Home Delivery

A Dog's Crate Expectations

Denise Flaim | Animal House

June 6, 2000

Article tools

E-mail

Share
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
- Facebook
- Fark
- Google
- Newsvine
- Reddit
- Yahoo

WHEN I GOT my first dog, my idea of setting boundaries was to barricade her in the kitchen. I figured the chewed cabinets and clawed baseboards were simply the price I had to pay.

But when I went through a new round of puppy ownership more than 15 years later, I found there was a better way to keep unattended puppies out of trouble-and the furniture legs free of tooth marks.

It's called a crate.

At first glance, crating might seem a cruel form of confinement. After all, you're basically locking your dog up in a big box. But dogs are denning animals, and the idea of returning to a cozy, enclosed space to sleep and recharge is instinctive.

Denise Flaim Bio | E-mail | Recent columns

When used properly and for short periods-never longer than four hours at a time-a crate will become a refuge for your dog, and a lifesaver for you.

Most pet supply stores sell crates, as do pet catalogs such as R.C. Steele (800-872-3773 or www.rcsteele.com) and Doctors Foster & Smith (800-826- 7206, or www.drsfostersmith.com). Expect to spend between $30 and $150, depending on size and style. But before you whip out your credit card, here's what you need to know:

Choose the right style. There are basically two kinds of crates: molded plastic "airline" crates and folding wire crates. Each has its advantages: The plastic crates are lightweight and give the puppy limited visibility; there is a wire door and two metal grids along each side of the crate so the puppy can peer out. Though up until recently plastic crates were basically an unobjectionable, but ugly, taupe color, they're now offered in "designer" colors, such as maroon and slate green.

The wire crates are airier-and heavier. Because they come in an assortment of colors and are less opaque, I think they fit into decor better. (Hey, just because I have dogs doesn't mean I'm a slob.) The wire crate folds up -with a lot of clanking-into a skinny rectangle, but even when collapsed can be tough to maneuver into a small car.

Rather than trying to decide between the two kinds of crates, I bought both. Plastic crates fit nicely in most 4x4s and family vans and can be unscrewed into two halves to cut down on bulk. They're also easy to lug out of the basement for four-legged overnight guests.

At home, I use a molded-plastic crate until a puppy is 5 or 6 months old-or until its paws are big enough not to get stuck in the metal sides of a wire crate. Then I switch to the wire crate, because I like the puppy to see as much of the world around it as possible. (For an instant denning effect, I drape the wire crate with a tablecloth or towel.) Because there's a chance the dog's tags can get hooked on the wire, always remove its collar before putting it in the wire crate.

Choose the right size. Crates should be big enough so a dog can stand up and turn itself around. If the crate is too big, the puppy will soil it, and your housebreaking efforts will be in the, uh, toilet.

For those puppy months, see if you can borrow a small-size crate from a friend or co-worker. Or get a crate based on the size your dog will eventually reach-and buy a partition to make it puppy-sized. For an even cheaper solution, displace that extra space inside the crate with a large cardboard box. Just be sure the box isn't so small the puppy can crawl on top of it.

Make the crate a happy place. Yes, you can make a dog want to go in its crate: Just feed all its meals in there, and soon the dog will bound in there unprompted, looking for food. Let the puppy acclimate itself to the crate slowly: Feed it in there with the door open at first, then with the door closed. Keep extending the length of time the puppy stays in the crate. (If the puppy starts to bark while it's in the crate, wait until it quiets down, then let it out.) Attach a command to going in the crate, such as "Place" or "Time out" or just plain old "Crate."

Above all, if you don't want the crate to be a prison, don't make it one. Put it in the busiest room of the house, not in some neglected corner. Use the crate only for times when the puppy will be unsupervised, not as a punishment or constant holding pen. And make it a haven in the strictest sense of the word-the one place the dog can go to get away from kids, other pets, whatever stresses it out.

Then sit back and admire your baseboards.