[lengel]

This is what one trainer told us about crate timeouts (more or less):

*Always* make the crate a happy place for your dog. Provide toys and treats and be positive and enthusiastic whenever you crate him/her. Crating your dog is a timeout for you. When your dog is safe and happy, you can recenter and think about alternative ways to address any given situation.

That said, I've been guilty of hustling my dogs into their crates with toys and treats and then walking away really quickly - a much less controlled response than I could have hoped for.