Crate Training Done Right for Puppies

If you’re using a crate with your puppy, the goal is simple: help them feel safe in it. Not frustrated. Not scared.

This post walks you through the same progression you saw in the video, with the “why” behind each step, plus the common mistakes that make puppies dislike the crate (even when owners have the best intentions).

First, a quick note on crates (HPDT view)

I’m not someone who thinks crates should be the default for every puppy, all day, every day. They’re often overused.

That said, crates can be genuinely useful for travel, vet stays, short rest periods, or any time your puppy needs a safe, contained setup. If you’re going to use one, the welfare-led approach is to teach your puppy that the crate predicts calm and comfort.

If you want my broader take (and alternatives to crating), read Rethinking Crate Training.

Why the LickiMat Crate Mate helps

The key with crate training is association. What does the puppy feel when the door closes?

The LickiMat Crate Mate is helpful because it:

• Straps to the crate bars, so it stays fixed in place and the value stays inside the crate (it cannot be dragged out or flipped over).
• Encourages steady licking. The texture promotes rhythmic licking, which promotes stillness and helps your puppy settle.
• Supports clean, repeatable training reps, because you can keep the setup consistent each time.

Step-by-step: how to build a positive crate association

Follow this order. It’s simple, but it matters.

Step 1: Door open first

Attach the Crate Mate at a comfortable height so your puppy can lick without stretching up or crouching down. Then start with the crate door open.

Let your puppy choose to go in and lick. Choice is what makes this feel safe.

Step 2: Close the door while you stay close

When they’re happily licking, gently close the door and stay right next to the crate.

Important: before they finish licking, calmly open the door again. Do a few reps like this.

This prevents a common problem: “licking ends, and now I’m stuck.” That’s where frustration often starts.

Step 3: Add a tiny pause after they finish

Once your puppy is relaxed with the door closing and opening, begin keeping the door closed for one to two seconds after they finish.

Then gradually extend that time. Keep it easy enough that your puppy stays calm.

Step 4: Increase distance

Only after your puppy is comfortable staying in calmly should you begin increasing distance.

Step 5: Add real-life distraction

Now start doing normal activities around the house.

Walk past. Open cupboards. Put the kettle on.

If you ever forget the order, think of the Three D’s:

• Duration first
• Distance second
• Distraction last

If your puppy struggles at any point, that’s not failure. It’s feedback. Decrease the criteria and go back a step for a while.

Build it gradually, and keep it positive.

What not to do (the stuff that causes crate stress)

These are the biggest crate training mistakes I see:

• Closing the door too early before your puppy has a positive association.
• Letting the enrichment finish, then disappearing (this often creates frustration at the end).
• Increasing difficulty in more than one way at once (duration, distance, and distraction all ramping up together).
• “Cry it out” approaches, which can increase stress and damage trust. If this is something you’ve been told to do, read Should You Let Your Puppy Cry It Out?.

Safety note: no collars in crates

This one is non-negotiable. If your puppy is confined and unsupervised, they should not be wearing a collar (or a harness). Snagging accidents can happen fast.

Please read Dog Collar Safety: Collars Can Be Deadly and make sure anyone caring for your puppy follows the same rule.

In the UK, dogs must wear an ID tag in public. The PDSA explains the legal requirements clearly. Dog laws for owners (ID collars and tags)

Is this the same as separation training?

Not quite. This post is about building a positive association with confinement and helping your puppy practise calm, predictable crate time.

If you want a full prevention plan for early independence (especially between 8 and 16 weeks), read How to Prevent Separation Issues in Puppies.

If you’re not using a crate (safe alternatives)

If you’re choosing to use less confinement, you can still build calm independence using baby gates, pens, or a puppy-proofed space. If you’re setting up barriers at home, it’s worth reading Puppy Safety at Home: Stairs, Cars & Jumping Risks so your “safe area” is genuinely safe (and does not accidentally encourage too much jumping on and off furniture).

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