Yes, if the crate is a den and not a storeroom: its own space, in the right size, in the part of the house where the family lives, that the dog goes into willingly and comes out of within a few hours. Used that way, it is one of the most useful tools there is for training, safety and travel. Used as a substitute for your presence, as a punishment or for whole working days, it is cruel — and in several European countries the law now says so too.
That is the short answer. Since this debate has plenty of opinion and little evidence, here is what the studies, the behaviourists, the trainers' associations and the laws actually say, along with the arguments of those who are against it and what they get right.
Good crate or cruel crate?It depends how it is used
The same crate can be either. The difference is not the object, it is the use:
| Use that helps the dog | Use that harms it |
|---|---|
| Goes in on its own to rest; the door is open when you are at home | Only goes in when forced; the door only closes when you leave |
| Stretches of 1-4 hours, with a walk before and after | A full working day, plus the whole night |
| Correct size: can stand, turn and lie stretched out | So small it cannot stretch |
| In the living room or wherever the family is, with a view out | In the garage, the storage room, the balcony or somewhere isolated |
| Gradual introduction, with food and rewards | As a punishment or "to teach it a lesson" |
| Healthy, habituated dog with no separation anxiety | Dog that panics, injures itself or urinates inside |
Everything that follows expands on this table.
What real benefits does a crate have for a dog?
These benefits are backed by the professional trainers' association (APDT), Cornell University's veterinary centre and welfare organisations such as Humane World for Animals and Dogs Trust:
- A place of its own. Somewhere nobody invades (not children, not visitors, not other dogs) where the dog can switch off. Dogs that have one usually choose it themselves for a nap.
- House-training puppies. Dogs avoid soiling where they sleep. With supervision, scheduled toilet breaks and the crate for unsupervised moments, most learn in a month or two.
- Safety at home. Cables, medicines, rubbish, stairs: a puppy or a destructive dog alone in the house is at risk. In the crate, for a short stretch, it is not.
- Car travel. A loose dog in the car is a danger to itself and to you; in the boot, a strapped-down crate is one of the tidiest ways to carry it. We explain it on the travel crate page.
- Vet, recovery and emergencies. After surgery, crate rest is often compulsory. And in an evacuation, a dog used to a crate travels and is accommodated without trouble; one that is not may be harder to transport or house safely.
- Less stress in difficult situations. Visitors, building work, storms, fireworks: many dogs look for an enclosed spot to sit them out. If they already have one, they use it.
None of these benefits requires hours of confinement. They all work with the crate as a den.
Are dogs "den animals"?What the science says
It is the line that opens almost every article in favour of crates, and it needs qualifying. Two studies from Anindita Bhadra's group (IISER Kolkata) observed hundreds of free-ranging dogs to see where they actually rest:
- In 2016 (Scientific Reports) they recorded 148 dens: they are used almost exclusively by pregnant females or females with puppies, and only temporarily.
- In 2024 (Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 284 dogs) they found that, when dogs choose, they prefer to rest in open, central places with a good view and close to food and water. They are not looking to hide: they are looking to see what is going on without being disturbed.
Does that mean the crate is unnatural? No. It means it works for a different reason: it gives the dog a predictable, protected space of its own, which is what it is really after. And it tells us how to use it well: in the family's living area, with a view out, not completely covered or hidden away in a spare room.
What do the critics say, and where are they right?
Organisations such as PETA argue that a crate is a cell: it stops the dog moving, stretching and asking to go out, and prolonged confinement causes behaviour problems. Widely followed Spanish trainers, such as Ágora Canina, do not reject it, but set strict limits: never by force, never as punishment, never eight hours while you work, and never as a "cure" for separation anxiety.
They are right about the essentials. The psychologist Stanley Coren, reviewing the debate, pointed out that PETA offers no studies on short-term crate use, whereas there is a consensus among behaviourists about its usefulness in puppy training; what is demonstrably harmful is prolonged, routine confinement, and on that everyone agrees: manufacturers, trainers and critics alike. PETA itself allows two exceptions, veterinary rest and transport.
An international survey published in 2024 in Applied Animal Behaviour Science (1,305 owners in 23 countries) points the same way: when the crate is used for training purposes (puppies, habits), distress is low; when it is used to "treat" behaviour problems (anxiety, destructiveness), more stress signals appear and it works poorly. The crate trains; it does not cure.
What do behaviourists, vets and trainers say?
- APDT (Association of Professional Dog Trainers, USA): supports the crate as a short-term tool and as safety equipment; never as punishment and never for dogs with separation, confinement or storm anxiety; for an adult, 4-5 hours maximum is reasonable.
