Crate Training

I'm considering starting to crate train my dog. He is a two year old lab x bassett hound.

We've never bothered with crate training before but I'm starting to think it could be useful to help him settle at other people's houses and allow us to take him more places without worrying about him not settling and constantly wandering round trying to chew anything in site (he is half lab after all!).

We would also like to take him on holiday with us this year and I am slightly worried about letting him sleep somewhere where he can 'roam free'. He currently has his own room which is shut in with a stair gate and has nothing to chew or destroy. He sleeps in a plastic dog bed (he destroyed two soft ones) with blankets in it and seems more than happy to be in his room.

Am I right in thinking crate training would mean I could shut him in his crate and he would not be distressed and would calm down? The welbeing of the dog is my main concern and anything I can do to put him at ease in a new place would be welcome.

When it comes to the actual training I think I am alright with getting him used to the crate, praising him when he's inside it, giving him treats and showing him the crate is a good thing but I am unsure about sleeping arrangements; does the crate replace his bed? Should the crate door be shut when he is in it? Should I shut him in the crate when we go out instead of just leaving him in his room?

I'd love to hear people's opinions and advice in particular anyone who thinks crate training is an inherently good or bad idea.

done properly ,your dog should be comfortable in a create , it acts like a den, k/9,s den.it should be a possitive experience.

I think if he already has ' his room' you may be at an advantage. I would make it really nice and comfy in the crate,(toys, bed, bones?) but leave the door open. I suspect in his own time he will begin to use it more frequently and go in there more as he will see it as his little hide out. If he won't destroy it, place a blanket over the top, but don't cover the front, then it wil be really snug! He will feel like he can hide away too if he wants.

If you do need to close the door, it should be in stages. 10 mins, then 30....and so on.

Good luck

I think it's clear that he quite likes having a bit of a den because he quite often lies under the kitchen table inbetween the chairs.

I'm now torn as to what sort of crate to get. A fabric one looks much nicer but we've been down that road before with his beds and if left alone for too long he will eat it!

Does anyone have any advice on sleeping? Should I turn the crate into his bed and remove his current bed?

Get a metal crate thing...I've never seen a fabric one?! The ones you can fold down etc....

I would get one just big enough for him to fit and turn around in, as I'm guessing your not shutting the door all the time, its just when your out, visiting etc? (therefore he will have the room to still stretch his legs)

And if the bed fits...I would put that inside the crate. All his smells etc may encourage him to go in the crate more freely.

I use a solid black metal crate for all of my dogs.... Some of them are even kenneled up together(siblings) and they do fine and love it. Just don't get too big of a crate as to where they will mess in it.

I use the wire crates. I do have a soft sided crate, but I would not have used it before my border collie turned two years.

For traveling get a "suitcase" crate. This is the type that will fold up.