Crate training gets a dog so used to being closed into a crate that he or she can safely be left in it for a few hours at a time. It can greatly speed up the process of potty training a puppy or dog.

The method has its pros and cons. If it works for your dog, it gives both you and the dog a wonderful flexibility in many situations. But if it isn't right for your dog, there are good alternatives to crate training.

Crate Training: PRO

Crate training helps tremendously in potty training puppies and adult dogs.

Your dog can be confined when it is necessary, without undue stress on the dog or serious wear and tear on your home.

If your dog ever has to be left at a veterinarian's office, travel on an airplane, or be evacuated from your home, being in a crate then will be far less stressful if he is already crate-trained.

It's a nice way to include a puppy in what is going on without your having to tend him constantly, for example, if you are giving a party.

Many dogs will seek out their crates to relax in.

Crate Training: CON

It may take some time to get your dog accustomed to being left in the dog crate, and you will need another way to confine him so you don't push the crate training too fast.

Some people might leave their dogs in the crates too much. How much is too much? It depends on the dog and situation.

Crate training isn't suitable for some dogs. For example, a dog who has spent a lot of time in crates or cages (in a shelter or at a previous owner's) may become very upset. You may or may not be able to overcome this with patient training.

Dogs with separation anxiety may become more upset in a crate than in a larger space.

A strong, frantic dog can get out of most crates, perhaps hurting himself in the process.

Some people just hate the idea of confining their dogs this way. Learning more about crate training often overcomes this dislike, but if you find that it doesn't for you, then use alternatives to crates.

Alternatives to Crate Training

Three alternatives:

1. Use an exercise pen.
2. Create a dog-safe part of your home.
3. Create a dog-safe area outside.

1. Exercise pens:                                      Exercise pens (commonly called ex-pens) are sturdy wire enclosures that don't typically have floors. Most don't come with ceilings, but some do. They can provide a larger space for your dog than a crate does.

They can be tipped over, and without a floor they provide no housebreaking protection. A dog prone to jumping or climbing might get out -- so know your dog before using one. They come in heights of 18 inches to four feet, and can be used indoors and outdoors. They fold flat for storage.

2. Create a dog-safe part of your home

"Dog-safe" depends on whether or not your dog is potty trained yet. Often people confine their dogs in bathrooms, but if you do, be sure there aren't chemicals or other things the dog might accidentally get into. (What's under the sink? You can buy latches with clips on them at hardware stores.) You can use an exercise pen, or a baby gate, to divide this part of your house from the rest and still be able to see and hear the dog.

If you are potty training the dog, as a rule of thumb he will be more inclined to hold it in a quite small space, like a crate.

Some people have made dog areas in the bottom of a closet. (You would take off the door and use a gate instead... or cut a hole in the door.) Just be sure to remove all your shoes! And be sure your dog likes it.

3. Create a dog-safe area outside

If you have a securely fenced yard, terrific! You may want to add a dog door so your dog can come and go -- to the whole house or a selected part.

Otherwise, you can get a kennel or an outside playpen for your dog. Be sure that your dog always has shade and protection from rain, etc., as well as drinking water.

Also be sure that his barking isn't tormenting your neighbors. Ask people who live near you to let you know if he does bark much.

It may not be safe to leave your dog outside by himself, whether in a fenced yard, a kennel, ex-pen, or whatever. Besides unsupervised children passing by, in some areas there are risks of theft. If you have any doubts, talk to others in your community, and be cautious.

Crate Training Dogs:

Well Worth the Trouble!

If everyone did crate training, there would be far fewer dogs in shelters because they never quite got potty trained or they were too destructive.

Sure, it's only a dream to think that everyone would do it, but I do hope you will seriously consider crate training!