Crate training a puppy from a home...just the same?

[Disastrous]

Hello all,

In a couple of weeks we will be taking over what will (by then) be a 17 week old crossbreed.

She's currently in a dog home (and I believe has been nearly since birth) and we will need to go back to the start with training.

I've been reading a lot about crate training but wonder if this is a sound approach for a rescue dog? My worry is that she may not have the imperative not to mess where she sleeps due to being in the home, and that a cage/crate may remind her of unhappier times!

I'm sure I'm overthinking it but just wondered if anyone with experience of crate training a rescue dog had any thoughs or comments? My main aim us to provide as loving a home as I can so the wee thing can develop properly and I don't want to make any mistakes due to not fully appreciating any implications her background so far may have had!

Thanks in advance

[Disastrous]

Tanks for the reply and the book recommendation - will check it out!

My rationale for the crate is as follows:

We live in a flat so quickly shoving her out the back door is not so easy. Even confining her to a room still means a large enough space for her to separate toilet from living to my mind (though maybe I'm wrong?). A crate seemed like it would be an easy to define 'clean space' that can easily be differentiated from 'outside'. My understanding is that puppies will view the lounge say, as far enough away as to not be part of the same space?

Additionally, she'll be coming to the office with me and I thought a crate might seem like comfortable territory for her.

[Disastrous]

Autopilot said:

NEVER use the crate as punishment! If you do, you'll never get the pup to go back in there, needs to be a happy safe place. One of our dogs isn't a huge fan of being in his crate, but having covered it up with a large sheet seems to have helped. We did that to make it warmer and so that he couldn't see in to the garden as any bird landing in there is a huge crime and he gets a bit barky but in his case, he seems to prefer being hidden away a bit.

No intention to use as punishment at all - I'm fully sold on the benefits of positive reinforcement and am more curious as to whether they would make a toilet-training dog in a flat happier.