Should dogs sleep in a crate? This is one of the most common pet-related questions that have a varying opinion to it. Some may think of the confinement as being cruel to the dog, while others consider it as a way of instilling disciplinary action toward the animal.
Most owners desire for crate training for their pets. If you do crate training in the right way, it can prove to be a boon to you as well as your pet. Let us dig deeper into some more aspects of crate training. In the end, we hope you’ll be able to decide whether it’s right for your dog or not.
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Look To It As A Place To Feel Secure
Dogs are, by nature, den animals that prefer soiling. They want a niche for themselves where they can feel secure and have their leisure time. A dog crate offers them a place that they can consider as their own secured area. They instinctively avoid soiling in the crate. This way, the crate serves as an excellent place to ensure their security.
They find a place in the crate to have their downtime. After all the playing and walking, a crate gives them a place they can have their own room for entertainment. They can sit with a toy or have their favorite food while relaxing in their small den.
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Get To Learn House Training
When a dog or a puppy comes to our house, both the animal and the owner need time to adjust to each other. There are specific house rules that you need to teach your dog before setting aside a place for him in the house.
The crate confines the dog to an area unless or before he becomes familiar with the house rules. This provides the dog with time to settle in the new environment. Additionally, it allows the owner to make an ideal space for him in his new home.
Dogs are hard-wired pets that have destructive tendencies. The training is especially helpful when it comes to controlling their destructive nature.
Bowel And Bladder Control
Like a small newborn, dogs are unable to control their bowel movement. And it is rather annoying to find out he soiled your entire house in his pee or poo. It is not possible to run the entire day with a mop in hand. So, they need to learn to control their bowels.
Crate training enables the dog to control his bowel movement. The crates provide them with a place to urinate. This helps the owner immensely; as he only has to clean the particular area, they have set aside for the animal. It ultimately ensures the entire house is clean and habitable for both the canine and owner.
Traveling With Your Pet
Many dog owners prefer to be with their pets all the time. They try to spare as much time as possible with their furry friends. Whether it is traveling overseas or going on a short trip, experts always recommend that you carry your dog along with.
If you’re planning for an overseas trip along with the pet, you need to train your pet to stay in the crate. While traveling by plane, crate training proves to be a boon for the owner.
Even if it is a short trip, you can think of the crate as a secure place for the pet. For those traveling in a car, there is a particular type of crate available for your dog.
Grooming Shop And Veterinary Clinic
If you are planning to go for grooming and are carrying the pet along with you, then your pet needs crate training. Today, many grooming shops have individual spaces to keep pets. If the pet is well-trained for a crate, you can easily keep him there. It also adds to the comfort of other customers.
There are situations in which you have to take the dog to a veterinary clinic. There is a provision at the clinic to keep the dog in the crate. If you have trained the dog to handle a crate, it can be easy to keep him away from other ailing animals.
When They Are Alone At Home
No matter to what extent you love your animal or how much you are willing to be with him all the time, there are situations in which you will be forced to keep your dog alone at home. This is usually because your entire family is working and the pet will have to be left alone at home.
In such situations, a dog that is trained to stay in a crate will find his warmth in his space. It will also help the pet to stay in his concerned area and not mess around in the entire house. Needless to mention, it is required that you come back during break hours and take the pet out.
Duration For Which They Should Be In Crate
Although crate training ensures a proper management system for your dog, it is not recommended to keep him in a crate for a very long duration. It can make them feel left out, in turn leading to their depressed and anxious behavior. You are encouraged to take him out for a timely walk and exercise. This way, your pet will stay active and charged up.
At night when the dog is asleep, you can keep it in the crate for a longer duration. However, you should do this keeping in mind the duration for which he can control his bladder. On the other hand, your dog should use the crate for a limited time span during the daytime. This is a perfect way to keep him active.
Never Use Crate As A Place For Punishment
The cruelty of dog crates comes into play when you use it as a medium of dealing punishment. Many times, we scold our dogs and make them enter the crate to punish them.
It is important to remember that a crate is a kind of room for the animal. So the pet should have only warm and fuzzy feelings about his crate. Enforcing the crate on him as punishment can make him feel separated and he could even hurt himself trying to get out of the crate.
Conclusion
There are both positive and negative aspects to a dog crate depending upon the way he uses it. If a dog is trained through positive reinforcement to stay in the crate, it becomes his small space of comfort.
And if you force the crate upon the pet as a punishment or you leave him on it for hours, then he could develop aversions to it.
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