- Cornell's veterinary centre: all dogs benefit from being comfortable with a crate, but you should not leave a dog crated and alone if it barks non-stop, circles, pants or urinates inside; that dog needs more space or company.
- AAHA behaviour guidelines (American Animal Hospital Association): if the dog panics, resists, destroys the crate or hurts itself, the crate is not the answer; a sitter or day care is.
- Dogs Trust and Humane World: the crate is a den; for freedom of movement, use a pen or a room. And the crate is not a treatment for separation anxiety.
They agree on three ideas: short-term use, never as punishment, and not for dogs with genuine anxiety.
Is it legal to keep a dog in a crate?Spain and Europe
In Spain, Law 7/2023 on animal welfare does not ban the domestic crate, but it does forbid leaving a dog unsupervised for more than 24 hours in a row, keeping it habitually on terraces, in storage rooms, basements or vehicles, and it requires adequate space and enrichment for animals kept in cages. The detail is in How long can a dog stay in a crate?.
In Sweden and Finland things are stricter, and it is a good indication of where Europe is heading:
- Sweden (Board of Agriculture regulation SJVFS 2020:8): a dog may not be kept with its freedom of movement restricted except for temporary reasons (veterinary supervision, transport, training, competition). On the Swedish Kennel Club's reading, that rules out the closed crate at home, but allows the crate with the door open or with no door, at shows, when hunting and in a parked car for up to three hours.
- Finland (Animal Welfare Act 693/2023, in force since 2024): an animal may only be kept in a transport crate or similar confined space when required by transport, illness or another temporary and acceptable reason. The national welfare organisation SEY has been running its "Don't cage" campaign for years: crates yes, but only as a voluntary den.
The message for any European owner is clear: the crate as an open resting place and for transport is normal everywhere; the crate as somewhere the dog spends the day, less and less so.
For which dogs is a crate NOT a good idea?
- Dogs with diagnosed separation anxiety. They can break teeth or nails trying to get out. The way forward is a trainer or a behaviourist; the crate should only form part of the plan if they say so. A classic study by Flannigan and Dodman (JAVMA, 2001) of 400 dogs did not find the crate among the causes of separation anxiety, but it is not the cure either.
- Dogs that panic in enclosed spaces (confinement phobia), often with a history of abandonment or kennelling.
- Brachycephalic dogs in the heat (bulldog, pug, boxer): a covered or poorly ventilated crate in summer is a genuine risk; full ventilation or nothing.
- Older dogs with arthritis or incontinence: they can use one, but in short stretches, with padded flooring and frequent breaks.
- Any adult, house-trained dog that urinates inside: it is a sign that something is wrong (hours, fear, health), not a failing of the dog.
How long can it stay inside?
A healthy, habituated adult, up to 4 hours in a row during the day (6 exceptionally) and the whole night if it sleeps calmly; a puppy, at most as many hours as it is months old plus one, with a ceiling of 3-4. No animal welfare guideline supports a working day in the crate. The full table by age, with day and night separated, is in our guide to crate times.
How do you make the crate a den and not a punishment?
- Door open by default. While you are at home, open. If it only closes when you leave, the dog associates it with your absence.
- In the living area. Living room, study, bedroom. With a view of where you are. Never in the garage or a closed room.
- The right size. Able to stand without lowering its head, turn around and lie on its side. If it is too big it loses the den effect; if it is too small it is a punishment.
- Gradual introduction. Days, not minutes: food inside, door open, short spells with the door closed and you in front of it, then alone. The full plan is in how to get a dog used to a crate.
- Never as punishment. Not once. A single negative association can cost you weeks.
- Exercise first. A dog that has been walked and tired out rests; one that has not burned off any energy just waits, and waiting is stressful.
- Comfortable inside. A washable mat, water in a clip-on bowl, a safe toy. No blankets covering all the ventilation.
- Watch the dog. Panting without heat, repeated yawning, lip licking, continuous whining, biting the bars: it is telling you it is not all right. Cut the time down and go back over the other points.
Which crate should you choose for it to be a den?
If the crate is going to be another piece of furniture in your home for years, the choice comes down to four things: material, size, door and what you put inside.
