[Luvmypupster]

There is a fine line between crates being a wonderful safe place for the dog and the over use and abuse of crates. I used a crate when my pups were babies for 2 reason. To aid in house training and to keep them safe. Every dog is different and the need to use a creat should be done so with that in cosideration. Some dogs and puppies are an accident waiting to happen. They may chew cords, lick outlets,get stuck behind appliance, eat things they shouldn't that may cause intestinal blockage or poisoning, get hung from blinds, bras hanging from a door handle. Unexpected accidents do happen , each dog is different. Some can be left to roam the house and never do anything unsafe. The pounds and humane society's are full of dogs whom have caused so much damage to homes that the owners get rid or their pets. The crate could have been a great tool to help prevent these behavior.
Now that mine are older they do have roam of the house when I'm gone but neither of them are destructive. I'm glad they are accustomed to the crate because I do use it when we have a house full of company at holidays and parties. I have 6 young grandkids and while my maltese will stay out of their way and safe, my yorkie will just go belly up in submission. To avoid her being stepped on, tripped over, picked up and in harms way I crate her. An advantage to being accustomed to the crate is for travel. Should you fly, or drive they need to be crated. If they are not some what use to the crate they may have anxiety issues and you will be listening to a screeching barking dog the entire trip. Crates are the safest containment on road trips. You can take a small crate and run the shoulder harness/ seatbelt thru the handle and buckle them in. Should your dog ever need boarding or medical care they will be put in a crate. Can you imagine the stress they would experience had they never been in one before? I keep my crate out with the door open and both mine go in it at times to aly down. If Mia is playing and sees that I have closed the door to keep her out she gets to acting silly and barks for me to open the crate so that she could go in a check it out. But crate use can be abused too.