The selected responses presented below are a reflection of the collaborative effort of Hybrid Wolf Mailing List aka. This FAQ is not a scientific or veterinary resource. Some responses have been edited for brevity. The following article was authored by Nicole Wilde . It was originally written about dogs but applies to wolfdogs as well.
Crate training is used for a variety of reasons.
It is an effective tool for housebreaking, and gives the dog a safe, secure place of his own. Having a dog who is comfortable being crated is also useful for confinement for short periods when necessary, for safe transportation via car or plane, and for keeping a dog still and calm when recovering from surgery. Dogs are descended from wolves. There is a natural instinct which has been handed down not to soil where they sleep, and this is what makes crate training such an effective housebreaking tool. Wolves dig dens which they sleep in, and this den instinct is what will lead your dog to view the safe, enclosed crate as a comforting place he can call his own.