Crate training a Lurcher rescue on a budget

Crate training works really well when the crate becomes a place the dog genuinely wants to be — not somewhere they're shut away. The size and type of crate matters more than most people realise, and so does how you introduce it, especially with a rescue who may already have mixed feelings about enclosed spaces. To point you in the right direction: what breed and age is the dog, are you starting fresh or trying to undo a bad association, and is this mainly for home use or travel?

A timid 9-month-old Lurcher is actually a lovely candidate for crate training — they tend to take to a den once they feel safe. Before I get into what to look for in a second-hand crate, can you tell me roughly how big she is? Lurchers vary enormously — a whippet-cross might be fine in a 36-inch crate, but a deerhound-cross could need a 48-inch. And is this primarily for overnight use at home, daytime settling, or will you need to move it between rooms?

Perfect — at 22kg she'll need a 42 or 48-inch crate so she can stand, turn, and stretch out fully. Lurchers sleep in the most extraordinary positions so don't size down. Now, on the second-hand question: it's genuinely fine if you know what to check. Look at the tray — cracks or warping mean it'll leak and smell forever. Check every weld where the bars meet the frame, and open and close the door latch ten times. If it sticks, rattles, or feels flimsy, walk away — a door that swings or bangs will set a nervous dog back weeks. Also give it a proper clean with a pet-safe disinfectant before it goes near her. That said, if you can stretch to new, the Ellie-Bo folding dog crate in the 48-inch size is my honest recommendation for your situation. It's around £45–55 new on Amazon UK, which is genuinely competitive, it has a double-door design so she has options for getting in and out, the tray is solid and easy to clean, and the folding frame means you can tuck it away if needed. It's a sturdy, no-frills crate that's been around long enough to have a solid track record with sighthound-type rescues. If a second-hand one comes up and passes the checks above, great — but if not, the Ellie-Bo at that price is worth buying new rather than gambling on something that'll rattle every night.

Go slower than you think you need to — that's the main thing. Set the crate up in a quiet corner with the door open and just leave it there for a day or two. Put something that smells of you inside, and scatter a few treats near the entrance without any pressure on her to go in. Let her investigate on her own terms. When she starts going in voluntarily, you can begin feeding her meals just inside the entrance, then gradually further back. Only once she's relaxed and choosing to go in do you gently close the door for a few seconds, then open it before she has any chance to worry. The goal is that she never feels trapped — every session ends before she gets anxious. With a nervous rescue this phase can take a week or two, and that's completely normal.

Yes, for most Lurchers a covered crate works really well — they're bred to be sensitive and they tend to settle better with visual barriers. An old duvet cover or a couple of blankets draped over three sides works perfectly, just leave the door side open for airflow. You don't need a purpose-made crate cover. Make sure there's enough ventilation and that she can't pull the fabric inside and chew it — that's the only real watchpoint. Once she's reliably settled, a cover can make a significant difference to how quickly she drops off and how deeply she sleeps.