April
2007
Finding the Perfect Crate
We really struggled trying to find the perfect crate for our puggles. People kept giving us different advice about which crate to pick. We first bought the type that Duke’s breeder suggested but we returned it the next day. He suggested we buy the kind that has a tray (which they all do) but the ones that are designed for the dogs to use the potty in. We did a lot of research the first night and early morning when we got Duke (he wasn’t letting us sleep). We also spent time the next day at Barnes and Noble to learn about crate training.
All of our research led us to a few key points to remember when crate training:
1.) The crate should be a comfortable place for your pet to feel safe and secure: We decided to buy a cozy bed for the crate and we wanted to make sure to never put the dogs in out of anger, remember the crate is supposed to be a positive place for your pet.
2.) The crate should grow with your puppy: you don’t want to put your 3 pound puppy in a crate designed for a 35 pound dog. Instead of buying a new crate every few months for your fast growing dog, you can buy a crate with a divider like the MIDWEST Folding Crate. We found this crate at PetSmart and its fantastic because it folds up very easily and takes up little space when you’re traveling. The best part about it is that it grew with Duke. Every few weeks, we’d have to push the divider back to give him more room, this is very easy to do in a few seconds.
3.) The crate is a great potty training tool because dogs will rarely urinate or defecate in their sleeping area. If you have a crate that is too large for your dog, it will go to the bathroom in a corner and sleep in another and not be bothered by it. However, if you use the dividers, the dog will rarely have accidents in the crate. Although, you will have a few accidents in the beginning while the dog or puppy gets used to it.
We really like the MIDWEST Folding Crate. We bought the exact same crate as Duke when we got little Gracie. She had a few accidents but they’ve been rare. She also feels comfortable enough with the crate (her bed) that if the door is open and she’s tired, she crawls in there to go to sleep.
Even if you have a bigger dog, you should know that MIDWEST Folding Crates comes in a variety of sizes so they can fit dogs as small as terriers (up to 15 pounds) and as big as Great Danes (up to 110 pounds).
Click on the picture below for more information or to purchase the crate:
Good luck with crate training! We’d love to hear any feedback if you have great tips.
