination until they are allowed outside. Since animals instinctively are reluctant to do this in the place where they lie down, the thinking goes, this helps to speed along housebreaking. They also point to crates as a place which a dog can consider as its own private space where it can escape from the antics of children in the household and be comforted by its familiar smell.

There are of course crate training detractors as well. Their view is that restricting a dog’s movement by keeping it in a cage which offers barely enough room to turn around robs dogs of the opportunity to act on their natural inclination to roam and explore its surroundings.

Those on the negative side of the debate say that crate training can be counterproductive to housebreaking your pet, pointing out that puppies especially will be unable to hold themselves back from eliminating for as long as they may be in the cage and come to think of indoors as an acceptable place for this activity, which makes housebreaking the dog more difficult.

Now of course both sides make some valid points and no one doubts the good intentions of either camp. Studies done on the subject have yet to yield anything close to a definitive answer. The general consensus, however is that as long as it is done with care and common sense there is little to no harm and indeed there is some good which can come from crate training.

Of course, common sense has to be exercised. Keeping your pet in a cage for many hours on end is not healthy for your dog. Four hours is the maximum length of time you should crate your dog. Keeping your dog cooped up longer than this is a serious strain on their ability to hold back from eliminating and of course, most dogs are far too active to be happy sitting still for this long.

Care also needs to be taken to prevent injury to your dog while in the crate. The cage should be examined to make sure that there are no sharp edges or anywhere that your dog’s collar can snag on the crate. Any cage you keep your dog in should be sturdy enough that it won’t tip or break even under vigorous jostling.

Pets which are accustomed to the crate do however tend to travel better than do others. Since they are already accustomed to spending time in close quarters, they’ll be far calmer when traveling.

Another school of thought holds that pets should be left at home while their owners travel anyway. However, if it is necessary to travel with your pet, use a well built crate which prevents any foreign objects getting in, as well as falling out.

While this is an argument which is unlikely to be settled anytime soon, both sides make good points. Pet owners should decide for themselves ” but why not let your dog have a vote too? Try crating them for a few weeks, then leaving the crate open. Your dog will let you know how they feel about things by avoiding the crate or actively seeking it out.

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