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Crates can be one of the best tools you have when training your australian shepherd. However, some breeds don’t take to their crate very easily.
Are australian shepherds one of those breeds or do they crate train quite easily?
Are Australian Shepherds Easy To Crate Train:
How easily australian shepherds learn to enjoy being in their crate depends entirely on their owners ability to crate train them. If they received proper training and are guided in creating a positive experience when in their crate they will quickly learn to love being in it.
In this post you’ll discover:
- What makes crate training an australian shepherd easy vs. difficult
- How long australian shepherds can be in their crate
- 11 tips to help easily crate train your australian shepherd (Tip #2 is extremely important!)
- And much, more more
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
What Makes Crate Training An Australian Shepherd Easy Vs. Difficult?
Age plays a big role in how easy or difficult it will be to crate train an australian shepherd.
The reason being is if your aussie is older and never experienced being in a crate for a meaningful amount of time, they’ll be more resistant to being in a crate.
They’ll need to unlearn that they always have freedom to roam around as they please while learning to enjoy their new home inside your home.
Whereas, if your australian shepherd is just a puppy, they have very little experience with roaming as they please which makes crate training them much easier.
Whenever you have to teach your pup to unlearn something it’s going to make the training process much more difficult.
Also, if they’ve become emotionally dependent on you and have high levels of anxiety whenever they’re separated from you, this will make crate training them more difficult.
Getting your aussie used to their crate as young as possible helps make the process of crate training them as easy as possible.
If your australian shepherd is older it can absolutely still be done, it just might be a little more challenging.
Our tips below can help no matter the age of your aussie.
How Long Can You Leave Australian Shepherds In a Crate?
The answer to this question really depends on the individual dog.
Young aussies have much smaller bladders which means they need to be let out of their crate much more frequently to go pee.
An easy way to know how long your australian shepherd should be in their crate if they’re a young pup is by using their age in months and adding 1.
So for example, a 2 month old aussie can stay in their crate for up to 3 hours.
Anything more than that and they’re likely to have an accident.
Also, this is just a guideline.
You know your pup best and if you know they can’t go that long without a pee then shorten the time.
When it comes to adult australian shepherds, once they’re crate trained they can stay in their crate for up to 8 hours.
Again, this is just a guideline and you should always adjust accordingly to what your dog can handle.
*Important note: You should never make a habit of keeping your aussie in a crate for more than 8 hours (like 10-12 hours).
While things might come up at work which makes you come home late every once and a while, be sure it doesn’t happen too often.
This isn’t good for your aussie’s physical or mental health.
11 Tips To Easily Crate Train Your Australian Shepherd
1) Size Is Important
Both a crate too big for your australian shepherd and a crate too small can negatively affect your pups experience in their crate.
It’s important to find them one that fits them just right.
You want them to have enough space to comfortably lie down, stand up and turn around, but not too much where they can roam around inside.
While resting, your aussie shouldn’t touch any walls of the crate.
The reason why too big of a crate is an issue is because they can have accidents on one side of their crate and it not be a problem for them.
Dogs naturally want to keep their home environment clean and if their crate is too big they’ll feel like one section can be used for the bathroom and the other for relaxing.
The best way to avoid this is to get a bigger crate with a divider.
This means you won’t have to get multiple crates as your australian shepherd grows while also not giving them too much space when they’re young.
2) Don’t Overuse The Crate In The Beginning
You don’t want to overuse the crate in the beginning.
This means not putting your australian shepherd in their crate for hours on end and only taking them out to feed or potty train them.
Your aussie will start to associate their crates with negative things like being left alone or punishment if you do this.
Instead, start by using the crate for very short periods of time and gradually increase the amount of time they spend in there.
This will help them get used to it and not give them a negative experience when in their crate.
3) Make It a Place They Want To Be In
Another way to make crate training your australian shepherd easier is by making their crate a place they want to be in.
Dogs are den animals and like having their own space.
By putting a soft blanket or their favorite toys and treats inside their crate you’re making it more inviting for them.
If they’re potty trained, getting them a comfortable bed is also a good idea.
