How to Crate Train a Puppy: 7 Simple Steps That Work

To crate train a puppy, go slow and make the crate the best spot in the house. Set up a crate that is just big enough for your puppy to stand, turn, and lie down. Toss treats inside and let your puppy walk in on their own. Feed meals in the crate. Then close the door for a few seconds, and slowly add more time while you stay close. Never use the crate as punishment. Most puppies get used to it in a few days to a few weeks. Fully trusting the crate can take longer, and the American Kennel Club says the whole process can take up to six months. This guide walks you through each step, how long a puppy can stay in a crate at each age, and what to do when your puppy cries.

In this article

• What you need
• 7 steps to crate train a puppy
• How long can a puppy stay in a crate?
• What to do when your puppy cries
• Common mistakes
• Frequently asked questions

What Do You Need to Crate Train a Puppy?

You do not need much. Here is the short list:

• A crate of the right size. Your puppy should be able to stand up, turn around, and lie down. Too much room lets a puppy pee in one corner and sleep in the other. If you buy a big crate for a puppy who will grow, use a divider to block off the extra space.
• Small, tasty treats. Pea-sized bits work best, so you can hand out a lot.
• Something soft to lie on. A towel or crate pad is fine. If your puppy chews and swallows bedding, take it out for now.
• A safe chew toy. A rubber toy stuffed with food gives your puppy a job to do.
• A good spot. Put the crate where the family spends time, like the living room. At night, a spot near your bed helps a lot.

7 Steps to Crate Train a Puppy

Move at your puppy's pace. If your puppy seems scared at any step, go back one step and try again later.

Step 1: Let your puppy explore the crate

Leave the door open and tie it back so it cannot swing shut and scare your puppy. Drop a few treats near the door, then just inside, then all the way in the back. Let your puppy sniff and walk in on their own. Do not push them in.

Step 2: Feed every meal in the crate

Put the food bowl near the door at first. Each meal, move it a little farther back. Food is the fastest way to turn the crate into a place your puppy likes.

Step 3: Close the door for a few seconds

Once your puppy eats calmly inside, close the door while they eat. Open it right when they finish. Next time, wait a few more seconds. If they whine, you went too fast. Wait a shorter time next meal.

Step 4: Add a cue word

Pick a word like "crate" or "bed." Say it, toss a treat inside, and praise your puppy when they go in. Soon they will walk in when they hear the word.

Step 5: Build time while you are home

Have your puppy rest in the crate for 5 to 10 minutes while you sit nearby. Then step out of the room for a minute and come back. Slowly stretch this to 30 minutes. Always return before your puppy starts to panic.

Step 6: Practice short trips out of the house

Now crate your puppy and leave for a short errand. Give them a stuffed chew toy first. Keep your leaving and coming back calm and boring. A big, loud hello can make the time alone feel like a bigger deal than it is.

Step 7: Crate your puppy at night

Keep the crate close to your bed at first. Your puppy can hear you and feel less alone. Young puppies will need a potty break in the middle of the night. When they wake and whine, carry them straight outside, let them go, and put them right back to bed with no play.

Crate time and potty training go hand in hand. Our guide on how to potty train a puppy covers the schedule that goes with it.

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How Long Can a Puppy Stay in a Crate?

Not long. Young puppies have small bladders. Humane World for Animals says puppies under 6 months should not stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time during the day. A common rule of thumb is your puppy's age in months, plus one, in hours. Use the lower number if the two don't match.

Night is a bit different. Puppies sleep deeper at night and can often hold it longer. Still, expect one or two potty trips a night for the first few weeks. Every puppy is different, so watch yours, not just the chart.

What Should You Do When Your Puppy Cries in the Crate?

First, ask why. A puppy might cry because they need to pee, they are bored, or they are scared to be alone. Here is how to sort it out:

• If it has been a while since their last potty break, take them out on a leash. Keep it short and dull. Then back in the crate.
• If they just went out, wait for a pause in the crying before you open the door. Letting them out mid-cry teaches them that crying works.
• If the crying turns to panic, such as drooling, frantic scratching, or trying to bite the bars, stop. You moved too fast. Go back a few steps.

The AKC warns against forcing a dog in or leaving them to cry it out. A few whines as a puppy settles are normal. Long, rising panic is not. If panic keeps happening, talk to your vet or a certified trainer. It can be a sign of separation distress, which needs its own plan.

Just brought home a rescue puppy? The 3-3-3 rule for rescue dogs explains why the first few days feel so rocky, and why that is normal.

What Are the Most Common Crate Training Mistakes?

• Using the crate as a time-out. If the crate means trouble, your puppy will not want to go in.
• Going too fast. Jumping from 5 minutes to 3 hours sets you back.
• A crate that is too big. Extra room turns one end into a bathroom.
• Leaving the collar on. Tags and collars can catch on wire bars. Take them off in the crate.
• Crating too long. A crate is for short stretches, not all day. Puppies need play, walks, and time with you.

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Frequently asked questions

At what age should a puppy start crate training?

You can start the day your puppy comes home, often at around 8 weeks old. Keep sessions very short at first and pair the crate with meals and treats.

How long does it take to crate train a puppy?

Many puppies will walk into the crate on their own within a few days to a few weeks. Being calm alone in the crate takes longer. The AKC says full crate training can take up to six months.

Should I cover my puppy's crate?

Many puppies feel safer with part of the crate covered, like a den. Leave the front open so air flows and your puppy can see out. Keep any cover outside the bars, and remove it if your puppy tries to pull it in.

Should I put a puppy pad in the crate?

Most trainers say no. A pad tells your puppy it is okay to go in the crate. The goal is for the crate to be a clean place to sleep, with potty time outside.

Is crate training cruel?

Not when it is done right. Used for short stretches and never as punishment, a crate gives a puppy a safe place to rest. It also keeps them from chewing wires or eating things that could hurt them while you can't watch.

Sources: Humane World for Animals, American Kennel Club, and Animal Humane Society.