Should I cover my puppy’s crate at night? Expert Advice

How do you get a dog used to a covered crate?

As with crate training, a gradual introduction is the best way to get your best friend used to a covered crate. And because a properly trained dog considers her crate a safe and happy space, you should never place a blanket or cover over it to punish her. Instead, offer a covered crate as an opportunity to wind down.

Follow these steps to introduce your puppy or adult dog to a covered crate:

Use a blanket or fitted cover over the top of the crate, and tuck up the draped material to leave the sides uncovered.

Allow your dog to enter the partially covered crate on her own, and progressively increase the time she is expected to spend inside.

After a couple of days, lower the cover on one side.

When your dog has accepted one side of the crate being covered, lower the material over a second side.

After she has grown accustomed to two covered sides, let the cover hang over a third side.

Offer plenty of praise and rewards for good behavior. Consistency is important, as with all aspects of dog training. Do not leave your dog unattended until she has adjusted to a covered crate, to ensure she is content and will not chew or tear the cover.

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Should I cover my puppy’s crate?

I was sure that after a long day of meeting my family and exploring his new home, he would be exhausted and fall right asleep.

And that’s when I remembered exactly how difficult puppy training at night with a crate can be.

But crate training is a bit like giving birth. It’s painful (not physically like giving birth, but mentally). And even though you swear you’ll never do it again, you somehow forget about the pain. And then you decide to do it again!

In this article, we’re going to explain those do’s and don’t’s in much detail so your experience of puppy training at night in a crate isn’t as bad as I had with Kuzy.