Shortly after acquiring a new puppy, most people would go about the task of looking at dog crates especially if they expect to travel a lot with their pet. However, dog crates can actually be put to a more practical use besides just being a traveling compartment for your pup. In fact, they are considered to be among the most important tools that dog owners can use during the process of puppy training.
Young puppies are often hard to control. They usually have too much energy to just sit down and obey your commands. This is where the dog crates can be very useful.
When you have an overexcited puppy who simply refuses to calm down, all you have to do is place it in the crate and it will immediately be subdued.
Also, keeping puppies in dog crates when you need to leave the house for a short time is a great way of avoiding undesirable damages to your carpet and furniture.
Feeding time can also be easier by putting the puppy in his crate along with his bowl. This will help him concentrate more on his eating rather than get distracted by other things. For more ideas on how to successfully use your dog crate to train your puppy, take a look at the following suggestions:
1. When buying a crate, consider the size of your dog. Choose one that is big enough so the dog can move comfortably inside, but also small enough so that he won’t be able to find separate areas for sleeping and going potty.
2. For larger breeds it is advisable to buy a big dog crates right from the start, but choose one that has a divider to keep the space just big enough for the puppy’s current size. As the puppy grows, you can always adjust the placing of the divider in order to accommodate the dog’s growing height and width.
3. If you are going to be using the crate primarily for potty training, it is advisable to use a kind of bedding for the floor of the crate that is not too comfortable that is will encourage the dog to do its business inside the crate. For this reason, you should avoid using thick carpet-like fabric, as dogs find such materials to be quite attractive for urination purposes. Instead you might want to use cardboard or newspaper, which are much easier to clean up in case the puppy does go potty while inside the dog crate.
Dog Care and Training for Beginners
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