The best place to put a dog crate is in a busy room of the house. Putting your dog’s crate in the living room, family room, bedroom, or kitchen ensures he can see and hear everything that takes place in the room.
Our homes are a place where we feel safe, secure, and comfortable. We may even have a “special spot” in the home where we feel coziest. For you, it might be your plush couch next to the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa. Or maybe it’s your bed, full of pillows with a down comforter and a good book.
The same is true for dogs. They enjoy having a place of rest that they can call their own. A place that feels safe and secure even during chaotic situations. When trained properly, dogs should feel this way about their crates.
This article will dive into the best and worst places to put your dog’s crate in your house, what you should put in the crate to make your dog feel safe, and a few suggestions for crate training.
Best Places For Dog Crate
Your Bedroom
There are pros and cons to putting your dog’s crate in the same room you sleep in at night.
Pros
If your puppy needs to go potty at night, you can hear him rustling and take him outside.
Your dog will feel safe, especially if he suffers from separation anxiety.
You can have two different crates and keep one in the bedroom and the other somewhere else in the house.
Cons
If your dog is trained to make it through the night without a potty break, he may keep you up at night if he’s restless.
There is a possibility that your dog will become dependent on sleeping close to you, and it might be difficult to change that in the future.
If you have multiple crates, your dog will need additional training to know which crate is for which purpose.
Busy Areas of The House
You want your dog’s crate to be in a busy area of the house. The living room, family room, and kitchen are arguably the best places to put your dog’s crate because he will be able to see and hear everything that’s going on.
It’s best to put the crate in a corner so at least one or two sides of the crate won’t be exposed (unless you have a crate with a plastic covering). This will help the dog feel more secure.
Where You Should NOT Put The Crate
You want your dog to be as comfortable as possible, which means there are places to avoid putting his crate.
Places That Are Too Hot or Too Cold
One of the worst places for a crate is near a radiator or vent, where fluctuating temperatures could make your dog too hot or too cold. This includes putting the crate in direct sunlight. If you have bedding or blankets in the crate, they could catch fire near a radiator.
Areas that are too cold can negatively affect your dog’s health and make him more susceptible to illness.
Isolated Rooms
Would you want to be confined to a secluded location where you can’t see your family while they all spend time together? Of course not. And neither does your dog!
You might need to crate your dog while you go to work or run an errand, but that’s different from when you’re home, and your pup knows it.
Avoid putting the crate in the laundry room, garage, or spare bedroom.
It’s a different story if you have a party or event that may cause stress for your dog. In that case, maybe it’s necessary to keep the crate in a quieter room, but make sure you check in on him throughout the event to ease his anxiety.
Walkways
We already mentioned that it’s better to have the crate in the corner of the room. There are two reasons for this.
1) It will make your dog feel more secure
2) It won’t be a tripping hazard.
The last thing you want is for your guests (or yourself) to trip over a crate in the walkway.
It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t think this one through. In addition, each time you or your visitor walks by, your poor pup is likely to believe he’s going to be let out for playtime.
Near Potentially Hazardous Items
We don’t always think about house plants and power cords being dangerous, but they can pose a real risk to your pup.
Some plants are very poisonous to dogs, so make sure you do your research if you have indoor plants.
Power cords might look like a fun chew toy to your dog and should also never be within reach of his crate.
Avoid Constantly Moving The Crate
Even though your dog is more attached to his crate than its location, it still can create confusion if you keep moving it. The exception is keeping the crate in the living room during the day and then in your bedroom at night.
As long as you keep this to a regular routine and similar time each night, your dog will probably adjust quickly. Although it might just be easier to get multiple crates.
What Should You Put Inside the Crate for Your Dog?
We all love our fluffy pillows and soft blankets on our beds. I’m sure you’ve noticed the difference it makes if you’ve ever gone camping and have to sleep with just a sleeping bag on the hard ground. It makes you that much more grateful for your bed.
It’s no surprise that dogs don’t enjoy sleeping on a hard, cold crate floor each night. By no means does your dog need a fancy set-up, but there are a few key things to include in the crate to make him more comfortable.
Bedding
Which bed is the right fit for your dog? If he’s a puppy, you need to make sure the bed is waterproof and chew proof.
Chances are that your puppy is not fully house-trained and may have an accident in the night. If he’s bored, he might start chewing on his bed, so you want to make sure it’s not a choking hazard.
For an adult dog, any dog bed will do. Preferably one that’s not too fuzzy so your dog doesn’t overheat.
Toys
Just like bedding for a puppy, toys that go in the crate should be chew proof so your puppy doesn’t choke or get an intestinal blockage.
The toy should be stimulating and durable for both adult dogs and puppies. You can give the dog toys you can fill with food and he has to figure out how to get it out (such as Kong toys).
What if I Need to Move The Crate?
What if you decide to move the crate to a different location, but you’ve already started the training? It’s true that the location doesn’t matter so much for adult dogs but for a puppy, routine is key.
It is best to move the crate slowly, day by day, until it is in the spot you desire. This can also apply if you started out with your puppy’s crate in your bedroom and want to move it to another room. Again, just take your time.
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