Isn’t locking a puppy in a crate kind of mean?
Absolutely NOT. A puppy MUST have a safe, quiet place that is “theirs”. The crate is not only for down time, it is where the pup sleeps at night (he won’t make a mess in there) and during the day when you are gone. Do NOT leave your puppy out loose in the house. You are putting their life in danger and you’ll come home to a mess. They don’t mind their crate, it is their cave. Remember, puppies get tired of interaction and you’ll find them in their crate with the door open. Make it so they can come and go as they please and never put them in there as punishment. From little on, give them the command, “Kennel up!” and they will learn to run into their crate and flop down and chill.
