The “con” side of crate training





Video: How To Potty Train A Miniature Schnauzer Puppy - House Training Miniature Schnauzer Puppies

There are many valid reasons for using a dog crate when training a puppy or adult dog, but when used incorrectly the cons of crate training reveal that there are some dog owners should not use this training method. Let’s take a look at some of these negative reasons and then you can decide for yourself if crate training is a technique you are interested in trying.

Video: Rocky vs Ivan Drago (Rocky IV) - Training Montage HD 720p

Cons of crate training

Perhaps the biggest reason many people, dog owners and non-dog owners  alike, have against crate training is some people will leave their dog inside the crate for long periods of time. It needs to be understood by these individuals a dog crate is NOT meant, nor is it designed for housing a dog for several days as a substitute for placing the dog in a kennel. This is a big con of crate training some canine owners fail to understand. The longest you should leave a dog you are crate training in the confines of the crate is eight hours while four is the norm most professional dog trainers recommend.

Video: Doberman Attack Training (K9-1.com)

The things that can manifest as a result of lengthy stays in a crate are your dog will learn to associate going into the crate with being left alone for amounts of time they do not like. The dog will begin to fear the crate and never enter it unless forced to do so. These cons of crate training again go back to dog owners who are not properly schooled in how to correctly use a training crate. The dog will begin to struggle in the crate doing their best to find a way to get out. Chewing and clawing to get out often results in the dog injuring itself, and tearing up the crate. These frantic struggles by your dog will lead to separation anxieties, changes in the dogs demeanor, he or she most likely will become aggressive towards other animals and even family members, and in general turn an otherwise happy, social able, easy going dog into a far less desirable pet.

A couple of other cautions from the HumaneSociety.org website:

Video: Jailhouse Workout

  • Puppies under six months of age shouldn’t stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time. They can’t control their bladders and bowels for that long.  The same goes for adult dogs that are being housetrained.  Physically, they can hold it, but they don’t know they’re supposed to.
  • Crate your dog only until you can trust him not to destroy the house. After that, it should be a place he goes voluntarily.

Other crate training issues include the physical condition of the puppy or dog. If your dog has medical conditions or is ill resulting in their lack of controlling their defecation and urinating, they are going to soil the crate. This then leads to additional medical issues arising if the dog has to live in these conditions for any length of time. Yes, there are cons of crate training all dog owners who use this method must understand. Knowing how to correctly use a dog crate for training is vital if you decide to train this way.

Crate training has made our life much easier, both for housetraining our dogs and life ever since. They go to their crates occasionally during the day for whatever reasons, and also know to go there for the night when we simply say “bedtime”.

How do you feel about crate training a dog? Please leave comments and advice below.

Reviews & Comments

Related posts