Pets Information

Why Crate Train My Dog?


A few years ago, before I decided to stay home with my kids, I worked as a veterinarian technician in an animal hospital. While at that job I saw so many clients who would bring in their dog and be upset because they had eaten something in the house, other than food, and were now sick. One client brought in her chocolate lab that had gotten into her sewing box and eaten a pincushion, pins and all!!! Off to surgery the dog went and the owner was out about $1,500. Case number two was a giant poodle that, while the owner was away, got into her closet and ate a pair of panty hose. Unfortunately this dog did not make it through surgery. The pantyhose got wrapped around its intestines and the doctor was not able to save the dog.

The above stories are a couple of really good reasons why you should crate train your puppy or dog, especially if you have a dog who likes to chew or eat things they should not be eating.

By putting your puppy or dog in a crate you are giving them a sense of security and a place they can call their own. Dogs actually like having a "den" to cuddle up in. By putting the dog in a crate while you are gone it will also give you peace of mind knowing that they are in a safe place, away from harm, and not doing any damage to your belongings or themselves.

Crate training will also help with potty training. Make sure you put your pet on a regular schedule for potty breaks and use the crate when you are gone or need your pet to rest. Dogs will typically not "go" in their home. They like to keep it clean and will hold it until you can take them outside to eliminate. Remember to always praise your pet when he eliminates in the area you want him to outside.

Puppies have very small bladders so they cannot physically hold it for very long. I would suggest that you take the puppy out every two hours. As puppies get older, naturally they will gain the bladder control and be able to hold it longer. Eventually this time should increase to 8 hours or more.

Another thing to consider when purchasing a crate is to make sure that you buy a crate big enough to accommodate the full growth of your pet. When your pet is a puppy and you are crate training, make sure that the crate has a divider panel. You can adjust the placement of the divider panel so that the puppy does not have full use of the crate thus creating the "den" feeling that will make your dog feel comfortable and cozy. In this situation the dog will not want to go in its den and will keep the area clean. If you give the puppy the full area of the crate it may be too large and the dog will make one area of the crate his potty area and the other area as his sleeping area. Adjust the divider panel so that the dog has enough area to get up and stretch but not enough room to eliminate.

Crate training your puppy or dog is just a smart thing to do for you and your pet. It will give you the sense of security and peace knowing that your pet is not getting in harms way while you are away.

I am the owner of a website, CratesPlus.com, that supplies a variety of dog crates and accessories in order to help change the life of you and your pet.


MORE RESOURCES:

CharlotteObserver.com

Ex-NFL player Vick allowed dogs to savage family pets: report
AFP - 5 hours ago
RICHMOND, Virginia (AFP) — Jailed ex-National Football League star Michael Vick allowed his fighting dogs to savage family pets, a federal government agency ...
Michael Vick thought watching dogs kill other dogs was funny Chicago Sun-Times
More details of Michael Vick's abuse of dogs revealed as he faces ... ESPN
USDA report details more involvement for Vick cbs4qc.com
FanHouse - The Associated Press
all 223 news articles


Mortgage meltdown results in pets going to pound
CNN - 18 hours ago
With foreclosures disrupting life, from the family house down to the dog house, and as Americans toil through a tough economic landscape, some of their pets ...
Pet of the Week: Calie Tampa Bay's 10
Humane Society of St Lucie County established fund to save special ... Fort Pierce Tribune
all 4 news articles


Homeless Pets Finding Families at Petland Stores Nationwide
MarketWatch - 14 hours ago
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio, Nov 21, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The results of Petland's Adopt-A-PetSM survey mean good news for homeless pets at Petland stores ...


San Francisco Chronicle

Would you choose your pet over your partner?
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 16 hours ago
In a study of 900 pet parents by BizRate Research, women said they had a deeper emotional connection with their pets than men did. ...


Ask Vet: Holidays can be stressful for pets
Knoxville News Sentinel, TN - 7 hours ago
However, our time of celebration can sometimes be stressful for our pets. Thanksgiving is the holiday with the highest travel rate; the highways and airways ...
A Recommended Sales and Use Tax Proposed by Governor ... MarketWatch
all 6 news articles


More Choosing Cremation for Pets
Hartford Courant, United States - 9 hours ago
A clipping of the pet's hair is optional. "If you lost a special member of your family, you would want a special fond farewell to them," says LeBoyer. ...


Soldier's home burns; pets saved (8:28 am)
Las Cruces Sun-News, NM - 9 hours ago
Collazo said his son was at school when the fire broke out, and the family's 20 pets -- including two ferrets, two dogs and several turtles, mice and fish ...


'First Dogs: American Presidents and Their Pets' Opens at the Newseum
MarketWatch - 22 hours ago
"First Dogs: American Presidents and Their Pets" features photographs and anecdotes about more than two dozen dogs and their owners, from George Washington ...
Newseum to Host Inaugural Special Opening MarketWatch
all 14 news articles


CBS News

Store Accused Of Selling 'Puppy Mill' Pets
WYFF, SC - Nov 20, 2008
GREENVILLE, SC -- A national pet store chain is under fire tonight accused of selling puppies that come from "puppy mills." The Humane Society of the United ...
Video: AP Top Stories AssociatedPress
Investigation reveals Petland Inc. is biggest retailer of puppy ... Examiner.com
Petland Pet Stores Linked to Inhumane Puppy Mills Associated Content
Consumer Affairs - Los Angeles Times
all 248 news articles


Times Online

Presidential Pets
The Santa Barbara Independent, CA - 21 hours ago
Of those pets, 3 million-4 million are euthanized. If the Obamas decide to choose a shelter dog, it will send the right message to the country. ...
Video: Raw Video: Obama Girls in Washington AssociatedPress
The FABULOUS First PETS! Deccan Herald
Presidential Pooch Pick Offers Peek Into Policy Bloomberg
Tampa Bay Newspapers - Norwich Bulletin
all 314 news articles

Pets - Google News

home | site map
© 2006