Crate training a puppy: a step-by-step guide

To crate train a puppy, choose a crate it can stand, turn and lie down in, let it explore with the door fixed open, feed its meals inside, then close the door for a few seconds at a time and build up slowly while you're home. Never use the crate as punishment, and keep stays short: Humane World for Animals says puppies under 6 months shouldn't be crated for more than 3–4 hours at a time. A crate also helps with house training because most puppies avoid soiling where they sleep.

Choosing the right crate

Size matters more than style. The AKC says a crate should be just large enough for your puppy to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably; much bigger, and a puppy can toilet at one end and sleep at the other. The PDSA adds that your dog should be able to sit without touching the top and stretch out fully.

• Growing puppy? Buy one sized for the adult dog and block off part with a divider (AKC), or move up a size as your puppy grows (PDSA, Dogs Trust).
• Skip fabric crates for puppies or dogs that chew (PDSA).
• Pick a calm spot. The PDSA suggests somewhere quiet and draught-free, out of direct sunlight, where your puppy can still see the family.
• Make it comfortable, with bedding and a non-spill water bowl. Dogs Trust suggests covering the top and sides to block draughts and noise. The AKC suggests holding off on soft bedding until your puppy stops having accidents and shredding fabric.

Step by step: introducing the crate

Go at your puppy's pace. Humane World for Animals says the first step alone can take a few minutes or several days.

1. Door fixed open. Dogs Trust advises securing the door open so your puppy can't be shut in by accident while it explores.
2. Treats inside. Drop treats near the entrance, then just inside, then further back, ideally when your puppy isn't watching (Dogs Trust, PDSA).
3. Let it leave. If your puppy walks out, stop the treats and wait. Dogs Trust and the PDSA both say not to call or lure it back.
4. Meals in the crate. Humane World for Animals suggests feeding meals near the crate, then moving the bowl further in each time.
5. Close the door briefly. Once your puppy eats happily inside, close the door during the meal and open it as soon as it finishes. Humane World for Animals suggests leaving it closed a little longer each time, up to about 10 minutes after eating.
6. Add a chew. The AKC suggests a food-stuffed chew toy every time your puppy goes in.
7. Step away. Stay in the room at first, then leave for a few seconds and come back. The PDSA says to build up from there over several days.

If your puppy whines or scrabbles at any point, you moved too fast. Dogs Trust, the PDSA and Humane World for Animals all say to go back to the last step it was relaxed at.

Building up time

Humane World for Animals suggests short practice sessions while you're home, until your puppy can stay calmly for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight. Only then use the crate for short absences and at night. The PDSA says crate training usually takes a few weeks at minimum, and much longer for some dogs.

The AKC says it works best when your puppy is already calm or sleepy, so try after a walk, a toilet trip and a meal. Keep comings and goings low-key: Humane World for Animals suggests crating your puppy 5 to 20 minutes before you leave and keeping arrivals calm.

Crate training and potty training together

A crate supports potty training; it doesn't replace it. The routine:

• Toilet first. The AKC and the PDSA say to take your puppy out for the toilet before it goes in.
• Straight out after. Take it to its toilet spot the moment you open the door. Our potty schedule tool plans those breaks around your day.
• Whining after a long settle more often means it needs to go out (AKC). Humane World for Animals suggests a calm, purposeful trip outside, not playtime.
• Accidents in the crate usually mean the stay was too long or the crate is too big. See house-training accidents.
• Widen the space slowly. Once your puppy has no accidents while alone, Humane World for Animals suggests moving to a small enclosed area such as a kitchen, then the whole house.

How long can a puppy stay in a crate?

The AKC's rule is never longer than your dog is comfortable or can hold its bladder. For longer days, it suggests a dog walker, a sitter or a puppy-proofed pen. How long the bladder lasts at each age is covered in how long a puppy can hold its pee and how often a puppy needs to pee.

Crate training at night

Humane World for Animals suggests starting with the crate in your bedroom or a nearby hallway, so you can hear your puppy when it needs to go out, and moving it to its permanent spot gradually. Dogs Trust says a playpen is generally more suitable than a crate at night, because it gives more room to move.

Expect night trips at first. Keep them quiet and dull, then straight back to bed. Our guides to the first night home and puppy crying at night cover the overnight routine, and the 8-week, 10-week, 12-week and 16-week schedules show where the night breaks fall.

What not to do

• Don't use the crate as punishment. The AKC, PDSA, Dogs Trust and Humane World for Animals all say this; it teaches your puppy to fear the crate.
• Don't force it in or leave it to cry it out (AKC).
• Don't leave it crated all day. Humane World for Animals says your puppy still needs exercise and time with you.
• Don't disturb it inside. No poking fingers through the bars or tapping the sides (Humane World for Animals, PDSA).
• Don't use a crate for separation anxiety. The AKC and Humane World for Animals warn that anxious dogs can hurt themselves trying to escape; a larger puppy-proofed area and a professional's help work better.
• Take the collar off before crating (AKC).

When to stop and get help

The AKC lists signs that a dog isn't coping: panting, pacing, shaking, scratching or biting at the door, long bouts of howling or barking, and drooling. If you see these, stop crating and go back to a pen or gated area. If your puppy seems distressed whenever it's alone, ask your vet for a referral to a qualified behaviourist. See crate training in the glossary, and how long it takes to potty train a puppy for what to expect month by month.