Midwest Dog Crate

What Are The Benefits Of A Dog Crate?

    Most people with dogs use a basket or some other type of dog bed in the home, but increasingly the use of a dog crate in the home, as well as for travel purposes, is becoming popular.   Not only can you use the dog crate to transport your dog when you’re driving somewhere, it can also provide a dog with its own accommodation inside the home – and moreover, accommodation which can be moved elsewhere. For example, if you move house, or if you go and stay with the in-laws for a couple of weeks, taking the crate with you will give your dog something familiar to spend time in. This can reduce any potential  stress, thus in turn improving behaviour. Think of it as a sort of  mobile indoor kennel.   

First of all, what is a dog crate?

    
It’s NOT a wooden crate like those used to transport goods. Basically it’s a metal cage with a floor pan. As well as buying at pet stores you can also buy  a dog crate online. Prices range from $30 to close on $100 for large and really well-made models. Look for ones where the floor pan is also made of metal rather than plastic. You need to think about size too. If your dog is only a puppy still, you could buy a small crate and larger one later. However it would be more economical in the end to buy a dog crate which can accommodate an adult dog of the appropriate breed. If you get one with a removable partition which reduces the initial size of the crate theen your puppy will probably find it more comfortable.      

Dog Crate Training

   
Once you have the dog crate you need to train your dog to accept it. This takes a varying amount of time, maybe up to a couple of weeks. As with anything new an older dog is likely to take longer to accept a crate than a puppy. But in all cases the dog needs to associate the crate with pleasant things. First of all put something in the create which the dog is familiar with, for instance a blanket which it uses. Then coax the dog to enter the crate by rewarding it with treats so that it eventually it’s quite happy to enter the crate, and not to worry when the door is shut. Some dogs may prefer toys to treats. Gradually extend the period over which your pet is left in the dog crate, but always stay with the dog first for a few minutes, talking and reassuring.   Once you are sure that the dog is thoroughly used to the crate you can help to associate it further with good things by feeding meals inside the crate. However, you should only do this if the dog is no longer a puppy, because puppies may well spill food and water inside the crate. But they can have meals near the dog crate and this will still help the familiarisation process.   

How Not To Use A Dog Crate

   
Finally, some DON’Ts about using your dog crate.     

Never,ever, put a dog in its crate as a punishment if it’s misbehaved. Doing this will immediately train your dog to  see the cage as something unpleasant and to be avoided. This is the last thing you want as you will then have enormous problems trying to get him to go into it at all.     

Do not leave a dog in a crate for long periods. Once it’s used to the cage it can be left in it quite happily for a few hours, but only for the periods you’d be happy to leave the dog inside for without mishaps anyway. Do not let children poke and prod at the dog when it’s in the cage – this will antagonise the dog and possibly be dangerous for the children. Teach children that the dog crate is the dog’s home and that it is out of bounds for them.