Most dog owners find that dog cages and puppy crates provide a number of advantages. Puppy crates can help you transport your dog, give him a place to call his own and give you an assist with house training. Dog cages offer the same advantages for full-grown dogs, as well as making it easier for you to board or kennel your dog if you need to leave him behind when you travel or are hospitalized.
The trick to using dog cages and puppy crates, of course, is to use them appropriately from the very start.
Understanding the Psychology of Dog Cages and Puppy Crates
First things first. While you may think of a dog cage as confinement, your dog is more likely to view his cage as his den. Like wolves and foxes, dogs are den animals. They feel safest and most secure when they're in a small, confining space. Once trained to see their puppy pens as their "dens," many dogs will seek them out even when you don't send them there.
Start at the Beginning with Puppy Pens
If you're going to crate train your dog, you should use a puppy pen from the very start. That means having a puppy crate there waiting when you first bring your new puppy home. It will be considerably harder to train him to the dog crate if he's used to having the run of your house at all times.
Choosing Dog Cages and Puppy Crates for Size
While some trainers recommend buying a small crate and exchanging it for larger dog cages as your dog grows, you'll end up having to accustom your puppy to a new crate every few months for a year or two. That can be traumatizing - and expensive. Consider the size your dog will be as an adult when choosing among the many dog cages on the market. It's better to choose a crate he can grow into, and use barriers, pillows, boxes or other large items to bring it down to size until he's big enough to use the whole space.
Training Your Puppy to Love His "Den"
Your dog's personality and your persistence will determine how difficult or easy it is to get your puppy used to his new crate. Since you want him to associate his puppy crate with rest time, it's important to remember a few simple things about training with dog cages and puppy crates.
The Puppy Crate is Not a Punishment
If you put your puppy in his cage because he's misbehaving, you'll be teaching him that the crate is a punishment for bad behavior. That will make it very confusing for him when you put him in the crate to sleep or for a ride. He'll be wondering what he did wrong to deserve this.
Puppies Have Small Bladders
Don't leave your dog in a puppy crate or dog cage for extended periods of time. Dogs need to get out and stretch as well as leave the crate for the obvious reasons. Use the dog crate for short periods of time at first and gradually increase it.
Whining Is Not a Reason to Let Your Dog Out of the Crate
If you let your dog out of his cage when he whines, whimpers, cries or barks, you're teaching him to whine whenever he wants out. If your puppy starts whining as soon as you put him in the cage, wait until he stops before opening the door. He'll learn that he only gets out when he's calm and quiet.
Making Dog Cages and Puppy Crates Fun Makes Training Easier
A few dog toys, blankets and dog food treats can help your puppy associate his crate with happy times. Do everything you can to make the crate a place where he feels safe, secure and comfortable from the very start, and you'll be able to move your puppy anywhere as long as you bring his crate along.
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About the Author
Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2011 (Tue Aug 30 2011) Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource internet marketing web site at: http://www.majon.com
