How to make my dog sleep in a crate?

First, you need to make your dog’s crate comfortable. This can be done by placing soft bedding and pillows. It’s also best to purchase a perfect crate for your dog’s size. You can also train your dog through positive reinforcement to make them sleep inside their crate. 

Why does my dog sleep on top of their crate?

Dogs can be really sensitive when it comes to their sleeping place. The slight change in the area and the items in their bed can cause them to avoid using it. 

We’ll discuss some common reasons dogs don’t like using crates and learn how to make them love their sleeping area.

Small and uncomfortable

Dogs only occupy a small space when they’re sleeping.

However, this doesn’t mean we can just chuck them inside sleeping crates that barely fit their entire body. They need space to stretch their legs at least and turn around when they need to.

Some dogs can feel uncomfortable when they’re forced into a tight space. We can avoid this by giving them an appropriately sized crate.

As a general rule of thumb, you can get the right size of your dog’s crate by measuring their length from the tip of their nose to the root of their tail. Then, add 3-5 inches on both ends to get the perfect length and width of the crate.

Located in a passageway

Dogs also love being left alone when they sleep!

When you place their crates near a passageway in your home, they typically avoid sleeping inside their crate. This is because they can get disturbed by people walking by, especially if you frequently have visitors.

Dogs also get anxious around people and other pets they don’t know. With this in mind, keeping their crate somewhere private is best.

Poor ventilation

Another thing to remember is the ventilation and temperature of the area where you’ll put your dog’s crate.

As much as you can, keep them in an area where there’s ample ventilation so they won’t feel suffocated. You should also keep their crate away from home appliances that produce heat, such as:

• Television.
• Dishwasher.
• Refrigerator.
• Washing machine.

Until what age should a dog sleep in a crate?

Crate training a dog is mainly used to control their behavior inside your home, especially if they’re a bit destructive when left alone.

If your pup can learn to stay put even if they’re alone, you can start letting them out of their crate more often.

Generally, dogs are already home-trained when they reach ages 1-2. However, if you’re adopting an older dog that hasn't been home-trained, you might need to crate them for around 1 year.