The title of this post is a little misleading.  This won’t be about what to put in your dog’s crate, but rather what not to put in your dog’s crate.

I often get questions from my puppy owner clients about what should be put in the crate while they are gone at work.  Most of them have read and heard several different crate training techniques that they are at a loss for what to do.  Well, here is my list, and I’m going to give my reasons for each point I make.

Don’t put toys in a crate:  I don’t recommend you put toys in your dog’s crate while you are gone.  There are a couple reasons for this:

1- If you are gone for hours it is possible that your puppy chews on a toy, breaks off a piece, and chokes on it.  Puppies die all the time from choking on items and it would be a big shame to come home to find that your pal has passed away.

2- People say, “Well, won’t my dog get bored if there are no toys in the crate?”  Dogs have different needs for mental stimulation than do humans.  Yes, they do need to be mentally stimulated.  I like for mental stimulation to be associated with the dog owner, however.  When I am gone I don’t want my dogs to be running around playing with toys.  I want them to just relax and nap until I get home.  By keeping them calm and low key in the crate you will eventually be able to wean them off the crate and have a dog that is calm and low key outside of the crate.

Don’t put water or food in the crate with your puppy:  Again, dogs have different needs than do a human.  Personally, I take a drink of water several times a day.  Dogs are just fine, however, if they go hours without a drink.

When crate training a puppy leave the water and food out of the crate.  Your puppy is learning at this age how to ‘hold it’ for hours at a time.  If you are giving him access to food and water in the crate you are going to make it nearly impossible for your dog to hold his bowels.  You will come home to a soiled crate and it won’t be your dog’s fault.

Again, don’t feel bad.  Your dog has different needs than you and can be just fine without food and water while you are at work.  Just make sure your crate isn’t in direct sunlight and dehydrating your puppy.

Don’t put a dog bed in the crate with your puppy:  Puppies love to pee on absorbent material.  That is why puppies will happily pee on grass, dirt, and YES, your carpet.  Well, a dog bed is an absorbent thing as well.  By putting a bed in with your puppy you may very well be inviting him to pee in his crate.

Can a puppy be comfortable without a bed?  Of course.  Again, your puppy has different needs than you.  Would he be more comfy with a bed?  Perhaps.  But he doesn’t need it and he is more than fine without it.

So what goes in the crate with your puppy?  Simple.  Nothing.  Put the little guy in there and he will learn to be happy and comfy while you are gone and won’t have any danger of choking on toys or chewed up beds.