Having a crate in our home is essential for a few key reasons: it gives pets their own space, keeps them safe, and makes transportation easier. Crate training a dog that has never used one before can be challenging, but with patience and consistency, it’s usually possible.
That said, not every dog takes to crate training. We have one dog who is more of a danger to herself in a crate than being left out—and that says a lot, considering she can really get into trouble!
When our little guy came to live with us, I forgot to ask about his crate training history. I did learn that he slept on the bed with his previous owner, so I assumed he wasn’t crate trained. In our home, we don’t allow pets to sleep with us on the bed regularly. Just like the dogs have their crates, we have our bed—our space. We invite them up from time to time, but they aren’t allowed to decide that for themselves.
I knew that being mostly blind and deaf in a new environment, the little guy would need to sleep on the bed initially. He did fine—he didn’t move much, stayed at the foot of the bed, and managed to quickly get out of the way when he felt feet moving under the covers. After about a week of adjusting, I placed a crate on the bed and had him sleep in that at night. He had a familiar blanket and dog bed from his previous home, and to my shock and amazement, he settled right in! Do not expect it to be this easy if you are crate training!
After a few nights of him sleeping in the crate on the bed, I moved it to the floor. That transition didn’t go as smoothly. He began barking, and after about 45 minutes of ignoring it, I moved the crate back onto the bed. The next day, I began some problem-solving.
Problem-Solving Crate Issues
The little guy doesn’t see much in the dark, and I realized that when I moved his crate to the floor, he couldn’t see or smell me well, which likely contributed to his change in attitude. So, I moved the crate to my side of the bed and turned on a nightlight. He did great! We are still at this setup, but I’ve since turned off the nightlight, and he’s still doing well. I’m hoping to eventually move him to a more convenient spot for me to maneuver around, but for now, this works.
Crate Training While We’re Away
Recently, we had to leave for a few hours and couldn’t take him with us. To keep him safe, we placed him in his crate next to the other dogs’ crates, turned on the camera, and hoped for the best. While he didn’t destroy anything inside the crate, he barked the entire time we were gone. I’m considering getting earmuffs for the other dogs!
Tips for Crate Training a Senior Dog
Here are a few strategies I’m using to help the little guy get more comfortable with his crate:
Move the crate into common areas during the day so he gets used to it being part of his environment.
Feed him exclusively in the crate to create positive associations.
Give treats only in the crate to reinforce that it’s a good place.
Close him in the crate for short periods (5-10 seconds) several times a day so he understands it’s not permanent.
Gradually increase the amount of time the crate door is closed and even step outside and come right back in to show him it's not permanent.
What Not to Do When Crate Training
After crate training many dogs over the years (we were heavily involved in rescuing Great Danes at one point), the number one rule I’ve learned is never force a dog into the crate, shut it, and leave them there to "adjust." Put yourself in the same scenario—would you feel good about it, and would you ever trust the person who did that to you again?
Crate training takes time, patience, and lots of positive reinforcement. With the right approach, even senior dogs can learn to love their crates as safe, comfortable spaces.
What is your experience crate training a super senior dog? What things have done to successfully crate train a dog that has never been crate trained? Let me know in the comments!
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