Set up for success
Pick a crate just big enough for your dog to stand, turn, and lie down stretched out. Too big and a puppy will potty in the corner.
Place it in a quiet but social spot — a bedroom corner or living-room edge. Put a soft mat inside and drape a light blanket over the top and sides for a den feel.
Leave the door open from day one. The crate is furniture before it's a training tool.
Step 1: build a positive association
Toss small treats and a favorite chew inside. Let your dog go in and out freely. Don't lure with the door — let them choose.
Feed every meal inside the crate with the door open for several days.
Mark and reward any voluntary entry: 'yes,' treat. Repeat for a week before closing the door at all.
Step 2: short closures
When your dog is settled inside chewing, gently close the door for 2–5 seconds, then open. Build up to 30 seconds, then 1 minute, always while they're calm.
If they whine, you've gone too fast — open the door without fuss and shorten the next rep.
Add small absences: walk to the kitchen, come back, treat. Never leave a stressed puppy alone in a closed crate.
Step 3: real-life duration
Build to 30–60 minutes of relaxed crating while you're home before any alone time. Pair longer stays with a stuffed Kong or lickmat.
Daytime maximums for puppies are roughly their age in months plus one, in hours (a 3-month-old: ~4 hours max). Adults are flexible but still need exercise and potty breaks.
If your dog ever panics — drooling, frantic scratching, broken teeth — stop and work with a force-free trainer or a veterinary behaviorist. Separation distress is a medical-behavioral issue, not stubbornness.