How to crate train a puppy
Done well it becomes their favourite place. Done badly it becomes a box they are frightened of.
Getting the size right
Big enough to stand, turn around and lie stretched out — and no bigger. A crate that is too large lets a puppy toilet at one end and sleep at the other, which defeats the house-training benefit. For a growing puppy, buy adult size and use a divider.
The introduction, over about a week
- Door open, no pressure. Crate in a family room with bedding and a few treats scattered inside. Let the puppy discover it.
- Feed meals inside, door still open. Eating in a space is how a dog decides it is safe.
- Close the door for seconds while they eat, then open before they finish.
- Build duration with a stuffed chew, staying in the room.
- Leave the room briefly, then return before any distress.
The rule throughout: end every session before the puppy becomes unhappy, not after. Progress is measured in days, and going backwards a step costs nothing.
House-training and the bladder rule
Puppies can generally hold their bladder for roughly one hour per month of age, plus one — so about three hours at two months. Overnight is usually longer, but a young puppy will need at least one toilet trip in the night. Take them out, keep it boring, no play, straight back to bed.
Night-time
Put the crate in your bedroom to begin with. A puppy that has just left its littermates finds isolation genuinely distressing, and proximity settles most of them within a few nights. You can move the crate gradually once they are sleeping through.
What creates fear
- Using the crate as punishment. It must never be where bad things happen.
- Too much too soon. Eight hours on day two teaches panic, not patience.
- Letting them out while crying. That rewards the crying. Wait for a pause, however short, then open.
- Leaving a collar on inside the crate — a genuine strangulation risk.
How long is too long
A crate is a bed, not a containment solution. Daytime stretches should stay short for young puppies and no more than around four hours for adults. A dog crated all day will develop the problems the crate was meant to prevent.
How big will they get?
Estimate adult weight from current weight, age and breed group.
Open the puppy size calculator →Crate training goes better when the rest of week one is calm and predictable, so plan the whole first week rather than the crate alone. The first week with a puppy →
Common questions
How long can a puppy be left in a crate?
As a guide, about one hour per month of age plus one during the day. Overnight can be longer but young puppies still need a toilet trip. A crate is a bed rather than a way to leave a dog for a full working day.
Should I let my puppy cry in the crate?
Do not open the door mid-cry, or crying becomes the way out. Wait for a brief pause and then open. If crying is prolonged and frantic, you have progressed too quickly — go back a step and build up more slowly.
Where should the crate go at night?
In your bedroom initially. A puppy that has just left its littermates finds isolation distressing, and being nearby settles most within a few nights. Move it gradually later if you want to.