Although at first glance it may seem outrageous to have a dog cage, the truth is that if we get our dog used as a puppy it will be a home. As long as we know how to use it correctly.
Dog cages are not a means of restraint or a punishment area, but a home. Surprised? When you finish reading you will understand that it is that real. Dogs are den animals, that is, they love to find a cave-like refuge to hide.
This instinct comes from his ancestors, the wolves. And this does not mean anywhere that we should leave our dog in a cage all day … in reality, the ideal is to leave it open and let him enter whenever he wants.
Index of contents
- 1 Dog cages or carriers?
- 2 How to make my dog use his cage?
- 3 How NOT to use a dog cage
Dog cages or carriers?
We should not confuse these two words, a dog cage is a cage that we can place inside our home and that will become the rest area of our dog. A carrier is a cage to transport our dog from one place to another, for example when we travel by car.
There are cages of different sizes, for small, medium and large dogs. Choosing the right size is essential for our dog to feel comfortable in it. There are even open top cages (without a roof) that are usually foldable, so that we can use them only when necessary.
Folding cages are not actually used as a dog den, but are more of a retention feature. When there are many puppies or when we want our dog not to leave a certain area.
A cage will be a place where the dog can enter, lie down and rest, a kind of den or cave for him. In fact, it is recommended that the cage be covered with a cloth or blanket on all sides except for the entrance, so that there is darkness inside.
A carrier by contrast is only a travel cage, usually made of plastic, which is used to transport our dog by car, train or plane, for example.
How to make my dog use his cage?
Obviously, the ideal is to start using the cage since they are puppies, in this way they get used to it without fear. Although adult dogs can also learn to use it, with a little more patience.
The first thing we must do is to condition the cage, put it in a fixed place and insert a dog blanket or bed in it, so that the floor is comfortable and our dog can lie down comfortably.
For our dog to enter it, we will simply put a little food inside, something that he likes a lot like a little sausage or a dog treat. once in between a coma, we will congratulate you very much.
We should never force the dog to enter the cage, much less lock him, he must be free to enter and exit whenever he wants. We will repeat this action for several days until we finally finish always putting his food in the cage.
The dog will relate the cage to the place where it eats and having a bed, a place where it can lie down quietly. When you are completely familiar with the cage we can start to close it for short periods of time.
We will start by closing it for five minutes, if the dog cries or complains, we will simply scold him with a resounding “no” and a soft tap on the cage. Then we will open it and we will not repeat the exercise until the next day.
The trick is to gradually lengthen the time, so that he knows that you will end up opening it and that nothing happens because he is inside the cage. The cage will be your home within your home, a place to go to sleep, eat, relax or nibble on a toy.
How NOT to use a dog cage
A kennel is not a place of containment where you can leave your dog all day while you work to prevent him from doing tricks. If you can’t take care of a dog, don’t have it. Having a dog locked up in a cage for many hours is torture and is reportable.
Do not force your dog to enter his cage, he must enter whenever he wants and he wants. Otherwise, it will scare you and you will never want to enter, do not make that mistake.
If you’re scolding your dog for making a prank and he runs to hide in his cage, don’t take him out or lock him up, just let him be. He will feel that his cage is a safe place, a place that you must always respect.
Don’t buy a small size cage for your dog, the dog should be able to move around inside the cage, turn around and lie down without problem. Otherwise it will be a small and uncomfortable cage that will cause you stress and anxiety.
The cage is not a prison, it is only its den, do not forget. It is not a place to enclose the dog when it bothers you, it is a place where the dog can rest and hide whenever he wants.