Choosing the Right Dog Crate By Kelly Marshall

When it comes to crate training a dog, it is very important to make sure that you are getting the right kind of crate. It is also vital to the success of the training that you make sure that the size of the crate is correct as well. When you take the time to make sure that you are shopping for the correct dog crate, you will save yourself a lot of time and frustration over the next several months of training. While at first, crate training may seem like an odd thing to do, it is in fact a very natural thing for the animal.

Safety

It is important to make sure that you are looking for dog crates that do not have rough or sharp edges that the dog can hurt itself on. There are a lot of injuries to dogs every year due to improper crates being used. It is important to make sure that all pieces of metal wire, if a metal crate is used, are smooth or rounded. It is also important to make sure that the crate comes with a removable tray or some way to easily access the inside of the crate. This is so that you will be able to clean the crate properly on a regular basis.

Size

If you are starting to crate train a puppy that is going to grow into a larger sized dog, refrain from purchasing a large crate that the dog will grow into. A crate that is too large for the current size of the dog will defeat the purpose of crate training. You will need to purchase a dog crate that is tall enough for the dog to stand and to turn around in a circle comfortably. Any larger and you will find that your dog will use one side as the bathroom and the other side as its living quarters.

Selecting a dog crate that is too small is inhumane so make sure that you are being a care judge of size when purchasing your dog crate. For those starting this training with puppies, this will mean that you will have to buy a few different crates over the next several months but the payoff is worth it. You should not worry about the expense as these crates can easily be sold to others as people are always looking for quality dog crates.

Set Up

Now that you have your dog crate home it is time to set it up. Make sure that you are placing it against a wall or in a corner somewhere. Cover all exposed sides, expect for the entrance side, with a light sheet or something or that nature. Dogs are den animals by nature and the enclosed structure gives them a feeling of security. Once everything is set up and in place you can be gin your crate training. As you begin to see the positive results you will know that all of the hard work that was put into buying the right crate was worth it.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=373362&ca=Pets