Kroki

Question · Puppy

How do I crate train a puppy?

The short answer

Start with the door wide open. Put a soft bed, a chew and a few treats inside and let your puppy wander in and out on its own. Feed meals in there, say “Top!” when it settles, and only close the door for a few seconds once it naps inside happily. Keep the crate near you, never use it as a time-out, and never leave a young puppy shut in for hours. Kroki, a reward-based training app for puppies and dogs, teaches the open crate as a rest place in short steps.

How to do it, step by step

  1. Pick a crate that fits and put it where you are

    Your puppy should be able to stand up, turn round and lie stretched out. Many owners buy a crate for the adult size and use a divider for now. Place it in the living room or beside your bed, not in a cold hallway or a utility room, because a young puppy feels safest close to its people.

  2. Turn it into a den with the door open

    Lay in a washable bed, add a chew and drop a few treats at the back while your puppy watches. Then walk away. Let it explore at its own pace. If it pops in, say “Top!” quietly and toss another treat inside. Do not push or lift it in.

  3. Serve meals inside

    Put the food bowl just inside the entrance for a day, then halfway in, then at the back. Eating there builds a strong, happy link to the space. Leave the door open while your puppy eats.

  4. Reward naps, not just visits

    Watch for the moment your tired puppy wanders in by itself after play or a walk. Sit nearby and drop a treat between its paws as it lies down. These calm moments teach far more than any number of quick trips in and out.

  5. Close the door for seconds, then open it

    When your puppy is relaxed inside with a chew, swing the door shut, wait three to five seconds, and open it again before it asks to come out. Build up to a minute, then a few minutes while you stay in the room. If it whines, you went too fast: go back to a shorter time.

  6. Keep closed time short and plan toilet trips

    A young puppy cannot hold its bladder for long. Take it out after every nap in the crate, and never leave it shut in for hours during the day. The crate is a bedroom, not a place to wait while you are out all day.

Starting with a grown or rescue dog?

An adult dog may bring bad memories of a crate from a shelter, a breeder or a long journey, and some will never feel safe behind a closed door. You go slower, choose a bigger crate, may leave the door open for good, and watch for signs of panic. The page for older dogs explains how.

What studies and welfare groups say about puppies and crates

Crates are very common in the first months. In a survey of more than 2,300 owners in the UK, a kennel or crate was the single most common place for puppies to sleep at 16 weeks (49.1 per cent), while at 12 months a dog bed had taken over (Kinsman and colleagues 2020). So the crate is mostly a phase for young puppies, and it makes sense to plan for a bed outside it later.

The same study found that of the dogs who were able to reach their people at night, about 87 in 100 chose to sleep close to them, both at 16 weeks and at 12 months (Kinsman and colleagues 2020). For a puppy, that is a strong reason to put the crate beside your bed in the first weeks instead of shutting it away in another room.

Welfare advice points the same way. RSPCA Victoria recommends a crate in which the dog can stand, turn and lie down, leaving the door open during the first meetings, closing it gradually, and keeping young puppies in for no more than two to three hours without a toilet break. It also warns that a pup should not spend all day in a crate, as this can affect muscle development (RSPCA Victoria).

When your puppy will not go in or will not settle

  • It sniffs at the door but stays outside: lift off the door or tie it fully open for a few days, and scatter treats just inside the entrance.
  • It whines as soon as the door closes: open it at once next time after fewer seconds, and practise only when your puppy is already sleepy.
  • It chews the bedding: swap to a thin washable mat for a while and always give a proper chew instead.
  • It wets the crate: the crate may be too big, or the closed time too long. Use a divider and take your puppy out more often.

Mistakes that make a puppy dislike its crate

  • Sending it to the crate after it has nipped or had an accident. The den then feels like a place where bad things happen.
  • Shutting the door the very first day and leaving the room.
  • Opening the door only when your puppy cries, so crying becomes the way out. Wait for a quiet second, then open.
  • Leaving a collar or a harness on inside, where it can catch on the bars.

When to see a professional

Most puppies come to love a den that is never forced on them. Get help if:

  • your puppy hurts itself trying to get out, for example with a bleeding mouth, torn claws or a trapped paw

    Have a vet take a look

  • it drools heavily, pants, screams or tries to break out every time the door closes, even after weeks of very slow practice

    Get support from professionals

The help pages list services in Germany, Austria and Switzerland only. Elsewhere, ask your vet practice who they recommend near you.

Frequently asked questions

How big should a crate be for a puppy?

Big enough for your puppy to stand, turn round and lie stretched out. If you buy an adult-size crate, block off part of it with a divider so your puppy does not use one corner as a toilet.

Where should the crate go in the first weeks?

Close to you, in the living room by day and beside your bed at night. A puppy that can hear and smell you settles far more easily than one shut away alone.

Should I cover my puppy’s crate with a blanket?

A light cover over the top and sides helps many puppies relax. Leave the front open, keep it airy, and take it off if your puppy pulls the blanket through the bars.

Can I leave my puppy in a crate while I am at work?

No, not for a working day. A young puppy needs toilet breaks every few hours and company; arrange a sitter, a neighbour or a puppy-safe room instead.

What should I put inside a puppy crate?

Put a washable bed, a safe chew and perhaps a worn T-shirt that smells of you inside. Leave out collars, cords and toys that could be swallowed in pieces.

My puppy cries in the crate at night. Should I ignore it?

No, do not leave it to cry. Put the crate by your bed, reach a hand to the bars, and take your puppy out quietly to the toilet if it may need to go.

Is it cruel to use a crate for a puppy?

It is not cruel when the crate is a cosy, open den that your puppy chooses. It becomes unkind when a puppy is locked in for long hours or sent there after trouble.

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