05/10/2025
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If You Think Crate Training Is Cruel, You’re Probably Doing Everything Else Wrong Too
Every few days someone tells me, “I’d never crate my dog , it’s cruel.” I understand where that comes from. Nobody wants to harm their dog. But here’s the truth that may sting a little:
Crates aren’t the problem. Your lack of structure is.
If you believe a crate is automatically mean, it usually signals a bigger misunderstanding about what dogs actually need to feel safe, calm, and connected.
A Crate Is Not a Cage — It’s a Bedroom for the Canine Brain
Humans see bars and think prison. Dogs don’t.
Dogs evolved from animals that slept in dens, enclosed, predictable spaces where they could fully let down their guard. The limbic system (the emotional brain) is wired to feel safe in a contained space when it’s introduced correctly. That safety lets the autonomic nervous system shift out of hyper-arousal and into rest.
When I say “kennel” or “crate” in my house, I mean bedroom. It’s the place my dogs retreat to when they want zero pressure from the world , to nap, chew a bone, or just exhale. My German Shepherds and Malinois will often choose their crates on their own when the house is buzzing with activity.
Why So Many Dogs Are Stressed Without Boundaries
Freedom sounds loving, but for many dogs it’s chaotic and overwhelming:
• Hypervigilance: They scan every sound and movement because no one has drawn a line between safe and unsafe.
• Over-arousal: Barking, pacing, and destructive chewing are the brain trying to find control in a world without limits.
• Problem behavior rehearsal: Every hour a dog practices bad habits (counter surfing, jumping, door dashing) is an hour those neural pathways strengthen.
From a neuroscience standpoint, the prefrontal cortex — the impulse-control center — is limited in dogs. They rely on our structure to regulate. A dog without clear boundaries burns out its stress response system, living in chronic low-grade cortisol spikes.
A structured dog isn’t “suppressed.” They’re relieved , free from the constant job of self-managing a complex human world.
Crates Give the Nervous System a Reset Button
Here’s the part most people miss: A properly introduced crate isn’t just a place to “put” a dog. It’s a tool for nervous system regulation.
• Sleep: Dogs need far more sleep than humans , around 17 hours a day. A crate gives them uninterrupted rest.
• Decompression: After training or high stimulation, the crate helps the brain down-shift from sympathetic (fight/flight) to parasympathetic (rest/digest).
• Reset: Just like humans may retreat to a quiet room to recharge, dogs use the crate to self-soothe and recalibrate.
But here’s the catch: PLACEMENT MATTERS!!! My crates in my bedroom are for Little Guy, Ryker and Walkiria, Garage is for Cronos, Guest Bedroom for Mieke and my bathroom is for Rogue and my Canace is in my Shed.
Stop Putting the Crate in the Middle of the Storm
Most people stick the crate in the living room because that’s where they hang out. But think about what that room is for your dog: constant TV noise, kids running, doorbells, guests coming and going, kitchen clatter.
That’s not decompression. That’s forced proximity to stimulation with no way to escape.
If you want the crate to become a true bedroom, give it its own space , a quiet corner of your house, a spare room, a low-traffic hallway, garage , shed. Somewhere your dog can fully turn off. The first time many of my clients move the crate out of the living room, they see their dog sigh, curl up, and sleep deeply for the first time in months.
Why Some Dogs “Hate” Their Crate
If your dog panics, it’s almost never the crate itself. It’s:
• Bad association: Only being crated when punished or when the owner leaves.
• No foundation: Tossed in without gradual acclimation or positive reinforcement.
• Total chaos elsewhere: If the whole day is overstimulating and unpredictable, the crate feels random and scary.
I’ve turned around countless “crate haters” by reshaping the experience: short sessions, feeding meals inside, rewarding calm entry, keeping tone neutral. In a few weeks, the same dogs trot inside happily and sleep peacefully.
Freedom Without Foundation Hurts Dogs
I’ve met hundreds of well-intentioned owners who avoided the crate to be “kinder” , and ended up with:
• Separation anxiety so severe the dog destroys walls or self-injures.
• Reactivity because the nervous system never learned to shut off.
• Dangerous ingestion of household items.
• A heartbreaking surrender because life with the dog became unmanageable.
I’ll say it plainly: a lack of structure is far crueler than a well-used crate.
When we don’t provide safe boundaries, we hand dogs a human world they’re ill-equipped to navigate alone.
How to Introduce a Crate the Right Way
1. Think bedroom, not jail. Feed meals in the crate, offer a safe chew, and keep the vibe calm and neutral.
2. Give it a quiet location. Not the busiest room. Dogs need true off-duty time.
3. Pair exercise + training first. A fulfilled brain settles better. Every Dog at my place get worked at east 4-5 times per day (yes this is why I am always tired)
4. Short, positive sessions. Build up time slowly; don’t lock and leave for hours right away. (I work my dogs mentally for max 15 minutes, puppies shorter, physical activity and play around 20 minutes, when I take dogs for a workout walk around 1 hour walk )
5. Never use it as AVERSIVE punishment when conditioning. The crate should predict calm, safety, and rest. When you are advanced eventually we can use the crate as "time out" to reset the brain after proper conditioning has taken place.
6. Create a rhythm: Exercise → training → calm crate nap. Predictability equals security. ( I have 10 dogs on my property right now so every dog works about 15 minutes x 10 dogs = 150 minutes = 2 1/2 hours. Every dogs get worked every 2 1/5 hours, I do that minimum 4 times per day = 600 minutes or 10 hours. yes this is why I wake up so early and go to bed late lol )
The Science of Calm: What’s Happening in the Brain
When a dog settles in a safe, quiet crate:
• The amygdala (fear center) reduces activity.
• The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis down-regulates, lowering cortisol.
• The parasympathetic nervous system engages: heart rate slows, breathing steadies.
• Brain waves shift from high-alert beta to calmer alpha/theta — the same pattern seen in deep rest.
This is why dogs who have a true den space often become more relaxed and stable everywhere else in life.
The Bottom Line
If you think crates are cruel, you’re missing the bigger picture. The crate isn’t about punishment — it’s about clarity, safety, and mental health.
A dog without structure lives in a constant state of uncertainty: Where should I rest? What’s safe? Why am I always on guard? That life is stressful and, over time, damaging.
A well-introduced crate says: Here is your safe space. Here’s where you rest and reset. The world makes sense.
Kindness isn’t endless freedom. Kindness is clarity. And sometimes clarity looks like a cozy, quiet bedroom with a door that means you can relax now.
Bart De Gols
