I get calls about it all the time. 'Mike, my puppy screams in his crate. He hates it. What am I doing wrong?' More often than not, the problem isn’t the crate itself. The problem is that the puppy hasn’t learned one of the most important lessons of his life: how to turn on *and* how to turn off.
People are great at turning their puppies on. We play fetch, we wrestle, we get them revved up and having a blast. That’s the easy part. But what happens when playtime is over? A lot of owners take a high-energy, overstimulated puppy and put him straight into the crate, expecting him to just settle down. That’s not setting the puppy up for success. You’re essentially teaching your puppy that a crazy fit is the best way to get freedom.
The secret is teaching the 'off' switch. After a good play session, we need to have a cool-down period. This isn't about punishment; it's about clarity. Clarity is kindness. We transition from wild play to calm handling, maybe some gentle petting on your lap or just quietly sitting with the leash on in the same room. You are teaching your puppy that there is a time for action and a time for calm.
Only when the puppy is calm and settled do we introduce the crate. The crate becomes a quiet den, a place of rest, not a punishment box for being a puppy. Remember, faster is usually not better. This process takes patience. By teaching your puppy how to regulate his own energy, you’re giving him a skill that will last a lifetime, and you’re making crate training a positive experience for both of you. Let the puppy be a puppy, but also teach him the invaluable art of being a calm companion.
