To Crate or Not to Crate???
The short answer is YES, crate your dog.
In my experience, the people that don’t crate have never read about the importance of it or feel it is an unkind thing to do. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Some of the confusion seems due to a basic misunderstanding that dogs are like people; they are not little people with fur, they are a completely different species.
Most dogs love their crates. It’s a safe place, not a punishment, not a cage or a jail. To a dog, it’s a safe haven. If the crate door is open, 99.9% of the time the dog will willingly go in the crate to nap, exactly like a den.
Crates Make Housebreaking Easy and Fast!
The benefits of starting your puppy in a crate is an easy quick way to housebreak. I see people use puppy pads which are completely unnecessary. If you want your dog housebroken you will eventually have to train them not to use the puppy pads. There is no
need for that extra step. When a dog is being housebroken, the maximum amount of time in the crate is five hours. If it’s an older rescue or a new puppy, the crate gives them their own safe place. Too much space is not always beneficial, it can be overwhelming, and there are many things the dog can get access to when you aren’t watching them.
With the internet, all the information you need is available to you; how to crate, how not to crate, how big should the crate be? There’s really no excuse for a dog owner to not educate themselves.
It makes a big difference in your dog’s contentment. If you’re not treating your dog like a dog… give it a try. You may be surprised by their reaction.
Contact us if you are interested in having Paw-destrian come for a pet walking or sitting appointment.