How to Pick a Dog Crate

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By Vanillatte
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Pick a Dog Crate

A dog crate gives you the ability to train and live with a dog that is happier. In addition to being your dog's safe place to retreat to when he's not interacting with you, a dog crate gives you the ability to more easily house train your dog and travel with him as well. Here are some simple steps for choosing a dog crate.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

a dog
a pet store
an on-line dog supply store

Step 1

Size. The first step to pick a dog crate is to make sure it is sized for your pet’s adult size. Your grown pet should have enough room to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. If you have a puppy, however, and you are house training, you may want to choose a smaller size then graduate to a larger size when he’s grown. This will assist in the housebreaking process as you don’t want your puppy using one end of the adult-sized crate for his potty breaks. When you go to pick a dog crate, look at the description to see if it is sized for your particular breed of dog.
Step 2

Material. Pick a dog crate material suited for your breed. If you are going to pick a crate for a toy breed, then sturdiness is not as big a factor as if you are selecting one for a larger, more rambunctious breed, like a Labrador. Generally, you will want to pick a crate made of sturdy plastic or wire for the larger breeds.
Step 3

Purpose. The next step to pick a dog crate is to decide on the primary purpose. If you intend to travel with your pet, especially air travel, and want to take your dog along, you will want to choose an airline approved dog crate. These are the plastic ones with wire doors. Read the product description to make sure it says it is approved for domestic airline travel. If you think you’d like to pick a dog crate made of a soft-sided material, again, you will want to consider your breed of dog. Many large, active dogs would tear right through this material
Step 4

Space/Functionality. If you do not intend to use the crate for travel, you might pick a dog crate made of wire. These come in a variety of styles and sizes to suit any breed. They also come in a wide variety of finishes to suit almost any décor. If size is an issue, you can pick a dog crate made of wire that easily folds for storage when not in use.
Step 5

Ability to Keep Clean. Pick a dog crate that is easy to keep clean. This is especially important if you are dealing with a puppy. Many of the wire models have removable trays that make for easier cleanup, but they are also more open, making it more likely that any mess will find its way outside of the crate and onto your walls or furniture. The plastic crates are more enclosed, thus keeping messes inside the crate and off surrounding walls and floors. The soft material crates are especially difficult to clean if your pet has an accident or gets sick. Many of the plastic models come with quick latches that allow you to take the crate apart for easy cleaning.
Step 6

Training. The final step to pick a dog crate is to remember that your pet will not instantly love it! Invest some time to train him properly so that he accepts the space as his very own.