When Crate Training Stops Being A Tool And Starts Being Cruel

Crate training can be useful.

It can support learning.

But only when it’s used correctly and humanely.

In our puppy classes, we talk about crate training as an optional tool — not a lifestyle.

Appropriate uses include:

• Short-term support for toilet training

• Safe travel

• Brief containment before visitors arrive

• A secure place to eat high-value food

• A safe place to practise brief, positive separation to help reduce the risk of separation anxiety

• Night-time safety (8 hours maximum - for us, no more than 6 hours)

But this is not what we are seeing now.

What we’re seeing instead:

• Dogs crated up to 12 hours overnight

• Dogs crated all day while owners are at work

• Dogs crated overnight → walked → crated all day → walked → crated again

  
  

That’s not training. It’s confinement for convenience.

Dog ownership should be a privilege not a right. If you can’t meet the below needs, then you need to consider whether choosing to own a dog is a selfish decision.

Owning a dog means:

Getting up early — even when you don’t want to

Providing meaningful physical exercise (not a lap around the block)

Providing mental stimulation with you, not outsourcing it to a snuffle mat

Mental enrichment is interaction.

It’s training, exploration, problem-solving, engagement. It’s how bonds are built.

Crates are not meant to replace exercise, enrichment, supervision or time together.

When a dog spends the majority of its life in a crate, the crate is no longer a tool it’s a welfare issue. Dogs deserve better.

If you’re considering crate training for your puppy or dog and want to make sure you’re using the crate safely, humanely, and effectively, we’re here to help. At Found by the Hound, our trainers can guide you through best-practice crate training, including how to build positive associations, set realistic timeframes, and use the crate as a short-term support tool (not a long-term management solution). If you’d like support tailored to your dog, you’re welcome to join our puppy training classes or book a session with our team. We’ll help you feel confident you’re doing what’s best for your dog.