How to Choose the Right Dog Crate for Your Dog

Settling on which dog crating solution is right for your pet may seem like a difficult task because there are many different types of crates available on the market. There are wire crates, wooden dog crates, portable plastic dog crates, and even adjustable dog crates. With all of the options, you may not know how to choose which one is the best choice for your particular pet. Fortunately, choosing this essential piece of pet furniture is easier than it seems.

Your first decision should be to decide what look you are going for. Do you want the portability and simplicity of a wire crate or are you looking for a pet furniture that blends in with your home decor such as the more decorative wooden dog crate? Wood crates are typically on the more expensive end of the scale, but are also more attractive than your average wire crate. Your budget will likely help determine which type of crate you will buy.

One convenient factor about both wood and wire crating options is that both of these come in fixed or adjustable varieties. This means that if you have a puppy and want to avoid having to upgrade each time they go through a growth spurt, an adjustable crate may be the best choice. Crates which offer the adjustable feature are often more expensive initially, however, buying an adjustable dog crate means you are making a single purchase designed to last for the lifetime of your pet. If your dog is older, a fixed size crate is your best bet and will save you some money. Fixed size crates are less expensive and come in a variety of sizes to fit dogs of different breeds and sizes.

Once you've decided between a wire or wooden dog crate, and whether you need one that is fixed or adjustable, the next step is finding the right size. Look at your dog for an idea of the size crate to buy. If you have a puppy or dog which is not yet full grown, take the breed into consideration and determine how large you expect your pet to be once they reach their full adult size. Once you have a rough idea of how big your dog is or will be, you are ready to go crate shopping.

You will want to pick a crate that is big enough for your dog to comfortably lie down in, as well as sit up or stand in. You don't want to get a crate which is too large, or your dog may start eliminating in the unused portion of the dog crate. The idea is to get a crate that's just large enough for the correct size pet bed and for your favorite hound to be able to sit, stand or lie down comfortably, but little more than that is necessary.

Once you have settled on the size crate you need, all that's left is to furnish it with a high-quality pet bed. It may take some time for your hound to adjust to using his or her crate, however, their canine instincts for a den of their own should kick in quickly and they will soon begin to view it as a safe place where they can go when they begin feeling anxious or nervous or need a break.

Pet owners who work outside the home will also quickly discover how nice it is to have your dog safely contained in their crate while you are away, preventing them from eliminating around your home or getting into trouble because they are bored. Crate training your dog is one of the easiest ways to keep him safe, healthy, and happy.

Nadia Paone runs an online dog supply store that specializes in quality pet gear including wooden dog crates and pet furniture. Although dogs make wonderful, loyal and loving pets, they also have specialized needs for security, companionship, training, safety, proper nutrition, health and exercise. Nadia loves tracking down the latest in pet trends and technology to help us identify and meet those needs with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for our canine best friends.

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Things to Consider When Crate Training Your Puppy

Crate training is important for various reasons, one of which is that it is effective for house training. Since a puppy will not soil his sleeping quarters, confining him to a crate teaches him to eliminate at a specified place.

A crate also confines your puppy when you are unable to supervise him, while also providing a safe way to transport him. It is therefore essential to crate train your puppy as early as possible.

This article will show you how do accomplish this, as it gives you five things to consider when crate training your puppy.

Choose the appropriate crate size and position

The size of the crate should be just right; not too large or too small. Your puppy should have sufficient room to stand, turn around and lie comfortably in the crate.

If the crate is too large, your puppy may sleep on one side of the crate and use the other side to eliminate.

With regard to position, place the crate near you during training, or in places with lots of family activity. This ensures that he does not feel isolated, so he can enjoy his crate and still be part of the family.

Properly introduce your puppy to the crate

Crate training your puppy should be a positive experience, or else he will resent the crate. While some puppies will want to explore the crate immediately, others adapt to it gradually.

If your puppy is initially reluctant to get into the crate, throw some food treats inside, so he can associate it with positive things. You should never try to force or push your puppy into the crate. Allow him to wander in and out of the crate until he is comfortable with it.

Gradually begin to confine the puppy

Once your puppy gets comfortable with the crate, increase the duration of the confinement.

To begin with, close the crate door and confine him for around five minutes. Gradually extend the time you confine the puppy in the crate up to one hour or more. Once he gets used to confinement, you may then start to leave him alone in the room for a few minutes. With time, you can lengthen the time you leave him alone until he can calmly be left alone for an hour or longer.

All the same, do keep in mind the times that your puppy needs to eliminate in order to avoid accidents.

Never use the crate to punish the puppy

At no time should you use the crate as a way of punishing your puppy. This will obviously cause him to resent or fear the crate, which will make training harder for you. The puppy should always enter the crate voluntarily.

Deal with whining firmly

At times the puppy may be whining in order to be let out of the crate. Unless the whining has been prompted by the need to go out and eliminate, you should ignore it and he will eventually stop. However, if you release the puppy every time he whines, you will be rewarding this behavior.

Crate training your puppy may take some time, so do not expect instant results. The tips provided here should help to simplify the process, as they show you what do or avoid. In everything you do be consistent, so your puppy knows exactly what you expect.

You have now been briefed on how do you crate train a puppy, and you might want to find out more on how to eliminate behavioral issues such as puppy biting.

Click on the link below to access an article that will help you understanding why puppies bite, and how to stop it.

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