Zora doesn’t love her crate, but she’s fine with it. When it’s bedtime, I ask her, “Do you need to go outside or are you ready for bed?” Since she recognizes “outside” and “bed” she knows what I’m saying… and she either goes to the door to be let out or goes straight into her crate.

If she goes outside first, when she comes in after doing her business, I tell her, “OK go to bed,” and she runs over to her crate and climbs in.

But she’s never just hung out in her crate for fun.

And in the past she’s gotten upset if for any reason we needed to have her go in her crate during the day rather than at bedtime. So I figured it would be good to get her used to going into it sometimes during the day. Just because you never know what could happen and you might need your dog to go in the crate at some point… and it’s nicer if they don’t make a fuss.

So sometimes lately if I have a really good treat (like her heartworm medicine she looooooves) I will say “go to bed” to her… and she’s hesitant at first, but finally goes in. I close the door and give her the treat, and sit besider her for a few mintues before opening the door again, petting her and “good girl”ing her while she’s still in it, and then saying “okay” so she can come out.

She’s been fine with that.

So yesterday I told her to go into her crate to relax (she was heading toward the couch where she usually hangs out) and she actually stayed in there for about 20 minutes with the door open voluntarily. Then she came out, stretched, and walked over to me for a pat on the head.

And then? She went back in her crate! For another rest of about 5 more minutes.

Maybe she’s warming up to it… or maybe she just doesn’t think it’s too weird for daytime anymore.

Either way, it can’t be bad for her to be comfy with it during the day.