At some point during a pet owners life there is a need to use a crate to ship pets to a new destination, transport them to the vet or even to our kennel. Most of the time we hear from customers what a difficult time they have had getting their pets in the crate, usually resulting in a small man hunt around the house to find a hiding pet and a struggle to get pets into their crate. Sadly what pet owners end up with is anxious frightened pets protesting being put in their crate with lots of meowing and barking instead of a peaceful and enjoyable journey. Sound familiar?

The good news is that pets can be trained to associate the feeling of safety and comfort when in their crate making it a familiar ‘room’ for them to relax and feel comforted in especially when encountering stressful new environments like the airport or the vet.

In order for us to understand why a confined crate may be comforting for our pets, we need to take a closer look at animal behavior. Although our furry companions are domesticated we must not forget they are decedents from wolves and wildcats. Have you ever wondered why your dog and cat like and many times prefer to sleep or hide under the bed, in a box or behind the couch? This is because in the wild your pet’s ancestors would sleep and often find safety in small ‘dens’ that provide them with protection from the environment.

Which is great news for us pet owners! Knowing that our pet’s can find comfort in their crate while making our lives easier and less stressful is exactly what we need.  For some lucky owners their pets will happily go to their crate without any fuss, but for the rest of us we have to teach our pet’s how to mentally link their crate with a safe happy place.

For young puppies and kittens crate training is excellent to teach them potty training, in other words teaching them to ‘hold it’, without you having to hunt all over the house for where they had a potty accident. Keeping your pup or kitten in a crate (for short periods of time) is also ideal when you have to pop out of the house for a quick errand, it provides you with the peace of mind that your pet is safe and isn’t passing the time by finding things to chew or getting up to other mischief.

The catch is if you ever use the crate to confine your pet as a punishment when they have done something wrong, then they will begin seeing their crate as the bad place, the place they don’t want to go. So a word to the wise never use your pet’s crate as a form of punishment, and never leave them alone in it for too long otherwise they will automatically see it in a negative light.

Crate training can be so helpful for you and your pet in the long run. As a pet owner you are bound to have to take your pet to the vet for their check-ups or one day travel to a new destination with them meaning their crate will save you a lot of hassle. It may take time and patience but when done right crate training will ultimately mean your pet will have a place that they can feel safe and secure in no matter where you take them.

To find more on How to Crate Train your pet see our articles.