How to Soundproof a Dog Crate

How to soundproof a dog crate? There are many reasons you would want to soundproof your dog’s crate.

Constant barking can keep your baby awake, make your neighbors angry, keep you up at night, and the list goes on.

I have always loved dogs, but I wouldn’t call myself a dog person because I also like cats.  At the moment, I have one dog, and he is a Husky.

He has a beautiful bright white fur coat and blue eyes.  He’s the type of Husky you will see in a textbook when looking one up.

Along with his textbook looks is his textbook behavior.  Huskies, in general, are known to have a lot more energy than other dog breeds, and that’s simply because they are referred to as worker dogs.

One of the most annoying things besides having to clean up after your hyper-energetic dog is constant barking and howling.

Huskies are notorious howlers.  My dog loves to howl at night time.

One day I even had my neighbor knock on my door at 3 am, telling me that he couldn’t sleep because my dog wouldn’t stop howling and crying.

This was when I knew that it was time to fix this problem.  I had to somehow soundproof my dog’s crate.

After hours of research, I’d like to share with you the best methods I have come up with to keep your dog quiet and soundproof his crate.

What Is a Soundproof Dog Crate?

A soundproof dog crate is a crate that is specifically designed with sound-absorbing materials.

These materials will help muffle your dog’s barking.

When your dog’s crate is properly soundproofed, it will effectively reduce the echos as well as the intensity of his barking.

Soundproofing your dog’s crate will not only benefit you and others around you.

It will also benefit your dog.  Your dog will also benefit from the soundproof crate.

The most common noises that will trigger your dog are usually thunderstorms, an ambulance, other barking dogs, loud cars, and many other loud noises that may disturb their ears.

Soundproofing your dog’s crate will not eliminate all of the noise completely.

A little proper training of your dog can also go a long way when it comes to controlling his barking, but first, let’s start with his crate.

How to Soundproof a Dog Crate (DIY)

After hours of research, I found the best ways to make my dog’s carrier soundproof.  A few things I have learned is that it’s important to make sure there are no holes or gaps in your soundproof project.

Sound will be able to escape out of these small holes and gaps causing, which is the opposite of what we are going after.

This is what really makes soundproofing a dog crate a challenge.  It is just about impossible to fill every single hole and gap in a dog crate, so it will never be entirely soundproof per se.

You have to factor in ventilation for your dog as well.

If you make it too soundproof, then your dog will not be able to breathe in his crate.  If you don’t soundproof it enough, then you will be back to where you started.

Just keep in mind your dog’s safety when soundproofing the crate.  My best word of advice is to not soundproof the front door.

Soundproof the walls, the ceiling, and the floors.  This will allow adequate ventilation for your dog.

After I finished soundproofing my dog’s crate, I noticed a substantial amount of difference which makes it worth the effort.

Dog Crate Covers

There are many different types of crate covers on the market.  The one we are looking for specifically would be a soundproof crate cover for max efficiency.

Everything that we add to the dog crate has to be soundproof in order for this to be worth it.

When searching for a dog crate cover, make sure you know the dimensions of your dog’s crate.

You will want to purchase a cover that will perfectly fit your dog’s crate nicely and snugly.  If you are on a limited budget, then you can instead try using a blanket on top of the crate.

Just be careful not to make the crate too dark or too hot for your dog.

I still highly recommend using a soundproof crate cover over a blanket, as it is much more effective.  I personally like this crate cover from amazon.

As you can see in the picture, the entire crate is covered except for the front gate.  This is important to leave uncovered to make sure your dog has enough ventilation to breathe.

I never recommend putting any type of cover or soundproof material over the front gate, as you can put your dog’s life in danger.

Not only can they run out of oxygen, but the crate can also become very hot.

Use Absorption Sheets Inside the Dog Crate

The next step to further soundproof your dog’s rate is to purchase some type of absorbing blanket.  These absorption blankets from amazon do a nice job and are priced well.

These blankets are usually made of a nice thick material that helps with sound deadening.

They are not specifically made for a dog crate, but they have worked well for me thus far.

These blankets come with grommets that will allow you to hang the blankets inside of the dog crate, allowing you to completely cover up all sides of the walls.

This will also create a nice soothing environment for your dog if he sleeps in his crate at night.

The budget way of doing this is by using some old sheets or blankets that you have lying around in your house.

You will just have to improvise on attaching them to the dog crate since you won’t have grommets.

Line the entire inside of the dog crate except for the front door with these blankets.  The sides, the ceiling, and the floor should be sufficiently covered.

Do not put a blanket over the front door.  Leaving the front door untouched will help with keeping your dog’s crate well ventilate like I have stated earlier.

I can’t stress this part enough.  The worst thing that can happen is coming home to an unconscious or overheated dog.

Tips to Prevent Your Dog from Barking While You Are Gone

Calm and Reassure Your Dog’s Safety

An anxious or scared dog will generally be more timid and vocal.  This is especially true if your dog feels frightened.

Whenever you leave your dog alone in a crate, you will have to make sure that he feels safe before you leave.

Talk to your dog and pet him to help calm him down.

Always talk in a soothing voice and never use his crate in a negative manner, like disciplining.

It will take time for your dog to get used to being inside of a crate, so don’t worry if he’s not making progress at first.

Avoid a Prolonged Goodbye 

When it’s time to leave, you have to give your dog an emotional farewell.  Your dog can sense this and, as a result, will leave him barking endlessly until you get back home.

If it’s time to leave, calmly tell your dog goodbye and head out the door.  Don’t try to play with your dog or constantly come back to talk to him when he barks as you are about to go out the door.

This will condition your dog into negative behavior in the long run.

This situation is similar to if you have a child and a sitter.  What happens when you try to adhere to your child’s stress before you leave?

They already know you are leaving, and anything you do will prolong their behavior and give your sitter a harder time.

Tire out Your Dog 

This can take a while, especially if you have a Husky as I do.  It seems like his energy pool is almost endless.

A good way to tire your dog out without tiring yourself out in the process is to play fetch.

Constantly launch the ball or toy as far as you can so your dog will have to cover as much distance as possible to retrieve it.

Another thing you can do is go for a jog with your dog.  If you have a much smaller dog like a Pomeranian or a Chihuahua, then this option will tire them out pretty quickly because they do not have the same amount of stamina as a bigger dog.