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Thursday, December 9, 2010
THE VALUE OF A SOFT CRATE FOR YOUR DOG
The Value of a Soft Crate for Your Dog
By: Peter Demmon
Some feel that dogs are den animals. This means that they function well in and would prefer to be in small areas, if in the wild. This notion is bolstered by the fact that dogs like to sleep under tables, chairs, behind sofas, etc. The crate that you train your dog to stay in should be your dog's "den." The crate should be his hangout spot. Dog's are social creatures and they want to be a part of the family, so the crate should be somewhere in the house where the humans congregate, like the kitchen or the living room.
Having a crate for your dog to hang out in is a good thing. Your dog should have a "safe space" to go to in the house. Crates are good for housebreaking as well. Introducing a crate to your dog will potentially generate a place where your pet can ultimately spend his nights. While some argue that metal/hard plastic crates are the only way to go, soft crates are also good because they are easy to assemble and disassemble, lightweight, and great for traveling.
Some dog owners are absolutist about the type of crate that one should use with their dog. The argument that metal/hard plastic crates are easier to clean than soft crates when housebreaking a dog seem to rank the highest. Another complaint that metal/hard plastic crate owners make is that a dog can chew their way out of a soft crate, or roll around in it like a hamster in a hamster ball. These assertions are all valid, yet they primarily have to do with the temperament of the dog. In my research for this article, the only argument against soft crates that makes any absolute sense was the fact that if a dog is in a car accident while in a soft crate, he will take more damage than in a hard crate.
Soft crates are easy to assemble and disassemble. This makes it easy to take the crate with the family for a day at the beach, or for an extended stay at the park. Because they are so easily collapsible, soft crates can help your dog to be more a part of your social life. You could even take your pet to a friend's house, and bringing the soft crate along wouldn't be that much of a chore. If your dog has been trained to spend his relaxation time in a crate, he will enjoy seeing it wherever it pops up.
Soft crates are also lightweight. They can be moved around by just about anyone in the household. As previously mentioned, this could be a problem if your dog learns how to walk into the walls within the crate and roll it about the house. However, the fact that it can be easily picked up and moved when cleaning the house or scooted out of the sun if out in the yard demonstrate how convenient it really is.
Soft crates are also great for traveling. Traveling can be a burden on everyone in the family, and that goes for the dog as well (assuming that you travel with him from time to time!). When your family is bogged down with luggage, a metal/heavy plastic crate can be an added difficulty. Being able to easily assemble and disassemble your dog's soft crate at all of the stops on your destination is really what the soft crate is built for. If you are in and out of hotel rooms, or stopping at rest areas during a cross-country trip, a soft crate is a wonderful, familiar solution for your dog.
A familiar place where your dog can go is a great thing. If you are potty training your dog, the crate can also be useful. A dog needs his own space, and having him learn to sleep in a crate at night rather than on foot of your bed might ease the separation anxiety that he will experience in the morning when you have to go to work. Some dog owners feel that hard plastic or metal crates are the best way to crate a dog. However, the value of soft crates is demonstrated with their ease of assembly, their weight, and how much easier they can make the process of traveling with your pet.
If you are looking for a soft dog crates is good to find one that fits the size of your dog. If it is too big, your dog might make the mistake of using a corner of it for his bathroom. At West Coast Pet Supply we have all of the products you need to keep you and your pet healthy and content.
Check out our soft crates at West Coast Pet Supply