There are so many types of crates available these days. It can be a bit unnerving trying to figure out the size and style to pick for your dog. The most common types of crates are wire crates, plastic crates, and fabric crates. Did you know they also makes crates that can double as an end table? Fabric crates are great if you have a small dogs and travel. They are also handing for sporting events, or for camping. You may not want to use this type if your dog is not well trained. Since fabric crates are not very secure, it is not recommended for long-term confinement without supervision. The benefits of a fabric crate are that it is really light and it can fold flat making it easy storage and travel.
For your pet’s home crate, you may want to use a plastic or wire crate. Plastic crates are sturdier because the walls are normally solid and it can make the dog feel more secure. Wire crates are very popular because they fold flat for storage and are more inexpensive to buy. You can also cover the wire crate with a blanket if you want to give your dog more privacy. If you have a dog than can escape easily, you may want to consider either a plastic crate or a rugged (not collapsible) metal crate. After you buy your crate and set it up, if you feel it isn’t quite as secure as you would like you reinforce its security by using zip ties.
What size crate should you buy? It can be so confusing. Do you buy a large-sized crate to give the dog lots of room? If you pick a crate that is too large, your dog may use a part of the crate as a toilet. It has been recommended that you pick a crate that is just large enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably, at least until the dog is house trained. You can purchase wire crates that come with a divider to block off a portion of the crate in order to make it smaller. With a plastic crate, you can put a box in the back half to make the space smaller. If you buy a crate that you can make adjusts to you will save the cost of having to buy multiple ones as the puppy grows. Once your dog is toilet trained but may not be mature enough to be left loose in the house, feel free to go with a larger crate so the dog can have room to stretch out.
It is a good idea to place the crate in an area of the house where both you and the dog can have easy access to it. The crate should be close enough to be handy, but out of the way enough that it is not going to be tripped over constantly. Some people will place a crate right beside their bed. It easily helps you teach the puppy to sleep in the crate if you are right beside them and they don’t feel so alone. You can also place a crate in a corner of your living room or if your kitchen is large enough to tuck it in a corner there as well.
This is part two of my articles on Crating. I hope you find this helpful. Stay tuned for part three coming soon