Using a Crate for Puppy Training

Sylvie Leochko

When most people see a puppy, their heart melts and they start yearning to get one. They see how cute the puppy is, how playful and how affectionate it is but what about the basic dog training that it requires?

What am I talking about? Well, for starters, your new puppy will need to learn a few things such as: becoming potty trained, to walk on a leash, to go to sleep at night without howling and certainly not to chew everything in site, including you.

Like a baby, a puppy has a lot to learn and limits are one these things. First of all, your puppy has no intention to displease you so when you see it has an accident on your carpet or on the floor; it is not its fault. Why? Simply because its bladder is so small and the muscles responsible for helping to control it or his bowels are not strong enough to do it yet. As it grows bigger and older, you will see the difference.

As for howling at night don?t forget that your puppy is missing the presence of its mother, it feels lonely and needs to cuddle up. As it will grow up, and that he starts feeling comfortable and at home, this behavior will come to an end.

And what about chewing? Well, he is basically teething. Also don?t forget that it is how it learned to play with its mother and siblings. Humans are more sensitive and so are their belongings so once again, basic dog training is required.

What can you do to train your dog in the best and most efficient way possible? Well, ask any veterinarian, dog breeders or experienced dog owners, using a crate is the solution.

Several people think that putting a dog in a cage is cruel and selfish but what they do not know is that later on, even the dog itself will enjoy it. It will become a safe and comfortable place where it can relax and sleep just like a doghouse.

Also, your puppy will not always be in its crate as it will be only at night and when you are gone to work or any other event where your dog will be left alone. At first your puppy may not like it, but believe me only time and patience will prove you the opposite.

Before purchasing a crate, you should consider a few things. For example, some crates are made of metal and are foldable and others are made of plastic and have a handle to carry it around if small enough.

The plastic one may be better for air travel or in some cases; car travel depending on its size but the fact that the view is limited due to the solid panels is one disadvantage as your puppy will feel lonelier. Also, if your puppy has an accident in it, the bad smells tend to seek in its surface due to a lack of aeration plus not having a removable tray, the cleaning is more difficult to do.

The metal crate tends to be bigger, especially if you have a bigger dog like a labrador retriever which makes it more difficult to find a space for it. They are solid, foldable which makes it easier when traveling and your puppy has a great view which helps against loneliness.

Also, a metal crate has a removable tray which makes cleaning a lot easier. Since it has great air circulation, the bad smells only follow the dirty newspapers in the garbage.

Another thing that you should not about crate training is that it helps the dog training of your puppy in several areas. For example, at night, it solves the problem of finding little accidents on your floor by stepping in them. Also since a dog does not want to sleep where he relieves itself, your puppy will try its best to control its bladder and bowel movements which will help to develop these muscles as well.

Don't buy a crate too large for your puppy but make it large enough to accommodate your puppy when it will be fully grown.

When you are preparing the crate, make it inviting and as comfortable as possible for your puppy. Cover the bottom with newspapers if desired, put a blanket or basket in the opposite end and your new puppy's home is ready.

To help you with the howling, as more than likely it will happen for a while, you can also take a clock that ticks loudly to remind him of its mother?s heartbeat and a hot water bag filled with hot water to allow him to cuddle against something that reminds it of the softness and warmth of its mother.

Another thing to do to help it feel less lonely, is to put either a radio, some music or the television set on so it can hear noise and voices in the background. Another thing that can help to prevent it from peeing in his crate is to control his water intake by removing its bowl at 8 p.m. or approximately 2 hours prior to your time going to bed. This advice was given to me by my dog's veterinarian.

And last but not least, chewing will be controlled by keeping your puppy out of trouble. This way you will prevent him from being harmed by chewing electrical wires or simply from your frustration of having to replace damaged goods.

My name is Sylvie Leochko. If you wish to learn more about dog training or labrador retrievers as they are great service pets as well as wonderful with children, I invite you to visit the following sites: http://dogtraining.findoutnow.org/ and http://labrador-retrievers.findoutnow.org/

Wireless Dog Containment Systems

By: Eric Morris

There are various types of dog containment systems found for keeping your dog restricted to a certain area. Of the lot, the wireless dog containment system is the most flexible and easy to install. It consists of a transmitter working with a collar receiver. You can take the transmitter of the wireless containment system and use it anywhere you like. The only drawback here is that the area covered by it is usually smaller, and in a pre-defined shape.

To install the wireless dog containment system, you have to put the transmitter in the required room and turn it on. Then the receiver collar has to be put on the dog. If you want to restrict the dog to only one part of the home or garden, you should use a single transmitter, but if you plan to define two or more areas that are either conjoined or completely separate, you have to use double or multiple transmitter installations.

