Ask A Dog Trainer: How should I arrange my dogs' crate to be comfortable for them?

Q: How should I arrange my dogs' crate to be comfortable for them? 

A: In my experience, the best way to arrange their crate to be like a cosy cave for them. So you can arrange it next to other furniture, or you can put a blanket over the top and inside of it. Or if it needs to be in an empty room, you can arrange it against the back wall so that the back part and one of the sides are both against walls.

Now, this isn't necessary for your dog to behave well, it's simply a recommendation to make their crate more homely. You can also put one of your old t-shirts in their crate to remind them of your scent while you're gone.

Depending on how big of a chewer your dog is and whether or not they have separation anxiety, you can put a couple chew toys in their crate for them to chew on while you're gone, but I would recommend discussing that with a professional to determine whether your dog is anxious or not and whether they should be chewing while in the crate.

The biggest thing to keep in mind while crate training your dog or arranging the crate to be more comfortable for them is to never use the crate as punishment.