How to Crate Train a Puppy: A complete Step-by-Step Guide
- Wendy Brooks
- Jul 8
- 8 min read
Crate-training made easy
Bringing home a new puppy doesn't have to mean sleepless nights, puddles on the floor or hours of heart-breaking crying. With the right crate-training approach, many puppies settle from their very first night and are sleeping through within just a few days.
I begin crate training from the very first night my puppy comes home at around eight weeks of age.
Using the crate-training method I've developed over many years of raising puppies, my puppies have settled quickly, slept beside my bed from the very first night and have usually slept through within just a few days.
Why I didn’t always use crates
Over the course of my lifetime it is fair to say I have raised quite a few puppies. When I got my first puppy I’d never heard of a crate. They weren’t commonly used back then, and it would never occur to me to put a baby dog in a cage!! This was a puppy not a gerbil or a budgie.
I recall puppies we had in my childhood home sleeping in a plastic bed in the kitchen. The crying and howling were heart-breaking but was seen as an essential part of the process in puppy ownership. Then the following morning clean-up came. Not a pleasant job! With a spacious area and a distressed puppy the first time alone without Mum and siblings there was a lot to clean up.
The crying didn’t normally last for more than the first few nights and I had to learn to block it out. I desperately wanted to sneak down to the kitchen and cuddle puppy. Who wouldn’t? But we needed to exercise tough love, or so we thought at the time, to raise an independent well-balanced adult dog that could sleep alone. In fact, the opposite is true. Leaving a puppy ‘to cry it out’ can create long-term anxiety at being alone.
House-training was a long-drawn out process, as it would be a good few months before the pup was capable of holding their bladder and bowels throughout the night.
My very first puppy
Once I was an independent adult and, in a position, to get my own puppy, I had still never come across a dog crate. I was living in a second-floor flat which meant lots of trips up and downstairs to take my puppy outside to toilet.
My little Jack Russell puppy, Tess. was easy enough to carry up and down the stairs but it would not be at all practical to get her outside at night. So, my solution was to chorale her into a corner of my bathroom using suitcases as a barrier and line the area with newspaper and her bed. I think she cried the first night and I went and gave her a little cuddle to get her off to sleep. There was a mess on the paper in the morning but it was easy enough to clean up.
I was diligent about regular daytime trips outside so she was very quickly clean indoors during the daytime, other than a very occasional accident, but she had early morning accidents on the paper in her “bathroom enclosure” for quite some weeks. Nevertheless, it was easy enough to clean up.
Is Crate Training Cruel?
My simple answer to this question is no. Crates can be over-used, of course, and it would be cruel to just place a puppy in a crate or cage and expect no adverse effects but done properly, crate training can help the process of raising a puppy to become a calm, confident, well-balanced adult dog.
How long should a puppy stay in a crate? There is not a definitive time but the time should be built gradually. Once your puppy is content and sleeping in the crate at night it is perfectly acceptable for them to spend the night in a crate. During the day, the time should be increased gradually, and I aim to be able to leave my pup up to 2 hours if they are content. I personally, would not feel comfortable leaving any dog in a crate for longer than 4 hours maximum, without an opportunity to relieve themselves and get some exercise and company.
I confined my puppy Tess, without using a crate but created barriers to keep her safe from dangers in the room when unsupervised and also keep the rest of the home clean. You would not leave a baby to free-range throughout the house and a puppy is just a baby dog, after all. A crate would have been a very practical and portable solution had I even known they existed at the time. I could have also confined her safely in closer proximity to me to avoid separation distress during those early nights.
Night Time Crate Training
How to crate-train a puppy starting the first night home.
Before Bedtime
I am ashamed to admit that it took me several puppies and many mistakes before realising that the first step in crate training begins the first night with a puppy. After spending the evening playing and cuddling and entertaining my new puppy, ensuring she stays awake and is tired, I take her out for one last chance to toilet and then carry my pup to the bedroom and place her on soft bedding, in a crate, set up next to my bed.
Settling Puppy
The crate is large enough for my puppy to stand up and lie stretched out, turn around comfortably but no extra room. The crate is for sleeping in. Dogs are naturally denning animals. This instinct to keep their sleeping area clean is one of the reasons crate training can dramatically speed up toilet training. A correctly sized crate can feel like a safe bedroom rather than a cage, especially when introduced positively. If they have something that smells of the breeder’s home (eg blanket or soft toy) that can be placed in the crate with puppy for extra reassurance.
