Crate Training: Top Three Reasons Why You Should Bother

ne walking in the house from a long day at work,Reason #2: Crate Training Can Ease the Pain of
ready to kick your feet up, relax, and enjoy the restSeparation
of your quiet evening at home. Then picture stickingMany dogs destroy property simply because they
your key in the lock and turning it, just to open yourare bored, or due to the fact that they want to 'get
front door to a disaster; the trash from the kitchenback' at their owners, so to speak, for leaving them
strewn about the house, the stuffing torn out ofalone for so long. If it seems that your dog is tearing
pillows and worst of all—a stinky wet messup your home out of spite, that isn't just something
just waiting for you at the foot of your bed. Soundsyou are thinking—it is the truth.
like a nightmare, right? Even better—this is theHaving a wooden dog crate or some type of wire
life of a brand new dog owner.kennel established where your pet can go complete
This sounds like a horrible quandary, and it really is. Itwith a comfy dog bed and some durable toys for
seems that puppies are programmed to depositdiversion can help ease the pain of separation
waste in the worst possible spot and to chew upbetween you and your pet. Separation anxiety is real,
everything that ever meant anything to you. Takebut having a comfort zone for your pet is a good
heart in the fact that with proper training and a bit ofway to make things better, and a dog crate is a
maturation on their part, your pet will grow out ofgreat way of doing so while confining your pet to
this destructive behavior, but what about in theone area at the same time.
meantime? This is where crate training comes intoReason #3: It Can Help to Prepare for Non-Pet
play.Friendly Places and Circumstances
There are several reasons why crate training is aOne of the pains of pet ownership is when you
good, solid step in properly training and housebreakingcome across a place where your pet is not welcome.
your dog. To begin with, here are three of the moreIf you are traveling with your dog and your host is
understandable reasons why you should bother cratenot comfortable with is or her presence or you are
training your dog.looking into involving your dog in any type of travel
Reason #1: Crate Training Can Ease the Pain of Pottyvia airplane or train, it is always a good idea to have
Trainingyour pet comfortable with and acclimated to a dog
Potty training your new puppy can be a big deal; withcrate. There are specific requirements for how your
all the accidents it can be a frustrating time and easypet must travel, and most all public transportation
to feel like you and your dog aren't gettingrequires that your pet be confined to a kennel or
anywhere. After a while, puppies get very good atdog crate. Of course, having some type of kennel
hiding their mess as well, and sometimes they can dotraining established can make this a much more
that in the worst of places.comfortable, smooth experience for you and your
To prevent this from happening to you, get a smallfour-legged friend.
wooden dog crate or a wire dog crate for your petIn general, there are several attitudes toward crate
or one with a movable gate where you can adjusttraining. Some pet owners feel like it is cruel to
your pet's living space. This prevents them fromconfine a pet to such a small space and other people
going to the bathroom in one corner and sleeping infeel like it is a necessary step in training. For a
the other. You may not think so, but your dog iswell-behaved and well-rounded pet, crate training is
much more finicky than you think, and they won'talways a must, for these three reasons and many
want to wallow in their own filth; if they must hold it,more.
they will.