Quick Answer
At The Puppy Academy, we do recommend crates and playpens for puppies—not to restrict them, but to create structure, safety, and clarity during their early development.
If your puppy is already doing well with a crate or pen…
…you’re on the right track.
The Puppy Academy student, Whiskey!
Where This Confusion Comes From
You might’ve heard advice like:
“Crates are too confining”
“Puppies should learn freedom right away”
“They live in the home, so they should be loose in the home”
And it can make you second-guess what you’re doing.
But here’s the reality…
Even trainers across different styles—yes, even purely positive-reinforcement trainers—still use crates.
Why?
Because this isn’t about control.
It’s about setting puppies up to succeed.
What Crates Actually Do (That Most People Miss)
A crate isn’t just a place to “put your puppy.”
It creates:
1. Safety
Puppies explore with their mouths.
If you’re not actively supervising, “freedom” quickly turns into:
chewing things they shouldn’t
swallowing dangerous items
rehearsing bad habits
A crate prevents problems before they start.
2. Clear Off/On Time
Puppies aren’t great at regulating themselves.
Without structure, they often become:
overstimulated
overtired
more reactive
Crate time gives them true downtime—something most puppies won’t choose on their own.
3. Faster Potty Training
This is one of the biggest advantages.
Puppies naturally avoid going to the bathroom where they rest.
A crate helps:
build bladder control
create predictable potty timing
reduce accidents in the home
4. A Calm Default State
Instead of constantly needing entertainment, your puppy learns:
“This is my own space where I settle.”
That skill carries into:
adulthood
travel
vet visits
new environments
“But Shouldn’t My Puppy Learn Freedom?”
Eventually—yes.
But too much freedom too early leads to:
mistakes
bad habits
confusion
And most importantly: it removes your ability to guide your puppy clearly.
Freedom is earned over time through:
consistency
structure
repetition
Not given all at once.
What You’re Doing Right (If This Is You)
If your puppy is doing really well in the crate or playpen while you’re doing things around the house, this is exactly what we want.
That means your puppy:
can settle
isn’t overly dependent
isn’t constantly searching for stimulation
That’s a huge win early on.
What We’d Be More Concerned About
The bigger issue wouldn’t be using a crate…
It would be not using one at all, and trying to:
watch your puppy 24/7
correct mistakes after they happen
manage chaos instead of preventing it
That’s where frustration builds—for both you and your puppy.
A Quick Reality Check
If you’re hearing advice that says:
“Don’t use crates at all”
Just know—that’s not the norm.
Even across different training philosophies, confinement for safety and structure is widely accepted, especially during puppyhood.
The Bigger Picture
Crates are one part of a bigger system:
structure
routine
clear expectations
balanced activity (play, training, rest)
When all of that works together, your puppy becomes calmer, and more predictable. And puppyhood becomes easier.
Want Help Putting This All Together?
If you want a step-by-step plan for:
crate training
daily structure
preventing common puppy struggles
Our Online Puppy School is designed specifically for new puppy parents who want a clear system from day one.
Inside, we walk you through exactly:
how to structure your puppy’s day - with a personalized schedule for your own puppy (game-changer!)
how to build calm behavior
and how to avoid the common mistakes most people make early on
Final Thought
Crates don’t create problems.
Lack of structure does.
When used correctly, a crate becomes one of the most helpful tools you have during puppyhood—not something to avoid.
This question originally came up on our Ask A Puppy Trainer podcast, where our trainers discuss age-specific puppy behavior in more depth.
Have more questions about your puppy? Ask our trainers LIVE every Wednesday at 1 pm PT on our Instagram @thepuppyacademy during our Ask A Puppy Trainer Show! All replays are posted afterward, and you can catch up on our last ones on our YouTube channel or Podcast.
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This article is part of our Puppy Behavior Basics series.
Related Puppy Training Help:
Why Your Puppy Cries in the Crate During the Day (And What to Do Instead)
Why Your Puppy Sleeps Fine at Night But Struggles During the Day
How to Stop Daytime Crate Crying Without Creating Bad Habits