Dogs and Dens: do crates actually satisfy a dog’s natural denning instincts?
This is a dog training myth I wish would go away!
I was recently at a pet store in my town and I saw a little poster with a “training tip.” It said:
“Crates satisfy a dog’s natural denning instincts.”
I read it and went, “Oof, no,” in my head. Because:
Dogs are not den animals. And crates are not dens.
Let’s debunk this myth together! But first, a note on research:
As I wrote this post, I looked into the research to fact check. I never wanna be that person on the internet that just says whatever they want without backing it up.
My main questions were:
To what extent are domestic dogs “den animals”?
Do domestic dogs have an instinct to “den”?
To answer these questions, I looked at observational studies of denning behavior in free-ranging domestic dog populations.
Now the question is this: do domestic dogs in these studies show an instinct to “den”?
Yes and no.
Pregnant females seek out dens when they are birthing and rearing their young. These are temporary dens and are only used seasonally.
So - unless your dog is a pregnant female, there probably isn’t a denning instinct to satisfy.
From the research…
A 2016 study that looked at the denning behaviors of free-ranging dogs in India showed that of 148 observed dens, there seemed to be no preference among pregnant female dogs for either “secluded” or “open” dens.
Another study from 2024 found that of the population they observed, free-ranging dogs chose resting spots with close proximity to food (I lol-ed at this) and high visibility of their surroundings.
The results of these studies seem to directly contradict the common “wisdom” that dogs are hard-wired to retreat to small and enclosed dens.
And I can hear some of you now, saying:
“My dog likes to hide under the table, isn’t that denning?”
“Ok, but my dog loves her crate!”
“My pup likes to make a nest in our dark closet so I think that’s her den.”
All of these observations about your dogs can still be true! My dog often likes to sleep in the doom pile of clean laundry in my closet. But...
These anecdotes are not evidence of an instinct to “den!”
Many cats also like to seek out small and enclosed spaces, and they aren’t usually called den animals.
There are so many other reasons a dog might seek out a small, dark space.
For example:
Escape from scary things
Escape from unwanted social interactions
Escape from noise
Access to soft, cozy bedding
To cool down when they are hot
Understanding the function of our dog’s behavior is so much more helpful than chalking it up to a “denning instinct” that doesn’t exist.
The “dogs are den animals” narrative can prevent us from looking at our dogs as individuals.
Broad (and inaccurate) statements like “crates satisfy a dog’s natural denning instinct” ignore that fact that not all dogs will be happy or comfortable in enclosed spaces. Many, many dogs need to be slowly introduced to spending time in a crate.
Introducing a crate too quickly - like I did when I first adopted JJ - can produce anxiety or frustration. Now, she loves crate games because she knows that crates = treats!
With all of that said…
Crate training can be an invaluable tool for safety and management.
For my reactive dog, crate training has meant that car rides are safer and less anxiety-inducing for us. She can’t see triggers from the window and therefore rests in the car, instead of barking.
And if your dog struggles with confinement or simply doesn’t choose to spend time in a crate, that’s okay!
Crates aren’t necessary for every dog. The benefits that they offer can often be provided in other ways - like offering your dog other safe spaces or using x-pens/baby gates for management.
P.S. Enjoyed this article and want a little something extra?
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