In addition to solid and functional obedience, crate training has to be one of the most valuable skills our dogs can have. Before we go any farther, let’s get one thing out of the way right now – crate training your dog is not cruel, inhumane, or mean. Often times we as humans relate a crate to jail or feel sorry for a dog that is in a crate, but it’s important to remember that we’re training through the dog’s mentality, not our own.