Crate Training Your Corgi

Whether you've recently gotten a new corgi, or are working with a pup you've had for a while, crate training is an excellent technique for housebreaking and comforting your corgi.

What is Crate Training?

Dogs like dens or quiet and safe places for when external stimuli become too much. Or maybe they just want some Z's. [1] The use of a crate, a confined space where they can safely rest and lie down, offers that space in your home. You can think of it as their little bedroom.

Crates are usually metal or plastic frames that lock. There are some fabric ones, but take care to get one that your corgi can't chew or dig through it. We like to throw an opaque blanket over Monty's crate just to provide some cover and privacy.

Why Crate Training?

Crate training is often a solution to housebreaking your pup. Dogs don't want to relieve themselves in the same area they have to lie down in (I mean, who would?). Crate training allows you to confine your dog to prevent them from relieving in your home, enabling you to take them outside so they associate the outdoors with the bathroom.

Crate training can prevent your corgi from chewing, ripping, or otherwise destroying parts of your house while you're away at work. This not allow saves your furniture and belongings, but also keeps them safe. Our corgi, Monty, loves to eat anything on the ground. If we left him out all day, we'd be super worried about him finding something he shouldn't!

Crate training can also help manage anxiety by giving your pup a place to relax or sleep. We put Monty in his crate (and play him soothing white noise) all the time when there's thunder or when we can tell he's tired. It allows him to get some sleep and rest up for more play later.

Crate Training Techniques

Here are the exact steps that worked for Monty. It doesn't have to be a difficult process but don't expect overnight success. Taking care of a dog is a lot of work!

Select a crate that's a proper size for your corgi. It should be large enough that they're able to turn around easily and completely sprawl out when they're laying down. For reference, here's Monty's crate.

The crate shouldn't be too large that they feel free to defecate in a corner. This can be a delicate balance. If your corgi is still growing, you likely don't want to buy multiple crates in different sizes, as this can get quickly become expensive.

You may be able to find a crate that has individual segments to expand as your dog grows. If you don't have one, you may be able to use something like the lid of a properly sized plastic container to rig something up yourself.

Properly place your crate. Place the crate in a space where your corgi can rest without being disturbed. This should not be a high-traffic area like a hallway. We place Monty's crate in our bedroom. Most of the time we're in there, we're sleeping ourselves. So there's little noise to rouse him.

We've previously had his crate in a spare bedroom and an open closet. Anywhere that's quiet should work.

Prepare the crate. I've heard mixed things about this. We've had a trainer tell us that dogs hate plush blankets and pillows because they trap heat and dogs are accustomed to cold and solid floors that disperse heat.

While Monty does love lying on cold bathroom tile after a long walk, he is also the king of comfort. When he's not hot, you'll always find him cuddling up on a blanket or pillow. So we're firmly in the comfort camp. How could we not provide him with microfiber blankets and a memory foam mattress?

Take note if you see your corgi struggle to get comfortable. You may have to adjust the bedding.

For any dog, but especially puppies, make sure that anything on the floor of the crate is machine washable. This is opinion based, but I wouldn't use training or puppy pads. Puppies sometimes like to chew on these, causing both a mess and a safety concern. It also may teach your pup that it's okay to defecate indoors and builds an association that it's okay to urinate on soft surfaces.

Slowly introduce your dog to the crate. To introduce your dog to the crate, understand what motivates them. If they are treat-motivated, place treats on the inside of the crate and coax them in with a treat. Introduce them to a cue, such as "crate" each time you want them to go in. Reward and praise them for going into the crate.

They may hop in, find the treats, and hope back out. That's okay. This can take a few days for them to get comfortable and build a positive association with the crate.

Once they're comfortable hopping in, close the crate while you're there to comfort them. This might only be for a minute or two, but praise them with treats and words of encouragement. Over the next few days, increase the duration they're in the crate with you around. Build up to five, ten, fifteen, and thirty minutes.

Once they've gotten used to being in the crate with you around, start to leave the room while they're in the crate. They may whine or cry. This is okay. If it gets unbearable, you may have to return to the room for a bit and sit with them before leaving again.

After they're comfortable spending around thirty minutes in the crate with you in a different room, you can start to leave the house and run short errands. If you're trying to housebreak them, immediately take them outside to relieve themselves. Praise and reward them each time they use the bathroom outside.

Bedtime. Since the crate is a tranquil and safe place, your corgi should use the crate at night. We even have a special cue for Monty, "bedtime", though "crate" would work just as well.

For puppies, just make sure that the crate is in a location where you can hear them cry at night. Their bladders aren't as large as adult dogs, so they'll often have to relieve themselves during the night. You might have a few weeks of early wake-ups before they're able to hold it during the night.

It's important to never yell at or punish your dog for crying or defecating in the crate. Again, you're trying to build a positive association. Raising your voice or lashing out just causes stress and it's unlikely they'll make the connection you intend.

Is a Crate a Cage?

It's natural to associate a crate with a cage. After all, they both typically have bars on them and a lock that prevents you from leaving. The difference is context. Just in the same way a home can be a prison (house arrest), it's possible to make a crate uninviting and scary.

To avoid that, make positive associations with your corgi's crate. If your corgi is very treat-motivated, offer a treat every time they get in the crate. If they love soft, plushy things, have a cushion, blanket, or pillow.

Monty knows the command "crate" and "bedtime" (both meaning the same thing, just at different points of the day) because he knows he'll get a treat each time he goes in. He even anticipates the command around 0800 on weekdays before we both go off to work. On days when we are both at home, he often takes self-prescribed day naps in his crate.

This is possible because Monty has a positive association with his crate. Although we use treats to encourage and reinforce his behavior, we never have to coax him into it; he enjoys the solitude of his crate.

Never use the crate as a punishment tool. I've seen times when owners yell and send their pup to their crate for ripping up something they shouldn't have or causing trouble when guests come over.

This has the opposite effect. This leads your pup into believing that the crate is for times when they've acted out. It becomes a stressful event that prevents them from doing what they would rather do, like spending time with you chewing up your shoes.

Instead, to correct acting out and other negative behaviors, you need to use other techniques like redirection or expending their energy elsewhere. While this post won't help you there, I'll be writing a future article that will.

To summarize, no, a crate is not inherently a cage. But you can make it one if you don't make positive associations from the beginning.

Wrapping Up

Crate training is a process that can take several days or weeks. It's easier said than done, but be patient and don't get frustrated. Part of taking care of a dog is experiencing all parts of life with them. This is your opportunity to build a strong bond with your corgi—embrace it!

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[1] https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/crate-training-101