Crate training a 6-year-old Bearded Collie

A six-year-old Beardie who's never been crated, with a new baby arriving — that's a real and time-sensitive situation, and it's completely workable, but the approach matters a lot. Crate training works when the crate becomes a genuinely positive space, and with an adult dog who has no existing frame of reference for one, the introduction needs to be slow and deliberate rather than rushed. The right crate size and type also matters more than most people realise — get either wrong and you're working against yourself from day one. To point you in the right direction: is the crate mainly for use at home, or will you also need it for travel? And roughly how much time do you have before the baby arrives?

Six weeks is genuinely enough time if you start this week — adult dogs can form positive crate associations faster than puppies when you use the right method, because they have better impulse control. At 22kg she'll need a 42-inch crate to stand, turn and stretch comfortably without it feeling like a den she can rattle around in. One thing I want to ask before I confirm my recommendation: has she shown any signs of separation anxiety, or is she generally settled when you leave the room? That changes how quickly you can progress the training.

That's a genuinely good starting point — a settled adult dog with no anxiety history is the best candidate for this. Here's my recommendation: the MidWest Homes for Pets iCrate, 42-inch, single door. It's a double-latch folding metal crate with a divider panel you won't need but can ignore, a removable tray for cleaning, and a build quality that holds up to a large dog leaning on it. The metal construction means it feels solid rather than flimsy, which matters for a dog her size. Crucially for you, it's widely available on Amazon UK and arrives quickly. Cover three sides with a blanket from day one — Beardies are herding dogs and respond well to a den-like enclosed space. Start with the door open, feed her meals inside it this week, and don't close the door at all for the first four or five days. By week three, if you've kept sessions short and positive, she'll be settling in there voluntarily. The baby's arrival will then feel less like a sudden change and more like a natural shift in routine.

Location matters quite a bit, especially in the early weeks. Put it in a room where she already likes to rest — probably wherever you spend most of your time during the day. You want her to associate the crate with being near the family, not banished from it. Once she's reliably settling in it, you can move it gradually if you need it in a different room for when the baby is there. Moving it too early, before the association is solid, can reset progress. Keep it away from draughts and direct radiator heat — Beardies run warm.

Good move, and good timing. The main thing to hold onto: six weeks feels short but the first two weeks are just about positive association with the door open — that's the foundation everything else builds on. Don't be tempted to rush to closing the door because the deadline is approaching. A dog who goes in willingly is infinitely more useful with a newborn in the house than one who's been pushed too fast and is now reluctant. You've got this.