How to Set Up a Puppy Crate (and Where to Put It at Night)

Set up your puppy crate so it is just big enough for the puppy to stand, turn around and lie down, in a quiet corner where the puppy can still hear the household, with washable bedding, one or two safe chew toys, and a breathable cover over the top. Take the collar off before the puppy goes in. For the first weeks, put the crate in or next to your bedroom at night so you can hear when the puppy needs a potty trip.

That is the whole setup. The details below explain why each choice matters, because small mistakes here (a crate that is too big, a spot that is too busy) cause most of the accidents and crying people blame on the puppy.

Step 1: Get the size right

The crate should fit your puppy, not the dog it will become. A puppy will not usually soil the place it sleeps, and a snug crate uses that instinct. If the crate is too roomy, the puppy can sleep in one end and pee in the other, and you lose your biggest house-training advantage.

To check the fit:

1. Your puppy can stand up without ducking.
2. It can turn around in one easy motion.
3. It can lie down stretched out on its side.
4. There is not much extra floor beyond that.

If you bought an adult-sized wire crate to save money, use a divider panel to block off the extra space. Move the divider back every few weeks as your puppy grows.

Step 2: Pick the right spot in the house

Look for a low-traffic area that is still part of home life: a corner of the living room, a home office, or your bedroom. The puppy should hear people moving around, which helps it feel included, without being in the middle of foot traffic, kids running past, or a loud TV.

Avoid:

• Direct sun from a window, which can overheat the crate.
• Drafty spots by an outside door or right in front of a heating or cooling vent.
• A garage, basement or laundry room far from everyone. Isolation makes crying much worse.

A comfortable room temperature is roughly 68 to 72°F. If you would be too warm or too cold sleeping in that spot, so will your puppy.

Step 3: Add bedding, a cover and safe toys

Bedding. Start with something soft and washable, like an old towel or a crate pad. Have a spare, because there will be accidents. If your puppy shreds and swallows fabric, take the bedding out for a while. Swallowed stuffing is far more dangerous than a hard floor.

Cover. Drape a breathable sheet or light blanket over the top and three sides of a wire crate, leaving the front open or partly open. This makes a den, cuts down on things to watch, and helps the puppy settle. Make sure air still flows and the puppy cannot pull the cover through the bars and chew it.

Toys. Choose one or two durable toys, such as a rubber toy you can stuff with part of the puppy's food. Make these crate-only toys: they come out when the puppy comes out. That makes the crate the place where the best things live. Skip anything small enough to swallow or that breaks into pieces.

Collar off. Collars and tags can catch on wire or plastic. Remove them every time the puppy goes in. If you need a leash for night potty trips, keep a slip lead or the collar right by the crate and put it on as the door opens.

Step 4: Decide on food and water

Feeding meals inside the crate is one of the fastest ways to build a good feeling about it. Put the bowl at the very back and leave the door open the first few times. Once the puppy happily walks in for dinner, you can start closing the door for short periods.

For water, puppies need free access through the day. Many owners pick up the water bowl about two hours before bedtime so the bladder is emptier overnight, then give it back in the morning. For long daytime stretches, a bowl that clips to the crate door is harder to tip than one on the floor. If you are unsure how much water your puppy needs, ask your vet.

Step 5: Set it up for night

Should your puppy be in a crate at night? For most puppies, yes. A crate keeps the puppy safe from chewing cords and swallowing things while you sleep, and it makes night potty trips predictable. A young puppy simply cannot hold it all night, so expect to get up every three or four hours at first.

Night setup is the day setup, plus a few things:

• Keep the crate near your bed for the first weeks. You will hear the difference between a bored whine and a real need, and a nearby person is calming.
• Have a nightlight, a leash, and an enzyme cleaner within reach so trips are quick.
• Try white noise or a fan to cover small household sounds that wake the puppy.
• Do not bring the puppy into your bed when it cries. It quickly learns that crying earns an upgrade, and the crying gets longer.

Once the puppy reliably sleeps through, you can move the crate to its permanent daytime spot if you like. Do it gradually, a few feet every night or two.

A worked example

Dev set up a crate for Juno, an 11 week old lab, in his small apartment. He started with the 42 inch crate he planned to keep for life, so he added the divider to leave about 24 inches of space. He put it in the corner of his bedroom, away from the radiator, with a folded towel, a stuffed rubber toy and a cotton sheet over the top. Dinner went in the back of the crate. The first night Juno whined for about ten minutes, then slept until 2:00 AM. Dev took her out on a slip lead in near silence and was back in bed four minutes later. By the end of the second week she was going in on her own for naps.

Common setup mistakes

• Too much space. The most common one. Use the divider.
• The crate in a back room. Out of sight feels like being left alone, and the crying gets louder.
• Piles of soft toys and blankets. One bed and one or two tough toys are plenty. More stuff means more to chew and swallow.
• Using the crate for time-outs. If the puppy only goes in when you are cross, it will resist going in at all.
• Making it a fuss. Apologizing or making a scene as you close the door tells the puppy something bad is happening. Be calm and matter of fact.

If the crate is fine but your puppy has bigger habits to work on, the same steady approach helps with fixing dog behavior in general. And if the first week of night trips leaves you wired at 3:00 AM, these tips on how to fall asleep fast can help you get back to sleep.

Common questions

Should my puppy be in a crate at night?

For most puppies, yes. It keeps them safe while you sleep and helps with house-training, as long as you take them out for potty breaks as often as their age needs. Keep the crate near you for the first few weeks.

Should I put a puppy pad in the crate?

Usually not. A pad tells the puppy it is fine to go in the crate, which works against the whole idea. If you need to be away longer than your puppy can hold it, use a larger pen with a pad at one end and the crate, door open, at the other.

Should I cover my puppy's crate?

Many puppies settle faster with a breathable cover, because it blocks visual distractions and feels like a den. Leave the front partly open for air, and remove the cover if your puppy pulls it in and chews it.

Where is the best place for a puppy crate during the day?

A quiet corner of a room where people spend time, such as the living room or a home office. The puppy should be close enough to hear you, but out of the busiest path through the house.