Another one about the crate...

[Excitedannie]

15 week old cocker spaniel - she loves the crate and happily goes in there to eat and nap, and also at nighttime bug she does NOT like the door shut and barks and howls.

I want to start leaving her alone for very short periods of time but I want to start shutting the door. My worry is, if I start, will she then associate that with negative feelings and not want to use it at all? Really not sure what to do. She's not a chewer (yet) but who knows what's round the corner!

Look at rhe Mcann videos on YouTube. They have some practical suggestions.

Can you not just puppy proof the area she is going to be in ?

Being shut in a crate is quite unnatural for dogs as they're polyphasic sleepers and like to move around in order to maintain a comfortable temperature. If they're closed in a crate they don't have that option.

I would try putting the crate inside a pen or puppy-proofed room so she has the security of a "den" area but you know your house is protected at the same time.

Pen around the crate so a safe space without the door needing to be shut