If you already own a dog or have been thinking about bringing a new puppy home, more than likely you know some of the many benefits associated with dog training crates but you may be somewhat surprised at additional reasons provided in this article.
Interestingly, of all tools used for dogs, crates are considered one of the most valuable tools available. Whether housebreaking your puppy or trying to break a bad habit or correct an unwanted behavior of an adult dog, crates, which are also referred to as kennels, work amazingly well.
Main Purposes
For starters, we wanted to offer some of the main purposes for using dog training crates over other training tools although there are many more.
Potty Training – For years, dog training crates have been the tool of choice by the country’s top trainers because they work. In addition to providing the dog with a safe environment, crates are also humane. Although accidents are bound to happen, most puppies do not like being confined in an area that has been soiled so within a short time, your puppy would learn to wait until going outside to take care of business. At the same time, your pet has a comfortable place to stay while away from the home or even during the night until the housebreaking process has been completed.
Safety – Puppies are notorious for causing damage in the home. While small and sharp teeth grow in, chewing is often a problem and in some cases, something that poses serious danger. For instance, if your puppy were allowed to walk around the house freely while you were gone or even while home but not providing direct supervision, he could get into cleaning products, chew through electrical cords, swallow any number of foreign objects, and more. On the other hand, with a crate, your beloved family pet would be safe.
Personal Property – As mentioned above, dog training crates keep puppies safe because of destructive behavior while young but for you, the crate would protect personal belongings from damage or destruction. If you have nice furniture, end or coffee tables made with wooden legs, nice throw rugs, baskets, plants, or a number of other items within reach, you could easily experience significant financial loss without the puppy being tucked away inside the crate.
Timeout – Just as with smaller children, giving your puppy a timeout inside the crate is sometimes necessary. With this, the puppy would be completely safe while having time to settle down after behaving badly. Along with this, dog training crates allow owners to cool down too. After all, if an expensive piece of furniture were ruined chances are things would get heated.
Obviously, if this happened to you, the last thing on your mind would be harming your pet but in a situation such as this, tempers could fly. Therefore, dog training crates provide a needed timeout for the dog but also you.
Separation Anxiety – Sadly, there are some dogs that live with a condition known as “separation anxiety.” In most cases, this is seen in puppies coming out of puppy mills or other abusive situations, those with little to no socialization, and certain breeds. A puppy or even adult dog that suffers from this type of problem literally panics when the owner leaves.
As a result, an uncrated dog would damage tangible objects within the home but bark excessively, have several potty accidents, and in some cases, become overly stressed to the point of becoming ill or even experiencing injury. If your dog suffers from this problem, leaving him in a safe environment would help keep him calm and prevent you from worrying.
Toy Introduction – For some puppies, getting into mischief is simply a way of life. Usually, puppies such as this have a difficult time focusing or they become bored easily. In this case, dog training crates would be the ideal solution. If this sounds all too familiar, you could introduce safe chew toys to your puppy within the crate and as he focuses on chewing the toys, he would grow more comfortable within this space, which ultimately would prove beneficial when it comes to training and breaking habits.
Buying the “Right” Crate
As you can see, dog training crates are beneficial for numerous reasons but to ensure the safety and comfort of your furry friend, a certain type of crate would be required. You can find crates made from hard molded plastic, as well as coated wire or metal.
Both options would work fine but make sure you buy a brand with a high rating for materials and construction. The crate should have no sharp pieces, it should provide ample space for your puppy to stand and turn around but not too much that he feels insecure, the crate should have a built-in floor, and it should lock.
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