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Does your dog need a crate and how to choose?
Choosing the best dog crate for your dog can be confusing. A dog crate is designed for a number of reasons:
- Travel
- Safety
- House Training
Let’s explore why someone would want to buy one for their dog.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Buy a Dog Crate.
Traveling to the vet: Making a trip to see the veterinarian can be a challenging task. Your dog may not always be a willing participant and can refuse to stay still while in the vehicle.
This can be a distraction for the focused driver, and could potentially make the driving conditions unsafe. Putting your dog in the crate may help him relax, and eliminate the risk of getting in an accident while driving.
Providing Your Dog with a Safe Space: Your dog loves being around you, but it also needs a place of its own. When you give him a safe environment of his own, this allows him to have a place free from disruption.
All dogs need a place to sleep or relax, and this will give him his own personal environment without fear of being in the way.
Safety Within the House: Your dog is going to follow you around everywhere you go. This can sometimes be a problem. If you are cooking in the kitchen, the last thing you need to worry about is tripping over your companion that’s parked behind you. You risk hurting yourself, or possibly your furry friend will suffer from this event.
When your friends come to visit, or even a complete stranger, a crate can help you assess how your dog will respond to them. They may even develop some level of comfort, and be able to trust the new company once they’ve seen them around you for a bit.
Your dog is always trying to determine if there is a potential threat, so giving him time to figure this out can be helpful. This will reduce the risk of your company getting bit, and resulting in some unwanted conflict with the individual.
Safer Travels: This will be similar to a trip to the vet. It’s nice to give your dog some freedom, but giving it to him in a car vehicle may not be the best idea.
While traveling you want to make sure that you arrive safely to your destination. Maybe your dog is excited about where you are going, he might be familiar with the place you are taking him.
He starts jumping in the front, practically on your lap, and trying to stick his head out of the window. This can easily turn into a bad distraction, resulting in a serious collision with another vehicle.
Keep your dog safe in the cage while driving, this will reduce any risks, and will allow you both to reach that awesome destination.
House Training: Your dog will go in and outside throughout the day when it needs to use the bathroom. It doesn’t have the luxury of going inside, but sometimes that doesn’t stop them.
If your dog is having accidents in the house, then a dog cage might help prevent this from happening.
Your dog will not want to mess up his own personal space where he sleeps. He will be more likely to let you know soon as he wants to go outside. After you feel your dog is trained, then you may be able to allow him to move freely around the house. If your dog starts having accidents again, then put him back in the cage and start the lesson again.
Dogs are quick learners, but be patient.
Tip:
Make sure the cage isn’t too big, otherwise this may allow your pet to use it as a bathroom without compromising his sleep space.
Do Dogs Prefer Wire or Plastic Crates?
This won’t make a difference for your dog, but we’ll take a closer look and see what the benefits vs disadvantages are.
Benefits of Wire Crates
Most wire crates are capable of folding flat, which will make it easy for travel or storage. Airflow is not restricted, so your dog will comfortably have a room-temperature environment.
The open design will allow your canine to see everything around him. Your dog likes to know what’s going on, so being able to clearly see you, or anyone else will be comforting for your pet. Some also provide a sliding tray for easy cleanup, but might not be useful if you are providing a bed for him in there.
The disadvantage of a Wire Crate
Your dogs may simply not like being confined to a crate, especially if he can see everyone around him. Since they’re very affectionate animals, he may not like being restricted from being closer. Your dog may start becoming an irritant to let him out.
Benefits of Plastic Crates
The biggest advantage is weight. Plastic crates are much lighter than metal products that are out there and can be easily converted into a dog bed. Most of the bottoms can be broken down.
Your dog will have a limited view but may prefer that depending on how he feels about privacy. Wire metal crates are not accepted when flying, but plastic one may be an option.
Disadvantages of Plastic Crates
Having your dog in a visually poor crate, this can potentially put a lot of unwanted stress on your pet. They normally can’t be folded, so storage can be an issue if you don’t have space.
