Part I—Why A Crate is a Great Idea

I’d like to start by saying that I understand a lot of first-time owners think it is cruel to put a puppy in a crate. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Dogs are naturally den animals and once your puppy understands that the crate is his very own den, it will come to represent comfort and security to him.  It’s also important to understand that you will not be able to supervise your puppy constantly and a crate will give him somewhere he is safe and unable to get up to any shenanigans when you are busy.

Another pro to crate training is that it’s also an extremely effective way to housebreak your puppy! Because of this, it’s super important that your puppy’s crate is the correct size. He should be able to lay down, sit up and turn around comfortably. Why so small, you ask? The thing is, nobody, not even a puppy, is comfortable lying in a puddle of pee, or on a urine-soaked blanket. That’s why the size of the crate is so important, if your crate is too large, your puppy will learn to use the bathroom on one side of of it and sleep on the other. Luckily, you can purchase a crate with moveable dividers that will allow you to adjust the crate size to your puppy as he grows.  

Lastly, a crate will be necessary when it comes to things like car rides, airline travel and vet visits, so it’s best to get him used to it while he is young. There may also come a time where your puppy needs to recover from an injury or even just being spayed or neutered. During those times, it’s vital to have somewhere you can confine your pet so he will not injure himself while in recovery.

So now that I’ve (hopefully) convinced you that a crate is necessary, what next?

Along with a crate, you’ll need some other supplies such as comfortable bedding or a dog mat for inside the crate, a few new toys, a toy that you can stuff treats into, a new bone (never give your dog rawhide, but the rawhide alternatives are good!) and some treats that the puppy particularly likes. The crate should be put somewhere in your house where the puppy won’t feel too isolated from the rest of the family, but that is also a bit quieter.

The most important thing to remember is that crating your puppy must be a positive experience for him. If you train your puppy correctly, he will learn to love his crate. Luckily, that is what Part 2 (the next blog post) is about!

I’m safe and happy in my very own den!

Time for a snooze

*Any and all links included in the blog post are only meant to give you an idea of what to choose. The Puppy Burrow is neither affiliated with nor sponsored by any outside company.