Crate training a Pomeranian pup in a multi-dog home

A resentful older dog and a bouncy new puppy is one of the trickier household dynamics to manage — and crate placement is actually one of the most underrated tools for reducing that tension. Crate training works best when the crate becomes a genuinely positive space, and with two dogs in the house, where you put it and how you introduce it matters even more than usual. The right crate size and type make a real difference too. To point you in the right direction: what breed and age is your older dog, are you starting the Pomeranian's crate training from scratch, and is this crate mainly for home use or will it need to travel?

That's a really clear brief and it's the right instinct — the Pomeranian needs a space that feels genuinely hers, not just a cage the Border Terrier can stand over and stare through. A few things matter here: size, visibility, and cover. Pomeranians are small but confident, and at 6 months she'll settle much faster in a crate that feels den-like rather than exposed. A fully open wire crate in the middle of a room can feel like being on display, especially when another dog is watching. Can you tell me where in your home you're thinking of putting it — and is the Border Terrier's tension mostly physical (tries to get close, paws at it) or more about proximity stress (growls, stares, won't settle when the pup is nearby)?

Behind the sofa in the corner is actually ideal — it breaks the sightline, which is exactly what you need. The staring and pacing is classic resource-guarding anxiety, and it tends to escalate if the puppy is visibly accessible. What I'd recommend is the MidWest Homes for Pets iCrate, sized for a small dog (the 24-inch fits a Pomeranian well with room to grow). It's a solid wire crate, but the key is to pair it with a fitted crate cover — MidWest make one specifically for it. The cover goes over three sides and the top, leaving only the door open. Tucked into your corner, that means the Border Terrier genuinely cannot maintain eye contact with her, which breaks his fixation loop. Wire construction also means she gets airflow and isn't isolated — she can hear the household, she just isn't on show. Introduce it with a trail of treats leading in, feed her meals inside it with the door open for the first week, and don't close the door until she's going in voluntarily. The MidWest iCrate 24-inch with the matching cover is widely available on Amazon UK and is one of the most consistently well-reviewed setups for exactly this size of dog.

Put bedding in from day one — it makes the space smell familiar and inviting immediately. Use something that already has her scent on it, like a blanket she's been sleeping on, rather than something brand new. Avoid anything too thick or fluffy at this stage; Pomeranians can be chewers when anxious, and you don't want her ingesting filling. A flat, washable fleece pad works well. One extra tip for the multi-dog dynamic: put a worn piece of your clothing in there too, not the Border Terrier's. You want her associating the crate with safety and you, not with him.

It can be, yes — if she can see him blocking the exit, it may make her reluctant to go in or cause her to panic if she wakes up and he's there. Reposition the crate so the door faces a wall or furniture rather than open floor the Border Terrier has access to, or use a baby gate to section off the area around the crate at night. You don't need to separate them entirely — you just need her to feel like the crate entrance is hers to use freely. Once she's confident going in and out and he's stopped fixating, you can gradually relax the arrangement.