A crate is simply a wire cage for a quick description. But it is really so much more and it's certainly not mean or cruel to crate train your Cairn. For a more appropriate description it is their safe house, their den, their space, their bedroom. The crate is that one place in your home that is just theirs and no one else’s. It's a private area for them that they can go to whenever they want and feel safe.

Before Molly and Jack, some 25+ years ago when I had my first two mix breed dogs, I'd never heard of crate training. I honestly don't think it was a well known concept. I housebroke my dogs to use newspaper in our basement, when they were inside and I was at work. So crate training was quite new to me and I had to learn it before I could teach Molly and Jack. After all, the student is no better than the teacher teaching.

I read a great deal about crate training before I got my first Cairn, and I was suspicious that it wouldn't work. In fact, I was sure it wouldn't work. I was wrong. Dead wrong.

Dogs have a natural instinct to keep their bedding clean, so they hold their busy work for when they are away from their bedding. If you think about it, how many dogs do you know that sleeps in their own poop?

As long as you respect their habitat and routinely take them out to do their business within a reasonable timeframe, crate training is one of the easiest things you'll teach your Cairn. It is far easier than training them to use newspapers in a specific area of your home.

I was shocked and astonished at how easy it was and I kept expecting to see accidents. Jack has never had an accident in his crate. Molly had one but it was when I brought her back from being spade. She was crying and whimpering. I thought she was in pain. That part may be true but she also had to do her business! My fault and I totally swatted myself with the newspaper.

Molly and Jack both sleep in their own crates at night, and when we are away. During the times when we are away that is outside of the norm, they get a special treat when we put them in their crate. This tells them that they will be having a nap for a period of time. They don't mind though. Here's why ...

I stuff a pat (1/8 ounce) of cream cheese inside a rubber kong and all I have to say "cream cheese" and they run to their crates (they know which one is theirs) and get inside. This too was so easy to teach them.

I taught Molly since she was our first Cairn, and then she taught Jack.

To learn how I trained Molly to go to and get into her crate, read my article, "Cairns Go to Bed". It is important to note that I am not a professional trainer. I simply love to teach my Cairns and I do it at my leisure, with my own methods and at their leisure. Cairn Terriers love to learn new things regardless of how small it may be. And they are very smart, so they learn fast.