Dog Crates

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Crate advantages:

• When home alone, it prevents your dog from destroying things.
• When home alone, it prevents your dog from getting hurt.
• When home alone, it prevents your dog from soiling things.
• It helps housebreak your dog, as it encourages control by the use of close confinement.
• It confines your dog when it is over-excited.
• It confines your dog when it is underfoot.
• It confines your dog when it is bothered by too much confusion or workmen in the house.
• It provides a place your dog can retreat to when it is tired.
• It provides a place your dog can retreat to when it is stressed.
• It provides a place your dog can retreat to when it is ill.
• It prevents your dog from dangerously distracting the driver while you are traveling.
• It prevents your dog from getting loose or lost while you are traveling.
• It helps your dog adapt to strange surroundings while you are traveling by providing it with a familiar "security blanket".
• It prevents your dog from feeling lonely and/or frustrated from being isolated (basement, garage, outside) from its comfortable indoor surroundings when being left alone, or restricted.
• It provides a way your dog can be included in family outings/trips instead of being left in a boarding kennel.

Crate Do's:

• Do exercise your dog well both before and after leaving it in the crate for extended periods of time.
• Do give your dog lots of personal attention after leaving it in the crate for extended periods of time.
• Do allow your dog complete freedom a night, including sleeping near you.
• Do make sure the crate is large enough to permit your dog to comfortably stretch out fully on it side and have ample freedom of movement.
• Do make sure the crate has a clip-on water dish and an ample supply of water.
• Do make sure the crate is equipped with cozy bedding for your dog.
• Do make sure your dog gets plenty of human companionship when it is out of its crate.
• Do make sure your dog's crate allows for total ventilation.
• Do make sure the crate permits your dog to see everything going on around it.

Crate Size:

• It is better to use a crate a little too large than one a little too small.
• The crate should be tall enough to allow your dog to sit up without hitting its head on the top of the crate.
• The crate should be large enough to permit your dog to stretch out flat on his side without being cramped.
• For an adult dog, measure the distance from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail and use a crate close to, but not less than, this length.
• For a puppy, measure as above, than add about 12" for anticipated rapid growth.

Crate Location:

• The crate should be placed in, or very close to, a "people" area (kitchen, family room, etc.).
• The crate should be placed in an area that doesn't make your dog feel isolated or banished.
• The crate should be placed in a spot free from drafts and not too near a direct heat source.
• The crate should be placed in a corner and/or have the sides and back loosely draped with a light cover (towel, sheet, etc.) to provide your dog with a sense of den security and privacy while still providing adequate air flow and visibility.