How to Buy a Dog Crate
Look for a cage based on safety and sufficient size., Don’t use a crate that’s too big., Use a crate divider to adjust a crate’s size.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for a cage based on safety and sufficient size.
The dog crate you choose should allow your dog to lie down and turn around comfortably in the cage.
When they sit or stand in the crate, they should have about three to four inches of extra head room.
Since different breeds of dogs have different proportions, weight alone cannot allow you to determine an appropriately-sized cage.Measure your dog at its widest, tallest, and longest points, then add three inches to each of these dimensions to find the rough dimensions of the crate you’ll need. -
Step 2: Don’t use a crate that’s too big.
If your dog can comfortably stand, turn around, and lie down, the crate is large enough.
In fact, you don’t want it to be much larger than is necessary to allow these movements.
Especially if you intend to use the crate for house training, a properly-sized crate is extremely important.
If the crate is too large, your dog may go to the bathroom at one end and hang out at the other., If you have a puppy, you can intentionally buy a crate that you think will be large enough to hold your dog when they’re fully grown.
Until then, you’ll need to accommodate the crate to the puppy’s size.
Do so by using a crate divider to block off the excess crate space.
Recall that they only need space that is sufficient to stand, sit, lie down, and turn around in.Depending on the type of crate you buy, you can purchase pre-made dividers that will come will easily attach.
You can also make your own divider by cutting a board to the appropriate size, sanding the edges, drilling holes near the edges, and attaching it in the appropriate location using zip ties or another material that cannot injure or snag your dog.
This will be easiest with a wire cage, though you can drill small holes to help attach a custom divider to a plastic crate as well.
You can also potentially rent puppy-sized crates from your local animal shelter, and wait to buy a cage for your dog once it is fully grown. -
Step 3: Use a crate divider to adjust a crate’s size.
Detailed Guide
The dog crate you choose should allow your dog to lie down and turn around comfortably in the cage.
When they sit or stand in the crate, they should have about three to four inches of extra head room.
Since different breeds of dogs have different proportions, weight alone cannot allow you to determine an appropriately-sized cage.Measure your dog at its widest, tallest, and longest points, then add three inches to each of these dimensions to find the rough dimensions of the crate you’ll need.
If your dog can comfortably stand, turn around, and lie down, the crate is large enough.
In fact, you don’t want it to be much larger than is necessary to allow these movements.
Especially if you intend to use the crate for house training, a properly-sized crate is extremely important.
If the crate is too large, your dog may go to the bathroom at one end and hang out at the other., If you have a puppy, you can intentionally buy a crate that you think will be large enough to hold your dog when they’re fully grown.
Until then, you’ll need to accommodate the crate to the puppy’s size.
Do so by using a crate divider to block off the excess crate space.
Recall that they only need space that is sufficient to stand, sit, lie down, and turn around in.Depending on the type of crate you buy, you can purchase pre-made dividers that will come will easily attach.
You can also make your own divider by cutting a board to the appropriate size, sanding the edges, drilling holes near the edges, and attaching it in the appropriate location using zip ties or another material that cannot injure or snag your dog.
This will be easiest with a wire cage, though you can drill small holes to help attach a custom divider to a plastic crate as well.
You can also potentially rent puppy-sized crates from your local animal shelter, and wait to buy a cage for your dog once it is fully grown.
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Natalie Hill
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