Why proximity to you matters early on
A new puppy or a dog just starting crate training benefits from being near people, at least initially. Isolation in an unfamiliar space is one of the more common reasons crate training gets off to a rocky start, a dog left in a crate in a distant room, out of sight and sound of the household, has far less reason to feel secure than one who can see or hear familiar voices nearby. For overnight crating especially, a bedroom placement also makes it much easier to hear a puppy signalling they need a bathroom break rather than discovering an accident in the morning.
What a good long-term spot looks like
Once a dog is confidently settled into the crate routine, many households move it to a permanent spot elsewhere, often a living room or family room corner. A good long-term location has a few practical features: away from direct sunlight (which can make a covered or wire crate uncomfortably hot), away from heating vents, radiators, or air conditioning drafts, and out of a busy doorway or thoroughfare where people are constantly stepping past or over it. A quieter corner that still has some visual line to household activity tends to work better than either a fully isolated room or the middle of high foot traffic.
Balancing family activity and rest
The crate should feel like a retreat, not the centre of the action. If it's positioned somewhere the household is constantly walking past, talking loudly nearby, or where kids are playing directly beside it, a dog may struggle to actually settle and rest there even if the training itself has gone well. A corner with some separation from the busiest part of a room, while still within the same general living space, tends to strike the right balance.
Moving the crate as routines change
It's fine, and often useful, to relocate a crate over time as a dog's needs change, from a bedroom during the early weeks, to a living area once house training is solid, to a quieter back room once a dog reliably self-settles without needing much reassurance. Moving it isn't usually disruptive for a dog who's confident in the crate itself, since the crate, not the room, is what they've learned to associate with safety and rest. If a dog does seem unsettled by a location change, giving it a few days with familiar bedding and a calm reintroduction usually resolves it.
A simple guideline
Start close to the family, particularly overnight and during the early weeks of training, then relocate to a permanent, comfortable, low-traffic spot once the crate itself feels secure to your dog. There's no universally correct room, the details (temperature, noise, traffic, and closeness to the family when it's needed) matter far more than which specific room the crate sits in.
