Crate Training a Basset Hound Puppy

Those long Basset Hound ears and wire crate edges are a genuine hazard — it only takes one snag to create a nasty injury or a lasting fear of the crate, so you're right to look for an alternative early. Crate training works best when the crate feels like a safe den rather than a trap, and the physical design really does matter here. To point you in the right direction: how old is your Basset exactly, roughly how big are they now, and is this crate mainly for overnight sleeping at home or will you need it for car journeys too?

That scare at 10 weeks is exactly the kind of thing that sticks. You want zero exposed gaps or edges, which rules out most wire crates entirely. What suits a Basset well is a solid-sided plastic travel crate — they have smooth interior walls, a single ventilated door with a secure latch, and no internal protrusions for ears to catch on. They also feel more den-like, which Bassets tend to respond well to. She's small now but Bassets grow steadily — adults typically reach 20–30kg — so it's worth sizing up now rather than buying twice. What's your rough budget, and do you have a sense of how much floor space you can give the crate?

In that case I'd go with the Ferplast Atlas 60 Professional plastic dog carrier crate. It's solidly built, all smooth internal surfaces with no wire edges anywhere near where ears hang, and the ventilation is through moulded slats rather than open mesh. It's large enough to suit a fully grown Basset Hound — around 91cm long — so you won't need to replace it as she grows. The door closure is secure and easy to open from outside, and the two-piece design means you can disassemble it to clean properly or use just the base as an open bed once she's trained. It comes in well under your budget and is widely available on Amazon UK. The key thing with her bad experience is to take the door introduction very slowly — prop it open for a few days and let her choose to go in before you ever close it.

Yes — keep it simple and positive. A worn item of your clothing on the base works well because the scent is reassuring. Add a small treat or two just inside the entrance at first, never thrown to the back so she feels pressured to go in. A low-sided bed or folded fleece that sits flat is better than a bolster bed at this stage — you want her to be able to see out easily until she's fully comfortable. Avoid toys that squeak or excite her at bedtime; something she can quietly chew on like a filled Kong is ideal. The goal for the first week is just happy voluntary entries with the door open. Once she's trotting in without hesitation, you start closing the door for very short intervals while you're visible.

Good choice. Given the scare she had, just be patient with the door-closing stage — some puppies bounce back quickly, others need an extra week of open-door confidence building, and either is completely normal. Bassets are stubborn in the best possible way once they decide somewhere is theirs, so once she's claimed that crate it'll be solid. Good luck with her.