The Bark Side Chronicles: Episode 13 — The Great Crate Debate (Dog Training Tips)
- Happy Paw'llidays Admin
- Aug 30
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 30
There was a time when Mesa was the undisputed queen of destruction. And no, I don’t mean the “oops, I chewed a shoe” kind of destruction. I mean full-on Hurricane Mesa tearing through the house with the force of a German Shepherd puppy on Red Bull. Beds? Shredded. Toys? Dismembered. My nerves? Pulverized.
She didn’t just tear up her own bedding inside the crate — she redecorated the entire floor plan with stuffing, like some kind of furry interior designer gone rogue. And the accidents? Let’s just say my carpet saw more pee and poop in those months than a public park.
Milo, bless his soul, would just watch with the weary patience of an older sibling. Mila, of course, sat on her pillow fortress muttering what I swear sounded like: “Peasants. All of them.”
Scene One: The Crate Conundrum
At first, I thought I was doing Mesa a favor by giving her a crate big enough to host a small Airbnb. “She’ll have room to stretch,” I thought. Rookie mistake.
Here’s the thing: a crate that’s too big for a puppy is basically a hotel suite — with separate bedrooms for napping and going potty. And Mesa? She was only too happy to make use of both. She’d sleep in one corner and turn the other into her personal bathroom. I had accidentally invented the “en suite” model of dog crates.
Meanwhile, Milo would strut into his perfectly sized crate like it was a first-class airplane pod. He’d stretch, sigh, and enjoy his stay. Mesa, on the other hand, treated her oversized crate like an all-inclusive resort — complete with room service accidents.
Scene Two: The Turning Point
The shift happened when I stopped treating the crate like punishment and started treating it like a jackpot machine. Every time Mesa even sniffed the crate, I’d drop a treat in there like she’d won Vegas.
The first time she walked in on her own and laid down — quietly, without a single whine — I nearly cried. It was like watching a toddler fall asleep without a tantrum for the first time. No screaming, no pawing, no “woe is me” dramatics. Just Mesa, calmly curled up.
And the size adjustment helped too. When I moved her to a crate that fit snugly — just enough to stand, turn, and lie down — the accidents stopped. Tight, but safe. Combine that with plenty of stimulation outside (walks, training, playtime), and the “crate = calm place” switch finally flipped in her brain.
Scene Three: The Cue
Now when I say, “Go home,” both Milo and Mesa march into their crates like little soldiers. Milo goes in with the vibe of, “Finally, my peace from the chaos.” Mesa trots in, head high, like she’s saying, “Yes, I accept my suite now, thank you.”
Sometimes, I’ll even catch Mesa slipping into her crate voluntarily for a nap. For a rescue dog who once saw it as a jail cell, that’s nothing short of a miracle.
Mila, of course, refuses outright. “Crates are for commoners,” her Chihuahua eyes say. “Queens require open-air palaces made of pillows.”
Dog Training Tips: Lessons From the Crate Debate
Here’s what dog training tips I learned (the hard way):
Size Matters (and Smaller is Better)-Too much space = accidents. A proper crate should be just big enough for standing, turning, and lying down. For puppies, divider panels are your friend.
Stimulation Outside, Calm Inside- A “tight” crate isn’t cruel when paired with plenty of exercise, walks, and mental games. Think of it as balancing the scales: energy out there, peace in here.
Make It Positive- Pair the crate with treats, meals, and cozy bedding. If the crate feels like Disneyland, the dog will eventually love it.
Use a Cue Word- “Go home” works for us. Consistency is key — dogs thrive on ritual.
Never Punishment- The crate should be a safe den, not a penalty box.
The Heart of the Debate
Crates often get a bad rap. People see bars and think “prison.” But dogs see dens. With patience and consistency, a crate becomes the one place in the world where chaos doesn’t touch them.
Mesa, the same pup who once shredded beds and painted the floor with her “accidents,” now chooses her crate on her own. She doesn’t see it as confinement anymore — she sees it as comfort.
Takeaway
What started as the Great Crate Debate ended as Mesa’s personal victory. With patience, treats, and the right fit, she went from chaos gremlin to a dog who finally learned to “go home” — and actually wanted to.
But it’s not just a dog thing. Crates are really about boundaries, and boundaries aren’t about punishment — they’re about peace. Mesa needed a smaller space to stop feeling overwhelmed. Don’t we all? Too much freedom without structure in our lives often leads to clutter, stress, and bad habits.
Mesa also reminded me that rest doesn’t just happen; it’s taught and practiced. Her crate became her place of calm, just like we need our own “crates” — whether that’s shutting down the phone at night, carving out time for a hobby, or simply allowing ourselves guilt-free downtime.
Most of all, Mesa showed me that what feels like restriction at first often becomes freedom later. Change, discipline, and structure can feel tight, uncomfortable, even unfair — until we realize they’re the very things that give us peace of mind.
Call-to-Action
Have you ever though what breed would be best for me? Test your canine compatibility in our Dog Breed Personality Quiz and read more suspect dossiers in The Bark Side Files.
Or for a masterfully written story of the JEDI wisdom has been taught to me by my dogs in The Bark Side Chronicles. Help us grow so we can reach more people. Join our public Facebook group PACK MENTALITY . Thank you again. Have a Paw'some day!
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