Crate Training and Crying

Dogs cry in a crate for many reasons. For example, a dog might cry because it has been in the crate too long, it wants to be with its owner or it needs to relieve itself. However, there are many things you can do to make your dog more comfortable in its crate. Crate training is important and you should begin training your dog from day one if you want it to happily enter the crate each evening.

  1. Considerations

    • If your dog is crying in its crate, it's important to determine why. If your dog needs to relieve itself, you need to let it out immediately because dogs are naturally clean animals and become very stressed if forced to eliminate in a small space. If you recently adopted a shelter dog, it might be frightened by crates and need a little more space to be comfortable. However, if your dog is crying for attention, additional training is required.

    Limitations

    • Remember that crate training isn't a cure-all for training problems. If your dog isn't getting enough exercise, it may be difficult to crate because it has too much energy. Your dog also can't stay in the crate longer than three to four hours except at night when sleeping, so it's not a solution for all day use. Be sure that you aren't over-crating your dog and that you are properly exercising it. If your dog is crying while in his crate, also make sure the crate is comfortable. Add a blanket, a small water bowl, a toy or a treat.

    Prevention

    • To prevent problems, introduce your dog to the crate in a positive way. Feed your dog its meals in the crate and toss treats in there, so your dog will want to enter. Leave the door open for the first few introductions before closing the door briefly. When the door is closed the first few times, give your dog something really special, such as a bone, so that it enjoys the time in the crate. Gradually build up the amount of time you expect your dog to spend in the crate.

    Training

    • If your dog is crying because it needs to relieve itself, you need to take your dog out. If you aren't sure, put it on a leash and lead it to the yard. Wait for only a few minutes. If your dog doesn't relieve itself, return it to its crate and ignore future crying. If your dog is crying for attention, you must ignore it. Only let your dog out of its crate when it is quiet. Then, it will learn that quiet behavior will result in house freedom. If you let your dog out when it cries, the behavior will always continue.

    Alternative Solutions

    • If your dog is crying during the night, you still have to ignore it. Put your dog's crate in another room with the door closed or in the garage if you need to sleep. You can also use ear plugs or an iPod to keep you from responding to the noise. If your dog's crate is in the living area, try moving the crate into the room you are in. Sometimes, dogs just want to be close to their owners and will calm down once you allow them in your room.