Hayley recently had surgery to remove a lump. Veterinarians advise keeping dogs calm after surgeries, allowing rest in order to fully recover from the process. Because Hayley had crate training experience since she was an adolescent, she enjoys resting in her crate and could handle the extra post-surgery time in there without fear. The crate already represented a safe place for her, and she also had training for her to comfortably rest in it for longer periods of time. Without pre-training this behavior, she would have had a much harder time relaxing and recovering from her surgery. Thus, this is a perfect example of how you can utilize positive reinforcement training to improve your dog’s life, to decrease fearful situations, and to make daily life situations easier for you.
Here is Hayley after recovering from her surgery, choosing to go in the crate and sleep on her own. She was not given a signal to enter the crate, and the door is open for her to leave anytime.
Raymer Family Dog Training 