The material
| Material | Strength | Ventilation | At home | In the car and on a plane | The drawback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wire | Low: it bends and a determined dog opens it | Very high | Noisy and hard to fit into the home | No: crash tests rule it out and it is not valid for flying | Gum and nail injuries against the mesh |
| Plastic | Medium: a dog that chews will mark it | Limited, only through the side vents | Works as a den | On a plane yes, if it meets CR1; at the desk they reject the ones with long slots | Heats up in summer |
| Fabric | Very low | High | Discreet and light | No | A puppy destroys it in an afternoon |
| Aluminium (Robust) | High: metal structure, latches and hinges | On all four sides | A piece of furniture; folds in 30 seconds | Yes, for both | Costs more than the rest |
Aluminium is the professionals' choice — hunters, show handlers, trainers — and it is worth knowing why. Robust crates are made of anodised aluminium with metal latches, hinges and rivets, a solid roof that forms part of the structure and a welded metal grille front (12 mm tubes 25 mm apart with a central reinforcement), not a thin wire mesh that bends. They fold away for storage, but when opened out four mechanical anchors lock the sides: in use it is a rigid box. And inside there is nothing easy to chew that would compromise the structure.
The size
Go by measurements, not by breed, and not "a big one so it has room to spare". The dog must be able to stand without lowering its head, turn around and lie on its side; with too much space, a puppy urinates in one corner and sleeps in the other. Measure your dog and let the size calculator tell you which size it needs: it is the same formula the airlines require.
Depending on your case
| If your dog… | What makes the difference |
|---|---|
| Is a puppy and chews everything | Metal structure with no chewable parts and a raised DryFloor, so it cannot shred the pad |
| Barks or gets worked up by what it sees | Anti-stress door: cuts down visual stimuli without losing ventilation. All together in the pack for anxious dogs |
| Will mostly be at home | Home pack: crate, floor, mat and a fan for the summer |
| Travels often by car or plane | Travel crate: straps into the boot and is designed to meet IATA CR1 requirements |
| Lives in a small flat | One that folds: stored away it takes up about as much room as a suitcase |
And it is more than a den
The same crate your dog uses in the living room is the one that straps into the boot — the ADAC and TCS crash tests only passed rigid metal boxes properly secured — and the one that can travel in an aircraft hold if it meets the IATA CR1 requirements. A single familiar place for home, the car, the hotel and the journey: that is what really brings the dog's stress down. It is all in the guide to travelling with your dog.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cruel to keep a dog in a crate at home?
No, if it is a voluntary den, the right size, in the family's living area and used in short stretches. It is cruel when it replaces your presence for hours, is used as punishment, or the dog panics inside.
Is it good for a dog to sleep in the crate at night?
Yes, for most habituated dogs. A 2024 study of puppies found that sleeping in an enclosed space from an early age reduces separation anxiety later on. With puppies, you will need to get up once or twice to let them out.
Does the crate help with separation anxiety?
Not as a treatment. Veterinary and trainer guidelines agree: a dog with real anxiety can hurt itself trying to get out. See a trainer or a behaviourist; the crate should only form part of the plan if they say so.
Can the crate be used as a punishment?
Never. The crate has to be associated with rest, food and calm. Using it once as punishment can undo weeks of habituation.
Are dogs den animals?
Only partly: studies of free-ranging dogs show they prefer to rest in open places with a good view, and that dens are used mainly by females with puppies. The crate works because it gives the dog a predictable space of its own, not because it imitates a cave; that is why it belongs in the living room and not hidden away.
Is it legal to keep a dog in a crate in Spain?
Yes. Law 7/2023 forbids leaving it unsupervised for more than 24 hours, keeping it habitually on terraces, in storage rooms or in vehicles, and requires space and enrichment for animals in cages. In Sweden and Finland the closed domestic crate is only allowed for temporary reasons.
Want the crate to be a den and not a cell?
Ventilated aluminium, the right size, an anti-stress door for nervous dogs and folds in 30 seconds. The crate trainers, hunters and show handlers work with.
See the Robust crateUpdated on 22 August 2026 by the Robust Team. Robust designs and distributes collapsible aluminium dog crates from Europe; we work every day with trainers, hunters and show handlers.
Sources consulted: APDT, Position statement on crate training (2012) · Cornell University, Riney Canine Health Center, Dog crates: when to use them and how to pick one · AAHA, Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines (2015) · Dogs Trust, Crate training · Humane World for Animals, Crate training 101 · Sen Majumder et al., Scientific Reports 2016; Biswas et al., Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 2024 · Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2024 (international survey on crate use) · Flannigan & Dodman, JAVMA 2001 · S. Coren, Psychology Today 2012 · BOE, Law 7/2023 · Jordbruksverket, SJVFS 2020:8 and Svenska Kennelklubben · Finnish Act 693/2023 (Kennelliitto, SEY) · Generation Pup, Animal Welfare 2024.