Crate training is certainly the trend. Most dog professionals recommend it and you would be hard pressed to find a training book published after 1990 that does not encourage crating. People often say, "Dogs love their crates," or "Dogs have a natural denning instinct." While I personally ride with the tide of popular opinion that crates are great, I think some trainers miss the mark when they promote crate training by swearing dogs naturally love it.
Dogs don't naturally love crating
Upon hearing dog professionals enumerate the virtues of crating, many people plan to crate-train their new puppies. But when it turns out the puppy does not love his cozy den, they assume their dog is the exception and they should abandon crate training. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.
The fact that crating is probably not going to come naturally to a dog is exactly why you need to teach a puppy to relax in a crate. Most dogs do experience some stress and frustration when crate training. However, coping well with stress and frustration is as important for dogs as it is for people. Learning to like something that was at first unfamiliar or scary is a valuable life lesson.
Benefits are worth the training
Crating reduces problems with house soiling and destruction, and since a good many dogs are surrendered to shelters for these reasons, new dog owners are earnestly encouraged to crate train their puppies. Keeping a dog in a crate when supervision is absent can prevent him from getting into something harmful, and protect your valuables at the same time. Used purposefully, crates aid greatly in housetraining and managing destructive behavior. In addition, it is reasonable to expect that at some point your dog will have to be confined in a crate at the vet or groomer. Pet professionals often witness non-crate-trained dogs that are already sick or stressed suffer even more because they must be confined and are not used to being in a crate. It would be far kinder to crate train these animals so their crates can be a source of comfort rather than added stress in these situations.
Don't overdo it
It is important to remember that there is such a thing as too much time in a crate. If your dog is confined all day while you are at work and all night while you sleep, that's pretty excessive. Spending 16 hours a day in a space not much bigger than the dog itself is a poor quality of life. To avoid excessive crating, utilize a mid-day dog walker or a dog daycare center. Perhaps the puppy's grandparents can take their grand-dog a few days each week.
