Crate training is important for dogs that will be left alone for long periods of time or the ones who will be boarded at a place where they will be crated. A crate is useful for restricting your new dog from accessing various areas of the house. This will help in keeping those areas clean while your dog is being housetrained. It will also keep him from chewing things he should not chew until he gets past that stage of life. The crate should be a safe place for your dog. Dogs live in dens in the wild, so this will become his den. If it is approached properly and early in his life with you, he will learn to go into it without barking and to stay in it until released. In fact, many dogs enjoy being in their crates. Crate training is never used as punishment or “time out.” It is always to be viewed as a happy and safe place for your dog.