When they see that their crate is a happy and fun place, they’ll be more likely to want to go in there on their own.
Related Reading: 8 Best Dog Beds for Australian Shepherds | Beds That Last
4) Tire Them Out First
An aussie who is tired is more likely to want to rest and not put up a fight.
Play with them for at least 30 minutes before trying to get them into their crate.
This will make it easier as they’ll be more likely to want to relax instead of wanting to be out of their crate running around.
The more pent up energy your australian shepherd has when trying to crate train them will only make things more difficult.
They’ll whine, howl or bark until they’re either let out or have tired themselves out.
Going for a nice long walk or playing a good game of fetch to tire them out is a great idea before starting your crate training session.
Related Reading: 12 Best Harnesses For Australian Shepherds
5) Use a Crate Cover
If your australian shepherd is resistant to going in their crate, using a crate cover can help.
It makes the crate feel more like a den and will make them want to go inside.
They won’t feel as exposed or vulnerable when in there and it’ll give them a sense of security.
You can buy crate covers or even make your own out of a blanket or towel.
Not only does it make their crate darker which can help them calm down and want to rest.
It also limits what they’re able to see outside of their crate.
Which means they won’t feel like they’re missing out on as much if they can’t see people moving around and doing stuff.
**Always leave the front and back of the crate uncovered. Crate covers should only cover the sides and top.**
6) Resist Giving In To Whining/Crying
One of the most difficult things about crate training an aussie is resisting giving in to their whining or crying.
It can be really tough not to cave in and let them out but you have to be strong.
If you let them out every time they whine or cry, they’ll learn that this is the best way to get what they want.
Plus, it’ll take longer for them to learn that they need to stay in their crate until you release them.
If you’re really struggling, put them in a time out area instead of letting them out.
This will help teach them that bad behavior won’t get them what they want and will only make them more frustrated.
Eventually, they’ll learn that if they want to get out of their crate, they need to be calm and quiet.
7) When Napping – Move Them To The Crate
If you’re using the crate as a way to potty train your australian shepherd, put them in their crate when they’re napping.
This will help reduce the number of accidents they have outside of their crate.
Dogs don’t like to soil where they sleep so by putting them in their crate for naps, you’re helping them learn not to go in the house.
Plus, it’ll help get them used to being relaxed and sleeping in their crate.
Related Reading: Top 8 Best Beds For Australian Shepherds
8) Praise Good Behavior
Whenever your australian shepherd does something good while in their crate, make sure to praise them.
This will help reinforce the behavior you’re trying to teach them and will make them more likely to want to repeat it.
The more you can reinforce the good behavior you want to see from your australian shepherd while crate training while ignoring the bad behavior, the easier it will be.
9) Gradually Increase Time Away
To make being in their crate as easy as possible, always gradually increase your time away from them while they’re inside their crate.
A surefire way to make them not like being in their crate is to leave for hours after putting them in their crate when they’re only used to 15 minutes.
Crate training your australian shepherd becomes much easier when you gradually increase your time away from them when they’re inside their crate.
It helps them comfortably adapt to being alone in their crate and ensures it’s not too overwhelming of an experience.
10) Puzzle Toys With Food/Treats
If you’re having a hard time getting your australian shepherd to enjoy spending time in their crate, try using puzzle toys with food or treats.
By putting the food or treats inside the toy, it’ll keep them occupied and busy while they figure out how to get to it.
This will help take their mind off of being in the crate and make them more relaxed.
Plus, it’s a fun way for them to spend their time.
Related Reading: 13 Best Mind Stimulating Dog Toys: Features & Benefits
11) Put a Familiar Smell Inside
Another way to make their crate more inviting for your australian shepherd is to put a familiar smell inside.
This typically means putting a piece of clothing you’ve recently worn inside the crate for them to cuddle with.
The scent of a loved one can help make them feel calm, safe and secure.
It can also make them feel as though you aren’t too far away which makes them feel better.
Other posts you might find interesting:
19 Ways Australian Shepherds Show Their Affection
