Having a safe haven for your furry companion is overly important. Investing in a dog crate is a good way of taming your dog’s mischief while providing a secure place for his/her peace of mind when you are not in the house. Ideally, dog crates should be welcoming with great warmth, security, and comfort. Your dog should spend their carefree time for chewing sessions or rest with ease.
Now that you have purchased a dog crate, should you place it in the bedroom or living room? Unfortunately, most homeowners get it wrong when it comes to the correct positioning of their dog crates. Below are insights into the best place to position your dog crate. Remember that dog crates provide ample space for your dog and help with training. Therefore, making use of this space in your home is important.
Where to Put a Dog Crate at Home
Generally, dogs are social animals, especially Labradors. Therefore, they should be around the family to see what’s happening around them and live a fulfilling life. Similarly, crates should create a positive experience and make them prefer spending time inside. Dog crates shouldn’t be a punishment. Locking your dog away in a dark, hidden corner might make the dog feel they are being punished, isolated, and excluded.
That said, the best place to position your dog crate is in a quiet and high traffic area. Below are the reasons why;
High Traffic Area
Regardless of whether you are crate training your new puppy or had a dog for a while and believe a dog crate can be beneficial, it is nice to have your furry friend close to the hub of your home. For some homeowners, the kitchen or living room are their hubs, but this may differ for you. If your dog is used to the crate or not, placing it where there is action in your home means that he/she can see what’s happening and feel included in the family. Even if you step out, he will be in a familiar room. Hiding the dog crate in the laundry room or basement is not fair.
Quiet Corner
While this may contradict the first point, you can still find a quiet area in any high traffic place. While it is good to keep your dog engaged in everything happening in your home, sometimes everything becomes too much. However, excessive parties, loud music, kids, and guests can induce anxiety in your dog. This is where some lone time becomes essential. Providing somewhere they can escape to is important since dogs highly cherish quiet time.
That said, wherever you decide to place the crate, ensure it is not a drafty area, close to heat sources, such as a fireplace or radiator, or direct sunlight. It should be comfortable with minimal chances of getting too hot or cold.
Is it Good to Have the Crate in Your Bedroom?
Bedrooms do not fall under high traffic area or a quiet corner. Nonetheless, if you have a puppy, it is a good idea to start crate training by allowing him/her to sleep in the bedroom with you. With a new home experience, allowing the pup to stay close to the family the first few days makes him safe and secure.
Since your puppy may not be adapted to any schedule yet, your sleeping pattern can encourage him to sleep. You can easily hear if your dog is fussing or crying. While you might not have a good night’s sleep, it is important to have him close. If you don’t plan to allow your puppy to sleep in your bedroom for the long term, start moving the crate to where it will finally stay after some days or weeks.
How About the Living Room?
As mentioned, it is good to place your dog crate in a considerably busy area. This helps the dog feel like a bonafide member of the family. That said, the living room is another good location, as it can be busy. Placing the crate in the living room enables the dog to witness all the activities going on in the household and feel included. However, having the crate in your living room can be challenging if you have guests who don’t like pets or hosting busy activities.
That said, the precise position of a dog crate varies from one house to another. While some may prefer the living room, others opt for bedrooms, kitchen, and any other place. Regardless of your choice, ensure that the crate is in a visible place in the house.
What to Put in a Dog Crate?
An empty dog crate is hardly pleasant and welcoming to your dog. Therefore, you should place a few things to make the crate comfortable. Among them include water, toys, and food. However, consider the following when deciding what to place in the dog crate.
What to use for Dog Crate Bedding?
Most people immediately rush for soft, fluffy bedding to keep their pets warm and comfortable. However, this can be a bad idea if your dog hasn’t proven they can’t chew their bedding. Blankets, towels, and soft stuffed sheets can easily be chewed, torn, and ingested by puppies, especially Labrador retrievers. This makes them a choking danger.
Therefore, while they aren’t destruction proof, vets and experienced pet owners recommend the use of VetBeds for your dogs’ crate. VetBeds are durable, long-lasting, and machine washable. They are also hypoallergenic, non-irritant, insulating, and allows moisture and air to pass through while maintaining a soft and luxurious feel.
Even though naughty puppies may still chew it, it is much stronger and durable than ordinary blankets, towels, and other bedding. Once you have determined that your puppy cannot chew their bedding, you can replace the VetBed with any other form of bedding of your liking.
Which Toys Should You Leave in a Dog Crate?