If my puppy cries
I settle down and turn out the light and if my tired pup whimpers a little, I put my hand to the crate for her to feel and smell and know I’m right there. I never leave a puppy to cry for long periods. The aim is to help them feel secure, not abandoned. Each puppy I’ve had using this method quickly falls off to sleep. If your puppy is crying in the crate and doesn’t settle within a few minutes with just your hand resting on the crate, sit down next to the crate, or if necessary open the crate door and stroke them until they fall asleep. You can raise the crate by putting it on a small table or platform so they are level with you, if necessary. So long as your puppy does not need to toilet, the reassurance of having you next to them should help them settle.
Why I keep a crate beside my bed
The other great thing about having the crate next to the bed is when the puppy wakes, they are right next to me so I hear them stir, getting up and letting out a little whine. I can quickly pick the puppy up and take her downstairs and outside to go to the toilet. Puppies naturally avoid soiling their bedding so will alert you that they are awake and moving about.
Once I’ve let them out I then return to bed and pup goes back to sleep. With all my puppies, using this method, I have found they easily sleep until 5 or 6am the first night and within a few nights are sleeping right through until my alarm goes off. No need for sleep deprivation or setting alarms to wake a sleepy pup up to go outside. It’s a no-brainer!
It’s worth noting that none of our dogs sleep in the bedroom long-term. I have never experienced a problem transitioning my puppy out of the bedroom. This is the great thing about crate-training. The crate becomes the bedroom, so it is easy to move it a little farther away until your puppy is comfortable in their crate wherever it is positioned in the home.
Using Mealtimes to Crate Train
I set up a second crate downstairs in the main living area. This crate is larger than the crate in the bedroom as I need space for bedding and their food and water bowl. This is where I feed my puppy every meal. So initially, four times a day, my puppy is put inside their crate to eat their meal. I close the door immediately.
My puppy is already accustomed to a comfy crate after spending their first night contentedly in one and is hungry and focussed on eating their dinner, so no distress is caused by closing the door. Once they have eaten, I take my puppy straight outside to do their business.
It is easy to see how the crate is already helping avoid those house-training accidents. Puppies naturally avoid soiling the area where they sleep and eat, so a correctly sized crate encourages them to hold on until you can take them outside. This often speeds up house training compared with giving a puppy access to a larger space. The crate is also being established as a place of comfort to sleep and where they eat, both positive associations.
Daytime Naps
Throughout the day, outside of bedtime and mealtimes, your puppy will naturally cycle between periods activity; exploration, play, and settling into their new environment. After a period of activity, they’ll begin to tire and become ready for a nap. These moments are ideal opportunities to introduce calm, positive crate time.
When you notice your puppy slowing down, take them outside to do their business and then gently place them in their daytime crate with a safe chew item. My favourites are cow hooves and lamb horn marrow—most puppies enjoy a steady gnaw, and chewing helps them relax and drift off. Stay nearby so your puppy feels secure and use this opportunity to potter about the house and get a few chores done. Keep an ear out for them waking so you can take them straight out for a toilet break before moving on to their next little activity session.
Final word about crate-training
Crate training isn't about restricting your puppy—it's about giving them a safe place where they can relax, sleep and learn good habits.
Managing your puppy’s access to household items is essential. By limiting opportunities to practise destructive behaviours, you’re teaching them that only the toys and chews you provide are appropriate for play. This foundation is vital for raising a puppy who can eventually be trusted to make good choices independently.
When introduced gradually and positively, a crate becomes your puppy's bedroom rather than a prison. It makes house training easier, helps prevent destructive behaviour and gives both you and your puppy a calmer start to life together.
Once your puppy is fully house-trained and can reliably be left for several hours a day without supervision and trusted not to touch anything that isn't his, you may decide to pack your dog's crate away. In our multi-dog household, we leave a couple of crates available as options for our dogs to sleep in if they desire. Whether you choose to utilise your dog's crate beyond puppyhood or not, following this crate-training method will allow your dog to be comfortable in a crate in the future should you need to use one.
FAQs
How long does crate training take? - Crate training can start the first night you bring your puppy home.
Should I ignore my puppy crying in the crate? Never ignore your puppy crying in the crate. Introduced correctly your puppy will see their crate as a place of comfort and security.
Where should my puppy's crate be at night? I recommend you position your puppy's crate right next to your bed.
Should I cover the crate? Yes, a blanket or cover can create a cosy den.
What age should puppies stop sleeping in a crate? Your puppy can sleep in a crate for as long as you wish if they are happy in their crate.
Can I crate train an older puppy? Yes, you can start crate-training at any age.
Crate Training Safety Tips
Never use the crate as punishment.
Make it cosy and comfortable.
Always provide toilet breaks.
Puppies need lots of exercise and social interaction outside the crate.
Increase crate time gradually.
Remove collars when the puppy is left unattended in the crate.
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