How to Crate Train an Older Dog: 3 Tips to Follow

Crate training is when you teach a dog to comfortably enter and remain inside of a crate. Many dog owners wish to crate train their dog in order to have their dog feel relaxed when they travel or leave their dog at home. Crate training is a great way to help encourage dogs to have patience, obedience, and to control when they need to relieve themselves.

There are many reasons why professional dog trainers recommend crate training senior dogs. Crate train a senior dog to:

• Complete their house training: Some older dogs may have bad habits that have formed over many years. You can help restore good habits or potty train them again by using crate training to teach them commands and patience. You can use crate training as a tool to help relieve excess energy, give them a time-out, and to teach them obedience.
• Help alleviate separation anxiety: As part of crate training, you can teach your dog to be comfortable and relaxed when you are not with them. If you have an older dog with strong separation anxiety, crate training can help them to learn to feel calm when you have to leave the house for longer periods of time.
• Prepare for emergencies: There might come a time when you need to quickly evacuate your home and the best way to transport your dog is to put them in a crate. Older dogs may also suffer from sudden health problems and having them used to being in a crate is a safe way to get them to the vet quickly.

Training older dogs to feel comfortable inside a crate takes multiple training sessions, but pet owners can do it themselves with a little patience. Follow this training process for a step-by-step guide to crate training your older dog:

1. 1. Select an appropriate dog crate. Dogs that like to sleep in the dark will favor an enclosed plastic crate; otherwise, collapsible wire crates are typically the best option. Go for a crate that allows your adult dog to stand up, circle around, and lie down comfortably.
2. 2. Choose a spot for the crate. Try to pick a spot to place your crate where you spend a lot of time, such as a living room or kitchen. That way your dog will still feel like they are near you. You might also place the crate near a door or exit so they can easily go to the bathroom.
3. 3. Create a comfortable space. Pad the crate with soft blankets or a dog bed so your furry friend can sleep comfortably inside. Include your older dog’s favorite chew toys and stuffed animals to help them feel relaxed. The crate should become a safe place with positive associations for your old dog.
4. 4. Begin by luring your dog into the crate. Keep the crate door open and use your older dog’s favorite treats to entice them to enter the crate. Your older dog may be hesitant to enter the crate. Sit down next to the crate and expect this step to take some time. Do not force your dog inside a crate. Instead, work to make them slowly feel more comfortable. And when they do enter, don’t immediately close the door. Give your dog time, even up to a few sessions of crate training, to relax and feel comfortable inside.
5. 5. Give your dog a crate command. Teach your older dog a command to enter the crate; this way you won’t always need to lure them inside with a treat. Say "crate" or "kennel up" and point to the crate door with a treat in your hand. Once your dog enters, praise them and feed them the treat. Over time begin to use the crate command without a treat in your hand until you don't need the treat anymore at all.
6. 6. Place their meals inside the crate. You can begin giving your dog their daily meals next to their crate and gradually move their food bowl and water bowl inside the crate. Eventually they will associate their dog food with being inside of the crate.
7. 7. Start closing the crate door. As your dog becomes more comfortable in their crate, you can slowly begin to close the crate door while they’re inside. Start with closing the door for short periods of time and gradually work up to a longer time. Your dog may bark or whine, but try to resist to teach them that it’s okay to be inside the crate. Repeat this practice until you can leave the room for a longer length of time without your dog whining.

You might feel overwhelmed thinking about crate training an older dog, but you can make the process easier. When crate training a senior dog, try to:

1. 1. Plan for potty breaks: Crate-training sessions can sometimes take a long time, so make time so your dog can go to the bathroom.
2. 2. Be patient: Older dogs can have many years of habits that they will need to undo before they can learn new commands and feel comfortable during crate time. Have a lot of patience and go at your dog’s own pace. Spending time with your pooch will help them feel more comfortable in their new safe space.
3. 3. Use their favorite toys: You want to reward your dog for good behavior when they make progress in their crate training. Prepare dog treats and chewy toys that you know they will love and place them at the back of the crate.

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