Crates Are Cruel?
When I was growing up, our dog lived in our backyard. He had a large, fenced in back yard and a dog house in which to sleep. Twenty years later, when it came time for us to get our first dog crate after reading about the benefits, it seems ironic that I pondered whether crates were cruel.
In the wild, dogs live in dens where they have their own space. This provides them with a degree of security and privacy and is the natural instinct of a dog. While growing up, we gave our dog a den of his own with that dog house. It was his space and he didn’t have to share it with anyone. So as I look back, I think it’s rather funny that I wondered whether dog crates were cruel. The 42 inch dog crate we have now is roughly the same size inside as that old dog house that my dog spent so much time in.
After researching, talking with other dog owners, and seeing how my dog likes his crate, I no longer believe that dog crates are cruel. Crates provide a dog with a secure, private place where they can rest and call their own. If left open during the day, they have free access to their crate and can come and go as they choose. I know Shadow frequently goes into his crate and lies down. He keeps some of his toys in there and we’ll usually hear a toy squeak as he plays in his bed. The crate has become a good healthy place for him.
Selecting the Correct Size Dog Crate
When we first got our Labrador Retriever puppy, he was 9 weeks old and far too small for many crates. However, we knew he would grow up to be around 70 pounds and would definitely need a 42 dog crate. Fortunately, a lot of the manufacturers now make crates with a large divider that can easily be moved as your puppy grows.
Rather than buy multiple crates, we decided to get only one with a divider so we could adjust it as he got bigger.
A dog’s natural instinct is to not soil his den. It’s important to make sure your puppy (or dog) has the proper size crate. It needs to big enough where your dog can lie down and relax. However, it needs to be small enough where he can not soil his den and then sleep in a different area.
Summary
There are many options when selecting a dog crate and I will cover some of those in this series. In summary, it is important to select a crate that is large enough where your dog can lie down and be comfortable. However, it should be small enough where they can not soil their crate and then move to a different area. Also, it has been my personal experience that dog crates are not cruel. If used properly, a crate can become a safe place of their own for your dog to rest.
You know, I have a crate for my dog and he loves it. He takes his treats into it and eats them! I think it is the best purchase I’ve made for him, honestly.
It’s funny, I went through something very similar with the dog I have now. I’d never used crates before but when I adopted her she came with one. She loved it! It was her safe place and whenever we traveled (which was a lot) it was a familiar, comfortable space she could count on. Now when she sees it, she tries to go in it – even though she outgrew it a long, long time ago. It’s pretty cute to see her try
It was also the first time I used a crate for housebreaking and the fastest I’ve ever had a puppy housebroken. I know it’s all because of that crate – I’ll never have a puppy without one again!