Aside from giving your pup the opportunity to avoid temptation of trouble and destruction around the house when you are not looking, its crate is also a practical piece of dog furniture to have around the house. It doubles as a dog bed, and makes a good hiding spot for puppies to stash their favorite toys.

Or, if you’re having cleaning or repair work done in your home, putting your puppy in a crate ensures you avoid worrying that your pup may get underfoot, become injured, or escape if a worker leaves the door or gate open.

First used by airlines to contain pets while traveling, pet carrier crates are indispensable if you want to take your puppy along while traveling or on vacation. Scott and Diane Joris, from Miami, Florida, don’t even think about leaving home without their canine companion, Buddy, and of course – Buddy’s crate.

“The minute we put him inside his crate, he just goes to sleep and doesn’t wake up until we walk off the plane.” Scott says. “Her small crate fits right on the floor underneath the seat, and it’s so easy to take her with me.

Stanley Anderson, a Labrador Retriever breeder from Miami, Florida as well, suggests using a crate for your dog while riding in the car, too. “In the event of an accident, a loose dog in the car becomes a projectile and can be easily injured. It can also escape and either be killed by oncoming traffic or disappear in strange surroundings, never to be found again,” Stanley says.

There are other good reasons to use a crate. At some time during its life, your dog may have to go to the veterinarian and may need to remain in a crate for several hours, or even overnight, while receiving medical treatment.

For some dogs, going to the veterinarian is stressful enough without having to experience sudden confinement. If your puppy is already crate-savvy, it has a better chance of feeling more at home, even during an emergency.

Here is another reason to crate train your puppy: During a natural disaster, such as a fire, earthquake, hurricane, tornado or flood, a crate may be a necessity and the only safe refuge your dog may have.

There have been hundreds of reports of house dogs’ behavior during one of these disasters. The ones that were properly crate trained were quick to seek safety in their crates, while the others would aimlessly run around with stress, often getting injured or even killed by falling debris.

And lastly, as you all have heard already, a crate also doubles as a housetraining skill builder. Housetraining a puppy is much easier if you use a crate. Puppies usually won’t soil where they sleep, so once you let them out of the crate you’ll know it’s time to take them outside to eliminate.