Dog crates are an important part of responsible dog ownership. They give your canine companion a nice safe place to call his own. These crates also give your dog a place where he can be if you need to secure him for any reason. They not only come in fixed and folding styles, but also have many accessories that can be added. Let's take a closer look at some of the different options.
As a pet owner myself, the favorite thing I like about dog crates is that when I need to put my dog somewhere where I know he will be safe, or out of the way, his crate is easy and convenient. My hound is not aggressive, but if yours is, then having somewhere like a crate becomes increasingly important when people come over to visit. Nobody likes how it feels to arrive at someone's house only to be met by a barking dog who "has never hurt anyone". Yeah right, I've heard that one before. Out of courtesy for others, just put Fido away if you know someone is coming over.
There are many sizes of dog crates on the market to choose from. It is always better to have a larger, rather than smaller one. Just use common sense when choosing one. If you have a small poodle you obviously don't need a monster sized one. However, if you have a Wolfhound or a Dane then you need a huge crate. What's important to remember is the comfort and safety of your pet. Canines like to den by instinct. If the crate is just the right size they will feel safe and protected.
Dog crates that fold are wonderful. They allow you to store it away when not in use. When these are assembled and in use they do take up quite a bit of space. So, being able to collapse them and store them away flat is really convenient. When we got our last pup we bought a folding crate that we used to house train him. This particular dog crate had a plastic tray as the base. This was wonderful when it came time to clean it. Easy spray off and that's it. After the pup was grown we no longer used the crate for housing as we had other arrangements. We simply folded it up and slid it behind some other things in the garage.
One accessory for dog crates that many people don't even think about is a divider. These allow you to buy a larger crate when you first get your pup. You simply insert the divider, which in effect, makes a smaller useable space for your pup. Having a smaller space in the crate makes puppy training much easier. Another accessory that is good to know about is a replacement crate pan. These come in plastic and metal and make cleaning much easier. They come in a wide variety of sizes, so if you already have a crate and just need to replace the pan, it should be no problem to find just the size you need.
Dog crates make for both happier dogs and even happier dog owners. I wouldn't go without one. It's not like you need to put your dog in it all the time. It's just that when you do need a convenient place to have your dog stay for awhile, dog crates are ideal. Easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to store.
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