Pete the vet: Crate training doesn't put your canine in the doghouse

Crate training, when done with sensitivity and awareness can be a really positive experience for dogs who enjoy some alone time

This Doberman puppy is laying in its bed inside a dog cage in the morning during his crate training phase.

Most of us enjoy having our own bedroom: a space we can retreat to, in the knowledge that we will be left in peace, and we can escape from the busyness of the rest of the home. Dogs are no different to us: they love having their own private areas, where they can retreat from contact with others at times when they feel in need of solitude.

There are not many Irish households that are equipped to have a separate room for each dog: there’s enough pressure on accommodation for humans without including dogs in the equation. The good news is that there is a much simpler answer for dogs: the crate.