BREAKING: Lisa Vanderpump Is Waging War on Yulin—And She Absolutely Will Not Back Down!

Get set to fall hard for this star who's all-in on saving dogs. Lisa Vanderpump is on the front line of the fight to shut down the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, and she won't quit till she wins.

Info current as of April 7, 2026

If your puppy cries in the crate, you’re in good company—it’s one of the most common hurdles for new dog parents. In this guide you’ll learn why puppies cry, what it really signals, and gentle, expert-backed steps to cut the crying and build a calm crate routine.

The unstoppable Lisa Vanderpump might just be the ultimate modern jack-of-all-trades: reality star, restaurateur, designer, philanthropist, and a serious dog devotee with eight rescue dogs of her own. And with all that on her plate—picture not one but two reality shows plus several restaurants and product lines—this force of nature still carved out room to launch her own dog foundation and take on, personally and headfirst, the horrors of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, even testifying before Congress and rallying marches against it. Honestly inspiring, right? In Lisa's own words, she 'walks the walk.' Here she fields our questions on her mission and what drives her. You'll walk away fired up.

Does your puppy wail in her crate? Here are 10 tips to help her learn the crate is a safe, happy place.

It kind of unfolded over roughly seven years. I use 'reality star' loosely. It was a chance, and at first I was wary…I had no clue I'd still be here seven years later.

Feed every single meal in the crate with the door closed. Meals are usually happy events, so she’ll tie the crate to good things.

Well, there are plenty of downsides, I'd say. I used to roll my eyes when I'd read in the papers about some celebrity griping about that. But once you live it, you get why privacy vanishes. Still, 95 percent of fame has been a plus and handed me a microphone for things I care about—like hitting the United Nations, speaking before Congress, launching the Vanderpump Dog Foundation—so it's been a wild ride.

Offer food-stuffed toys in the crate to keep your pup busy and content while confined.

Sometimes daily life gets a tad tricky, especially in the restaurant game. Folks forget I've actually got a job to do. That said, I love when people come up gushing about how much they adore the show.

Using rewards, teach your puppy to go in and out on cue. Crate-training games build positive associations fast.

Watching my daughter Pandora wed her husband Jason Sabo on the show. Dancing with the Stars. Vanderpump Rules is still a hit in year five.

Don’t let her out while she’s whining or crying, or you’ll reward the noise. Wait for even a brief moment of quiet first.

I've got eight dogs. Four Pomeranians: Pikachu, Poppy, Gigalo (aka Giggy), and Pink dog. Poppy came from a rescue center in Sacramento. Sadly he's got alopecia, but he's doing way better now. Then there's a Maltese named Lollypop, an American Cocker Spaniel—a wedding-anniversary gift—named Schnoooky, and a Golden Retriever named Rumpy who fell for an older gal, Avery, another Golden Retriever.

Don’t crate her only when you leave, or she’ll link the crate to your absence.

Eight is plenty, honestly. I think I can say that safely. It's pure chaos walking in with eight dogs charging at you.

If you can, keep the crate in your bedroom. A puppy is far happier near you.

Giggy's always been in clothes and hats. Remember, Giggy has to dress up because of his alopecia. Like a kid, he needs covering to shield his skin from heat and cold. I just had a blast with it. Vanderpump Pets felt like a fun spin-off. I've been hands-on designing the stuff. My fave piece is the Vanderpump Pets crystal bowl. We keep prices low. When Vanderpump Pets launched, it pulled me into the Yulin Dog Meat Festival fight—the deeper I got into the pet world, the uglier stuff I saw. That fight is about ending dog torture. It's absurd—check my Twitter and there's a shot of a scared, broken dog, face down, paws bound behind him. What kind of world lets that happen?

People ask why I don't tackle cows or pigs. I'm with them—those fights matter too—but don't shrink mine. This is the one I picked. I just think dogs are amazing beings. Maybe shutting down the Yulin Dog Meat Festival is a long shot—but I'm going to be ruthless in stopping the torture.

#8 Crate Size: Big Enough but Not Too Spacious

I built the Foundation to rally others into fighting for dogs worldwide. We're making a documentary on the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, we did World Dog Day, plus a PSA with Sharon Osbourne, who helped deliver the message.

We've shipped photos and banners across the globe to pull more countries into the fight. It took on a life of its own. The Vanderpump Dog Foundation is also opening a dog rescue center. Sales of Vanderpump Pets there will fund the Foundation. We want to give those rescue dogs a real shot. It's bigger than we thought.

When your pup is alone in her crate, leave the TV or music on.

Why #10 get help if needed

If your puppy still isn’t sold on her crate, call in a professional for guidance.

Q: Why is this cause so close to your heart?

The moment I saw those tortured dogs, I knew looking away meant okaying it. I stare into every dog's eyes in those pictures and all they ask is: what did we do to deserve this? Nothing—they're wonderful souls who deserve love. Seeing them tortured and stacked on top of each other en route to slaughter wrecks me and pushes me to act.

My Yulin work got too big to solo—as hard as I grind, I saw I needed more hands on deck.

At our gala we raised a pile for the Vanderpump Dog Foundation. Folks bid on rescue puppies for $25,000 [at the silent auction] then gave them back, knowing that cash would fight Yulin and save a life.

When I marched to the Chinese embassy in L.A., we whipped up signs, tees, and got the right permits. Worth it—2,000 people showed. For World Dog Day we toasted these incredible creatures and 4,000 joined. We've found our stride, and people genuinely want in.