Mention dog crates, and you’ll see most dog owners cringe. A feeling of uneasiness and even guilt starts creeping in which they can’t explain… Could it be that those metal wires remind them of jails – not what they wish for their best friend!
Dog Crates: Torture or Blissful Canine Dens?
A perfectly understandable dilemma if you consider that many unfortunately view dog crates as a convenient tool which allows them to incarcerate their dog the moment he sets a paw wrong, or whenever they wish to go out and protect their home from an untrained dog.
But what if dogs had a totally different view of dog crates? What if they looked at a crate more like a den, a place all their own to retreat to for peace and quiet, protection from unruly children, and a bit of privacy?
Approach crate training correctly, and your best friend will be forever grateful to you for providing him with his own little retreat, proportioned to his size, away from the hustle and bustle of the humans’ daily activities. His own space where he can truly relax without fear of being tripped on or teased.
Dog Crates for Simple Dog Training
Done right, you will be astonished by what crate training can accomplish for you and your dog:
gradually train your puppy to be comfortable being alone for short periods of time when you must go out, and have peace of mind knowing he is safe and can’t destroy anything;
minimize the fuss and worry of car travel with a crate that is easy to set up and take down for visits to vets, groomer, friends and relatives, or even your hotel room;
some crates actually grow with your puppy, saving you money and hassle as well as storage space;
find out how choosing the right dog crate while appealing to your best friend’s instincts can simplify puppy or dog housebreaking and reduce potty training time to a fraction of what it would normally take.
But that’s not all! Dog crates have many other advantages:
they allow you and your dog to check on each other: their open design allows air to circulate and keeps your dog comfortable while he can observe your whereabouts;
they help your dog relax and rest in comfort. You can add a bed once your puppy is potty trained and even a cover to keep distractions at bay during nap time;
you can easily transport the crate to your bedroom at night so you can easily monitor him and help him through his first nights in a new home;
a crate’s plastic pan makes cleaning a breeze;
a crate with a double (front and back) door offers you the flexibility to install it wherever you wish in your home;
a three-door crate with a third door on the side will prove even more practical whether at home or in your car;
even better, a dog crate with a divider panel makes for quick and easy housebreaking: once your puppy is trained, remove the panel, allowing him space to grow and saving you money you would have spent on a larger crate;
save space and clutter – with his very own crate, your dog won’t need additional dog beds, making cleanup much easier.
And if you’re afraid that a dog crate sitting in the middle of your living room will stand out like a sore thumb, choose among many designs of dog crate furniture (actually, more like dog residences) the one that will blend perfectly with your décor and let your dog entertain in style – just like you!
