Health Benefits Of Crate Training Puppies
Crate training is a great way to help your dog become more obedient and less reckless. Training your dog to stay in their crate takes advantage of their instincts. In the wild, dogs and wolves have a den in which they sleep, take shelter, and raise a family in. Your dog's crate will become something similar to them and be their own space in which they can relax and feel secure. You must not use the crate as a punishment if you truly want to take advantage of the many health benefits linked to crate training puppies. You do not want your dog to fear their crate, but embrace it instead. It is also important to take crate training slowly and not force your dog into it as it should be a place they want to go voluntarily.
For those interested in crate training, here are some of the many benefits that come along with it.
Provides A Feeling Of Security
Once a dog is appropriately crate-trained, their crate becomes like a ‘security blanket’ to them, which means your dog will associate the crate with a place they can retire to when they are feeling tired, stressed, or not feeling well. Just like humans are most comfortable when they are in their own homes, dogs are as well. This also allows your dog to be included in family activities much easier without being completely lonely or isolated. Soon enough, a dog who is properly crate trained will bring food to their crate, sleep in it, and retire to it at multiple points during the day. This feeling of security also makes things such as transporting your dog to other locations easier. For instance, most dogs have to be in a crate when flying on a plane, and being crate-trained, particularly with the sense of security it provides, make this kind of journey much easier on the dog.
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Helps With Bladder Control
The vast majority of pet owners know dogs do not typically want to relieve themselves where they sleep. This is their ‘home,’ after all. Crate training is particularly helpful with boosting a dog’s bladder control, since their crate acts as their sleeping quarters, so most dogs will refuse to eliminate where they retire for the night and feel most secure. Dogs who are still building up their bladder control will likely scratch and whine at the door of their crate if they need to go during the night, but those out of their puppyhood will be able to sleep comfortably through the night, even if they could relieve themselves. One exception, however, is dogs that come from puppy mills. In most cases, these dogs have been forced to eliminate where they sleep, so it may take a longer time for them to adjust to a new routine.
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Boosts Relaxed Behavior
Crate training helps support relaxed behavior in dogs because it allows them to retreat to a familiar, secure place during times of distress. When there is too much going on, such as unfamiliar people in their immediate space, fireworks, or other chaotic and stressful situations, your dog will learn to self soothe by going to their crate. If your dog starts to feel anxious, they will go to their crate knowing they are safe and no one can bother them there. It also gives them another way of confronting new situations such as new guests from an outside area. Additionally, the fact crate training boosts relaxed behavior helps calm dogs down if they get a little too excited when playing. A crate-trained dog told to go to their crate will automatically calm down, if this is handled properly. Finally, because you can travel with your dog in its crate, as previously mentioned, this boost in relaxed behavior helps you know they won't be distracting or succumbing to stress through incessant barking, chewing, and whining.
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Less Stressed When Boarded Or Hospitalized
Dogs who are crate trained, since they will feel secure in their crate, will be less stressed in unfamiliar environments knowing they have a piece of home with them. For example, when they are away from home, such as at a boarding kennel when their owner is away for a little while and cannot take them along, dogs may experience many new sights, sounds, and smells. They are also without their person, which can be quite stressful. However, what remains constant is their crate and the security it provides, which results in them being less stressed when boarded, and especially when hospitalized. This also allows dogs to adjust to new homes more readily knowing they are not completely alone. This is much like human babies, who often become stressed without familiar people like their mothers, or surroundings like familiar blankets and toys.
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Reduces Destructive Chewing
Crate training is invaluable when it comes to teaching your dog to chew only on appropriate things such as its toys or treats. By crating your dog while you are away from home, it restricts them to their own area where they can only utilize what is in it. This means your dog has no choice but to play with and chew on toys or treats left in their crate for them. Since the crate is supposed to be associated with security, your dog will learn to associate chewing on their toys with happiness and security. Therefore, your dog’s desire to chew on inappropriate things in your house will dramatically decrease, which can save you a lot of money in damaged goods and repair fees.
