I have helped people who have adopted rescue get their dogs accustom to crates and as it has been mentioned it is always a good practice to at least have your dog comfortable with going into a crate.
Some of the tips we offer are:
1. Make the crate a nice please where they want to be, add a soft blanket and some toys.
2. Never use the crate for punishment, remember we want the crate to be a nice place where a dog is not stressed.
3. We recommend that you start feeding a small meal in the crate with the door open. Relate the crate experience with food if you dog is food motivated.
4. Keep the door of the crate open when it is in your house, your dog may like it as a place "hang out" or to go to when they are stressed and need to feel safe.
I personally am a strong believer in crating Sophie Kate when I am going to be gone for a period longer than 1 hour. Sophie Kate is a climber and her favorite place to sleep is on the back of my sectional sofa, I do not want to worry about her being hurt while I am not home.
A couple of things to consider when crate training.
1. If you dog wears a collar with tags that hang down you may want to remove the collar when you are first crate training and you leave the dog unattended. Sophie Kate does where a collar while in her crate but her tags cannot get caught in the crate so I feel secure with that.
2. Sophie Kate likes her crate to be clean, I make sure I wash the bedding at least once a week. I do not allow other dogs to go into her crate, they have their own and that is her place (same rule applies to their crate).
__________________ Cheryl,Mom to  SophieKate |