Should You Use a Crate for a Dog With Separation Anxiety?

If your dog struggles when you leave, you may have been told that a crate can help them feel safer.

Crates are often described as cosy, den-like spaces where dogs can settle, and for some dogs a crate can genuinely become a safe, familiar place. Dogs can feel very differently about crates and confinement, though. Some don't feel comfortable in them at all, while others enjoy having an open crate available and the choice to go into it.

But how a dog feels about their crate doesn't automatically tell us how they will feel about being in it when they're left alone. And while many dogs do well with space and choice during separation anxiety training, an individual dog may show us that they actually feel safer in a smaller, enclosed space.

A crate doesn't treat separation anxiety. What matters is not following a universal rule about crates, but understanding how the individual dog responds to both separation and confinement.

Does crate training help with separation anxiety?

Crate training and separation anxiety training are addressing two different things.

Crate training can help a dog learn that a crate is a familiar and pleasant place. A dog might voluntarily go inside to sleep, take a chew there or choose it when they want some quiet.

Separation anxiety training, however, is about changing how a dog feels when they are left alone.

A dog may be completely comfortable sleeping in a closed crate at night, for example, and still find being confined there difficult when they're left alone. This is why I wouldn't use a dog's willingness to enter, sleep in or spend time in a crate as evidence, on its own, that they will be comfortable being confined there during an absence.

Feeling safe in an open crate, feeling comfortable with confinement and feeling safe when left alone are different things, and each needs to be considered in its own context.

Can a crate make separation anxiety worse?

For some dogs, confinement can add another difficulty to an already challenging situation.

A dog who is struggling with their person leaving may also find being unable to move freely distressing. For a dog who is uncomfortable with confinement, shutting the crate door can mean experiencing separation and confinement at the same time.

This doesn't mean that crates themselves are inherently bad. It means that we need to look at the experience of the individual dog rather than assuming that being enclosed in a familiar space will automatically make them feel secure.

What if my dog tries to escape or destroys things when left alone?

Strong or so-called “indestructible” crates are sometimes suggested for dogs who damage crates, destroy things or try to escape when they're left alone.

A stronger crate may stop a dog from escaping or prevent them from reaching things they could destroy. But containing the behaviour isn't the same as changing how the dog feels.

There's a sentence I once heard separation anxiety specialist Julie Naismith use in a lesson that has stayed with me:

“The crate doesn't break, but the dog does.”

If a dog is desperately trying to escape, making it physically impossible for them to do so doesn't address why they are trying to get out. The crate may remain intact, but the dog can still be experiencing intense distress inside it.

In carefully planned separation anxiety training, we aim not to reach that point in the first place. If a dog reaches the point of desperately trying to escape or destroying things because they are distressed by the absence, the absence has already gone too far.

The goal isn't to find a stronger way to contain what happens when the dog panics. It's to work at a level where panic doesn't happen.

What if my dog loves their crate?

If your dog genuinely enjoys their crate, there's no reason to take it away.

For many dogs, having more space and the freedom to choose where they go works best. They may move between different areas or choose to go into an open crate. Where it is safe and appropriate, preserving that choice is generally my preference.

But more choice isn't automatically better for every dog.

Some dogs may find a larger space overwhelming and show us that they feel safer and more comfortable in a smaller, enclosed space. A dog may even show a clear preference for staying in their crate with the door closed during separation anxiety training.

As always, the individual dog's behaviour should guide us. The important question isn't whether a crate door should always be open or closed, but what helps this particular dog feel safest while they're learning to be alone.

Should I let my dog out of the crate if they cry?

You may have heard advice that a dog who cries, whines or barks in a crate should be left there until they're quiet, so that they don't learn that vocalising makes the door open.

But whether we're introducing a dog to a crate or working with separation anxiety, the aim isn't to wait for distress and then ignore it. If a dog is crying because they're uncomfortable, that behaviour is giving us information about how they're feeling.

With separation anxiety, we also need to consider whether the dog is struggling with being left alone, with confinement, or with the combination of the two.

By the time a dog begins to bark or howl, they may already be significantly distressed. That's why I wouldn't use vocalisation as the point at which we decide that a dog is struggling.

If you'd like to explore this in more detail, I talk about vocalisation, earlier changes in behaviour and what they can tell us in Why Does My Dog Bark When I Leave the House?

How can I tell if my dog is uncomfortable in a crate?

A dog doesn't have to be barking, scratching at the crate or attempting to break out to be uncomfortable.

We need to look at the individual dog and notice changes from what is typical for them. Their body language and behaviour can begin to change well before they reach the point of showing obvious distress.

The important thing isn't to look for one particular “sign”, but to notice changes in your dog's usual behaviour and consider them in context. These changes can help us understand how the dog is experiencing the crate or confinement.

If you would like to help your dog learn to feel comfortable in a crate for any reason, such as travel, vet visits, sleeping or safety, there are positive, gradual ways to introduce it and help them build a good association with being there. That is a separate process from helping a dog feel safe when left alone.

What kind of setup should I use during separation anxiety training?

There isn't one setup that will suit every dog. The aim is to create an environment in which the individual dog feels as safe and comfortable as possible, without adding unnecessary challenges to the separation itself.

There may also be practical safety considerations. With a young dog, for example, unrestricted access to part of the home may not be safe. If a crate is being used for this reason, it's important that the dog has been introduced to it gradually and has developed a positive association with being there, rather than introducing confinement for the first time during separation anxiety training.

A closed crate shouldn't suddenly be introduced as a solution to a safety concern during absences if the dog isn't already comfortable with being confined there.

Whatever setup we use, the dog's response should continue to guide us.

What actually helps a dog with separation anxiety?

A crate isn't a treatment for separation anxiety because the underlying difficulty isn't where the dog is. It's how they feel about being left alone.

Separation anxiety training begins with understanding what the individual dog can currently manage comfortably and building from there, using their behaviour to guide the process.

Training is kept within what the dog can manage, gradually building experiences of being alone that feel safe rather than overwhelming.

If you're new to the subject and would like a broader introduction, you can read Separation Anxiety in Dogs: What It Is and How Training Can Help.

If you'd like to understand the training process in more depth, my Stepping Stones to Calm eBook explores separation anxiety and gradual training in much more detail.

What matters when deciding whether to use a crate in separation anxiety training?

There isn't a universal rule that every dog with separation anxiety should—or shouldn't—be crated.

A crate may be somewhere a dog genuinely feels safe, whether that's with the door open or, for some dogs, with the door closed. What matters is listening to what the individual dog shows us.

The aim isn't to use confinement to contain distress. It's to create the conditions in which the dog feels as safe as possible while we gradually help them learn that being alone can feel safe.

When should I consider professional support?

If your dog struggles when left alone, professional support can help you understand what their behaviour is communicating, identify an appropriate starting point and work out how best to support them as an individual.

My online separation anxiety training is personalised around the individual dog. We begin by understanding their current response to the departure process and build training from there, using observation and ongoing video review to guide adjustments as they progress.

If you're just beginning to explore whether separation anxiety might be affecting your dog, you can also download my free separation anxiety mini-guide, Understanding Your Dog's Separation Anxiety: The First Steps to Hope.