Be sure you have the right size crate for your canine companion.
Whether you're housebreaking your puppy or need to keep your destructive dog in a crate while you're at work, you want to be sure your canine companion is comfortable, especially if it will be in the crate for long periods of time. To ensure that your friend is comfortable, purchase a crate that's appropriate for your puppy or dog's size.
General Guidelines for Choosing a Crate
When choosing the right size crate for your dog, make sure your dog can comfortably stand up, turn around, and lie down in the crate. Ideally, you should bring your dog to the pet store to find the right size. However, if you don't have the opportunity to try out pre-assembled crates, you'll have to measure your dog's height and length and choose a crate based on those measurements.
Measuring Your Dog to Find the Right Size Crate
A dog crate is often labeled with the breed or size of dog it's appropriate for. While these labels are a good starting point, it's important to remember that each dog is an individual, and it's a good idea to go by individual measurements.
Measure your dog from its front paws to the top of its head to get its height, and from its nose to the tip of its tail to get its length. If your dog has a very long tail, you don't have to include the entire length of the tail in your measurement, but you should include at least half of its length. Add 2 to 4 inches to your dog's height and length (two for small breeds, four for large) and use the resulting measurements for the minimum height and length of the crate.
The Right Size Crate for House-Training a Puppy
Choosing the right size crate based on your dog's height and length measurements is straightforward for an adult dog, but if you're buying a crate for a puppy, it's a bit more difficult, as a puppy could outgrow the crate you buy by the time it reaches adulthood. If you have a purebred puppy, you could research the average adult dog's measurements, and then choose a crate accordingly. This is usually fine for small breeds, as there's not a significant size difference between puppies and adults. However, if you have a large-breed puppy, a crate purchased with an adult dog in mind might be too big to effectively house-train a puppy.
How Dividers Can Help
Divider panels can be used to section off part of a crate (should you choose to buy one large enough for an adult dog) to make it more suitable for house-training a puppy, as it confines the puppy to a smaller area. Once the dog is older, the divider can easily be removed to give your dog the space it needs. Dividers are a more economical solution than having to purchase two or more crates for your dog as it grows.
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