Puppies And Dog Crates

Puppies and Dog Crates? It may be hard at first to understand why puppies should be taught to use dog crates. But, training puppies in this way can have lifelong benefits. You may find by reading on that their use is more of a necessity than an option. Your puppy, soon to be dog, will probably end up being in dog crates or kennels at some time or another so it will be very helpful if they’re already used to being crated. In fact, even if you choose not to use them at home, your puppy my find themselves crated at the Veterinarian’s and groomers. Most will have some sort of crating policy for safety. So by training your puppy to use dog cratesyou can help reduce their stress. Dog crates are also an excellent tool for house training puppies. Puppies are much less likely to “go potty” in a small area, and the crate provides that small area. but because puppies are growing it is important to understand that they need frequent potty breaks and cannot stay confined nearly as long as an adult dog. But this sort of training can teach them their bathroom boundaries and is a great accident-prevention tool. A general guide for how long puppies can remain in dog crates would be the puppies age in months, plus 1, so a 2-month-old puppy as able to stay in dog crates for no longer than 3 hours if allowed to potty beforehand. When deciding to use a dog crate for a puppy it is important to start out a sturdy one. Stay away from canvas or mesh which are often used in portable crates. We want to sensitize them in a very sturdy and secure environment so they will understand that they the crate is the boss. It is really best to start with dog crates constructed with all metal and/or heavy plastic. They may look a little scary and intimidating for your puppy but that’s the idea when trying to establish the power of the crate in their minds. They will feel less edgy and more protected from outside dangers knowing their private space provides them complete safety. A good sturdy crate should also be one that your dog can stand up and turn around easily in. The crate doesn’t need to be be much bigger. For puppies, you’ll need smaller dog crates. If it is too large, try blocking off a section so the puppy won’t be tempted to create a separate space for urination. For the most part, they will not want to urinate where they must sleep. Inside, you should have a nice soft crate pad. You may have to use a bit of trial and error because many puppies will be tempted to chew anything plush. It is a good idea to start with a towel or an old blanket with a few chew toys mixed in. Then throwing in a dog bed which you have used in other parts of the house containing their sent will helpful so they have a sense it is their property and are less likely to destroy it. Besides training, using dog crates to establish a dog’s own space will help them feel like an equal part of the family. It is less about isolating or confining them and more about giving them their own safe zone which is their own domain. You will quickly see that if the training is done correctly your dog will spend time there by his own free will.