Dog crate training is an essential tool in keeping your dog in line. A lot of people equate crates to cages, and thus regard them as inhumane. The truth is that crate training dogs is a necessity for a variety of reasons, whether it’s used as a time-out tool or as a seat on an airplane. You might be surprised to learn that dogs actually crave small spaces all of their own because they satisfy their instincts to sleep in the same out in nature. All dogs retrieve to a small quite place when they’re tired or nervous, so a crate can provide the security that dogs need from time to time.

Crate training a puppy or crate training a dog it isn’t always easy however. Most of the time, dogs prefer to claim a space all on their own, such as under the bed or under the backyard bench. You can acclimate your canine to dog crate training by doing the following:

1. Buy a size-appropriate plastic crate for "down time." The crate should be tall enough so that it can comfortably stand inside of it, and it should be wide enough that it can comfortably lie inside of it. It should also be long enough so that if the dog eliminates inside of the crate, it has plenty of room to move or lay about without getting soiled. Be aware that metal wire mesh crates aren’t allowed on airplanes.

2. Lure the dog inside the crate with food and toys. When your dog is ready to nap, place him into a crate so he will designate this area as his ‘safe place.’ If the dog is a puppy, make sure puppy crate training includes a soft fuzzy blanket and toy that resembles the hair texture of the dog’s mother. You can even place a ticking clock or warm water bottle in the crate as well since the heat and ticking will emulate that of the close family that he left behind.

The toys placed inside the crate should be machine washable, appropriate for children over the age of three, and soft without holes or squeakers. Hard chew toys are fine as long as they aren’t breakable. All of this is of course, an effort to make crate training puppies a little less frightening.

3. Put the crate into your bedroom or in an area that gives the dog a view the family. The close proximity between you and your dog will comfort a crying or fearful dog and avoid feelings of neglect or abandonment during . And watch the time that the dog stays in its crate. Try not to leave a dog in a crate longer than four hours (except during the night) to again, avoid feelings of neglect or abandonment.

4. Train the dog to enter the crate with a special command. Whenever the dog enters the crate, give it a command so that the dog will associate the word(s) with the crate and appropriately respond when the command is given. This command could be, "go to bed" or "crate time" or "time out."

5. Be stringent when crate training dogs. Don’t let exited or whining dogs out of their crates. Only let them out when they’re behaving themselves. If you do otherwise, you’ll send the message that temper tantrums are appropriate ways to ask for things.