Leaving one or two chew toys in your dogs’ crate is beneficial for your puppy. Some of the reasons why pet owners are encouraged to leave chew toys in dog crates include;
- They occupy your dogs’ minds, enriching the otherwise basic and unexciting environment
- Provides a better alternative to chewing the bedding
- Teaches dogs that being in the crate is time to enjoy their favorite things
- Promotes good habits and chew toy obsession. This lessens the likelihood of chewing your belongings when out of the crate
Note that you shouldn’t leave soft stuffed or easily chewable toys alone with the dog. They might easily destroy them or ingest large pieces causing intestinal obstructions. The best dog toys should be strong, durable, and hollow that you can stuff treats.
Should You Put Food and Water in Dog Crate?
While it might seem like providing good care to your puppy, it is not a good idea to leave water inside the crate, especially if you are housebreaking your puppy. If you do so, they will quickly fill their bladders and end up dirtying the crate or inhibit the housebreaking process.
However, there might be rare occasions where you should consider leaving water for your dog in the crate. For instance, if you are crating your dog for more than 2 hours, especially in hot temperatures, or if your vet recommends crating for medical reasons. In such situations, you should have the necessary equipment to provide your dog with water if needed.
Just like water, it is not recommended to leave food inside the crate while you are not around. The dog will not only make a mess, but also encourage careless feeding. You should teach your dog fixed feeding times instead of encouraging free feeding. If the dog eats carelessly, he/she will likely cause “accidents” in the crate.
However, while you shouldn’t leave food in the crate unsupervised, it is okay to feed your dog’s main meals in the crate. This will actually increase her positive association with the crate.
What About Covering the Dog’s Crate?
While there is no black or white answer to this question, covering your dog crate depends on your dogs’ reaction. Some dogs prefer covered crates while others don’t. Unlike wired crates, which are open and might not give your dog the required den atmosphere, plastic and wooden crates are often already fairly closed.
Covered crates provide some sense of comfort, coziness, and safety for most dog breeds. It is also useful in reducing stimulation for overly anxious dogs who easily get distracted by any occurrence around them or territorial dogs with a constant urge to guard. However, some dogs prefer seeing their surroundings and get anxious when their crates are covered.
Therefore, the only way of determining if your dog prefers covered crates or not is by trying it. Begin by introducing the cover slowly. Cover the roof of the crate for some days, proceed with one side, then both sides. You should be available all through as your dog gets used to the covered crates. Additionally, you shouldn’t cover all the sides of the crate, as they need ventilation for fresh air and temperature control.
How to Introduce your Dog to a Crate?
Unlike grown dogs, introducing puppies into crates can be as easy as tossing food-stuffed toys into the crates when they are hungry. Gradually, you can leave them on their own with doors closed. Most will readily go into the crate voluntarily for naps or with hopes of finding stuffed chewtoys.
While it can be challenging, adult dogs without crate experience can be trained the same way. However, it might take longer, and the guidance of a pet behavior expert might be required if the dog is still anxious. Nonetheless, a good trick for dogs of all ages is locking dinner inside the crate until the dog throws major tantrums showing interest in going inside. You can then open the door and let him enjoy the meal. In most cases, he/she won’t notice when you close the door.
As the dog gets familiarized, the only whining that should elicit door opening is if the puppy needs to pee. If you aren’t sure if he wants to pee, carry the puppy outside instead of allowing him to walk at his own speed. If he pees, the whining was legitimate. However, if he doesn’t, lock him inside for another 30 minutes. He was probably whining just to come out, and he should learn other ways of asking politely, like sitting quietly.
What Are Dog Crates Alternatives?
Unfortunately, some dogs hate being kept in a crate, regardless of how much you try making them comfortable. If your dog can’t stand creating, consider the following alternatives;
- Dog gates – fencing an enclosure to contain your dog in a specific section of the house is a good option for securing your pup. While it might not be ideal, it relegates the dog to a safely prepared space where they are comfortable and not overly confined. You can choose from a wide array of dog gates options, be it mounted or freestanding.
- Playpen – playpen is another option if you have enough indoor space. This walls your dog while giving them sufficient headroom to move and stretch freely. However, you should mind the height of your dog.
- Daycare – daycares are probably the most expensive option, but worth considering. It provides a great opportunity to socialize with your dog under the watchful eye of professionals. The dog can enjoy great exercise and mental stimulation instead of spending alone time at home.
- Closed doors – if you have extra bedrooms or bathrooms, you can confine your dog there instead of locking him/her in a crate.
The Bottom Line
Dog crates should be a comfortable and enticing place for your dog to spend quality time. As mentioned, the best place to have your dog crate is highly subjective. Besides determining the best place to position your dog crate, you should know how much time should you lock your dog in the crate. The amount of time to keep your dog in the crate depends on the age of the dog.