Plastic is known to absorb odors and can be a potential nightmare when trying to keep everything smelling fresh.
Dog Crate Sizes by Breed
The size of the crate will depend on how big your dog is. You don’t want to buy a crate that is too small, or not big enough.
If you have a Pug, then you would want a small crate, but if you have a Great Dane, Saint Bernard, or some other Big dog like these two, then you would need an X-Large crate.
I’ve provided you with lots of examples below.
How to Measure My Dog for a Crate?
This is a completely understandable question to have, and we will try to walk you through this process nice and easy.
You need to find out what your dog’s length is? Use a measuring tape, this will give you the most accurate reading. Measure from the base of the tail to the tip of the nose.
How tall is your dog sitting down? Now measure from the highest point of the dogs head to the floor.
Add a Bit More for Space. After getting your dog’s length & height, add an additional couple of inches on each one. You want the crate to be big enough to stand up and turn around. If your dog can’t comfortably lay down in the crate, then you need to invest in a bigger one.
If You Have a Smaller Dog. Check the weight of your small friend, so you can make sure you have a crate that can support travel.
Can Dogs Break Out of Crates?
The short answer to this question is yes, but we need to understand why, and what we can do to prevent it from happening.
Buy the right crate. This might seem like an obvious answer, but let’s go through each step to help understand how this can be done.
Find the weak spots. Every cage has its vulnerable point, and you can bet your dog will find it. You will need to pay attention to see if he has found any weak point to the design. If your dog starts destroying the cage, then you may need to upgrade.
Buy a Better Crate. We all like to save a few dollars, and some of these crates can seem like a bargain compared to other higher-priced items. The problem is you usually get what you pay for.
Instead of buying a cheaper one that eventually falls apart, you should consider buying something that is going to last much longer. These more expensive crates are built to last, so you won’t end up complaining about the piece of junk you bought not too long ago.
One reason is that these types of cages are built to last MUCH longer than the typical cheaper wire crates. While a traditional wire cage might only last you a year or less depending on the strength of your canine, one of these models will literally last a lifetime.
This means you won’t have to buy another cheap model after the dog breaks out of it in the first month and destroys it.
Mischievous pets are no match for a crate that is cheaply made. Take the time to find a better quality product, read the reviews, and then pick the product that works best within your budget.
Buying the right crate could potentially save you a small fortune in the long run.
Tip:
If you travel a lot, consider buying a second crate for your vehicle. The one you have in the house might not be ideal for travel, or it’s just simply a pain to keep moving back and forth. They have lots of travel options now, so you may find something that will be ideal.
Don’t Make a Big Scene When Leaving The House. It shouldn’t be a big deal every time you leave the house or come back, so don’t make it seem like it is. If you don’t get him excited or stressed, that your furry escape artist is less likely to try and break out of his crate.
You can also get in the habit of pretending to leave, then coming back in shortly after. Your dog may start recognizing this as normal behavior, which may keep him relaxed, resting, and not up to trouble.
Keep Them Active. Take them outside and let them burn off some energy. After they have come inside, put some toys and treats in the cage. With a little bit of exercise and some toys to keep them entertained, you will likely have fewer problems with them trying to Houdini their way out.
Questions & Answers
Is it cruel to lock a crate at night? There’s nothing wrong with it being locked for the night, just make sure to let them out during the day. It can be a useful training tool at the beginning.
If you feel they are well behaved, and won’t cause any problem through the night, then you could try keeping it open for them to see how they will respond.
Should I put a dog in a crate with separation anxiety? Leaving a dog with separation anxiety in a cage can trigger a panic attack. Putting him in a confined space may only exacerbate his condition. It wouldn’t be recommended to put your dog in a crate if he has separation anxiety.
Final Thoughts
There are several things to consider before making a purchase to buy a crate for your canine friend. Personal preference and common activities will be a big determining factor when deciding what to buy.
Carefully consider the Pros & Cons of each option and soon enough you’ll be able to choose the best dog crate for your dog.
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