The first dog we ever adopted was a fully-grown Aussie who lived outside in our large yard. When he passed away and we started to feel the void of a dog in our life, we adopted a little mutt puppy from a local rescue. We’d never had a puppy before and we didn’t really know what we were getting into. We had been told by the trainers at the rescue to crate train her—and it was, frankly, heartbreaking, for the first couple of weeks.
She would cry and cry and cry. We felt like awful people. But once she got over the separation anxiety, she absolutely loved her crate. If we turned our backs and lost track of her for a moment, we’d often find her curled up in it.
Hearing your puppy or dog cry when you’ve put them in a crate can be trying, but a crate is a much, much safer option than letting that dog have free reign to pee, poop, and chew on everything in your home. If you use it the right way, making it a rewarding experience for your dog (using treats and not using it as a punishment), they are actually going to like it.
Once crate training is done, you might only use the crate when someone comes over who is afraid of dogs or does not like dogs or in the car, as a way to keep them safe while traveling. The key, during those first weeks and months, is to not give up. You have to spend time with your dog, getting them acquainted and used to the crate. If you do it the right way, your dog will actually want to be in his crate and there will be nothing mean about closing him in.