As these transmitters are installed separately, you can put the dog in one place or another, without actually having to re-set the transmitter each time. Maintenance of the wireless containment system includes periodic monitoring to ensure its proper working, and physical checking of the wires for signs of wear. Have back-up systems charged regularly and replace used batteries in the receiver on a regular basis.

The transmitter of the wireless dog containment system emits a radio signal from the room it is located in. This defines the boundary for the dog. There is a lightweight collar on the dog that listens to this signal, so that the dog knows that it is free to run and play in the yard with the signal.

However, if the dog reaches the boundary of the signal, the dog receives a warning beep; and if it still does not retreat from the boundary, a correction is given to him. With some training, the dog is bound to learn its boundaries.

Dog Containment Systems provides detailed information on Dog Containment Systems, Wireless Dog Containment Systems, Wire Dog Containment Systems, Indoor Pet Containment Systems and more. Dog Containment Systems is affiliated with Invisible Dog Fences.

Wire Dog Containment Systems

By: Eric Morris

One type of dog containment system is the wire dog containment system. This system consists of a wire buried underground around the place to be contained. Flags are placed in strategic locations to give you and the dog a visual reference of the location of the perimeter.

This wire of the wire dog containment system is combined with an electronic containment collar on the dog, which has a receiver that detects when the dog is getting close to the wire. At this point, the receiver emits an audible warning sound. If the dog keeps going towards the wire, then the collar emits a mild electric shock that only gets the dog's attention, and is not harmful.

This shock can be compared to static electricity. The intensity of the stimulation increases as the dog keeps proceeding towards the boundaries of the containment, until the dog stops and goes back. This way, the dog quickly learns to stay within the boundaries of the wire.

The installation of the wire dog containment system involves laying the wire around the area to be contained, above the ground. Then you have to dig a thin, shallow trench in the ground, put the wire in, and pat the edges of the earth back over the wire.

As the wire has to be a closed loop, any obstacles encountered have to be run through or the wire made to run under existing cracks or drainage pipes to complete the loop. You can either install the wire dog containment system to include the entire area of your house and yard, or only the backyard, or have double-loop installations that cost a little more.

However, this double-loop installation gives you the advantage of flexibility in precisely defining an area. You could also combine an electrical fence with a physical one for extra protection.

Dog Containment Systems provides detailed information on Dog Containment Systems, Wireless Dog Containment Systems, Wire Dog Containment Systems, Indoor Pet Containment Systems and more. Dog Containment Systems is affiliated with Invisible Dog Fences.

What You Should Know About Boarding Your Dog

By: Philip Nicosia

It is a well-known fact that many consider dogs as man's best friend. There are times, however, when even best friends must part ways, even if for a brief period of time only. Even if dog lovers abound all over the world, there are places and instances that simply do not allow pets. In situations like these, you just might have to leave your dog.

Boarding is becoming an increasingly common option for dog owners these days. More and more institutions are starting to offer boarding services to dog owners. Yet before deciding to leave your dog in a kennel, there are some things to take into consideration.

The first thing to bear in mind is start boarding your dog early. Just like their human counterparts, dogs do feel some sort of separation anxiety. Dogs that have had boarding experience before they are 5 years old tend to adjust better to kennel conditions as they may still have memories of litter socialization.

Choosing the right kennel to board your dog is not a joking matter. The first thing you should do is search your local yellow pages for available boarding institutions and then arrange for a personal visit to each one of them. Evaluate the kennels based on several factors.

• The overall appearance of the kennel is important.
• Take note of the cleanliness of the area. Daily cleaning is a must to ensure your dogs health while you are absent.
• Make sure that even if the kennels have a no visitors policy (in the areas where the dogs are housed), you will be given the chance to at least view where your dog will stay.
• Security is a very important consideration. You will want to rest assured that your dog will be taken care of and will not have the chance to escape. The tendency for pets is to look for their owners when they are not around. Thus you must make sure that the kennel has tight security regarding this matter.
• Your dogs safety is of utmost importance. Inspect his boarding area and see to it that there are no potential harmful objects or substances.
• It is also necessary for your dog to be alone in his temporary home. Stress might arise due to other pets housed in the kennels. Boarders should have solid dividers in between them. This is especially important for male dogs, which may be more aggressive than others.
  

Other important considerations regarding the living quarters are temperature, bedding, ventilation, and lighting. Try to choose a kennel with conditions as close to your dogs normal living conditions as much as possible. Ensure that your dog is fed the proper food and given the right amount of water. If your dog needs regular exercise, look into the facilities of the boarding institution as well.

Leaving your dog, even if only for a few days, is a serious matter. Choosing the right kennel for him or her may take a chunk out of your busy schedule but it is better to ensure his or her comfort rather than to subject him or her to undue stress.

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