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The Truth About Crating (CAGING) Dogs

Crates are for vegetables. Make no mistake about it, what people are putting their dogs in are CAGES. Do you put your 2 year old child in a cage when you go out? So then why should you cage your dog. If you feel that your home is so dangerous then you should isolate your dog to one room when you are out. A CAGE is not a substitute for proper dog ownership. With the exception of transportation or to contain an animal while under medical care their is no need to cage a dog otherwise. Many pet owners feel that their dogs love to be caged. If this is the case then all I say is remove the LOCKING DOOR., and allow your pet to decide when he wants to use the cage.

The cage manufacturers have campaigned strongly to convince the public that dogs like to be caged. They have told unwitting pet owners that dogs like the security of the cage. They reason that wolves (dogs cousins) enjoy the use of den in the wild and by that reasoning your dog will prefer the security of their cage.

I am well aware of the role a den plays in the wolf pack. My doctorate was in behavioral studies of wolves native to North America. Yet, I never saw a steel cage door on any of the dens I studied. I have read the brochures at vets offices. These are generally provided courtesy of the CAGE manufacturers. A den is very important, that I agree with. But do not confuse a CAGE WITH A DOOR to an animal den. If you would like to simulate a den, then remove the door from your dogs cage. If you have small children in the house then it is definitely recommended that you provide a safe haven for your dog. A dog should have a secure place to escape the children when it chooses. Smaller dogs sometimes hide beneath a chair, while larger dog could benefit from a OPEN CAGE (NO DOOR).

Many people are further confused about caging because many veterinarians hand out brochures that encourage the use of cages. They put their trust in their veterinarians and their dog suffers in the end. These brochures are generally published by the cage manufacturers themselves and the veterinarian receives a small gratuity for handing them out or displaying them.

The only expectable reason for caging a dog is to housebreak the animal. Many people find it helpful to cage the dog and release it when it is time to go out. Although it does work it is rather cruel. A puppy needs to relieve itself often, and by caging it you interrupt its natural cycles. Their are more humane ways to house break a dog. I will state it hear once again; Cages can be a helpful tool for housebreaking. But should be discarded after the dog is housebroken, or have the door of the cage removed.

Another popular use for cages today is to protect the owners furniture from the dog when the animal is left alone in the house. The reason some dogs destroys a home is quite simple…..dogs are pack animals. They want nothing more than to be with their owners. They see their owners as their wolf pack, and suffer great anxiety when separated. This destructive behavior is more common in younger dogs, and usually passes as a dog matures. Teething is also another cause of chewing up the couch. It is normal behavior for dogs to chew, you just have to teach them what is acceptable and what is not. Older dogs generally learn their owners time schedules and wait more patiently for them to return, rather than destroy the house.

People who caged their dogs as puppies don't have to keep them caged when the dog gets older. They can wean the dog from the cage by allowing it out of the cage for small periods of time and leaving the house. They should open the cage door and leave the dog alone for about 15 minutes before returning. This should be repeated often, and the time the dog left alone should be extended each session. The dog will soon learn that you are not abandoning him, and that you will return. The best way to punish a dog is to separate him from the rest of the family. NEVER USE PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT. A dog will often become defensive, fearful and viscous if physical punishment is used. The best punishment for a dog is to merely put your dog in separate room, and leave him there for about 15 minutes.

Have you been caging your dog? Would you like to know if your dog is ready to stop using a cage. Would you like to know how another dog owner went about it? Then CLICK HERE to read how one dog owner accomplished this goal and liberated her dog.

Chewing Behavior

Your puppies behavior is normal. That is not to say that you should allow it if it becomes a problem. Dogs use their mouths as an extension of their limbs. If you ever observe wolves (dogs cousins)you will see this behavior played out. Unfortunately a puppies sharp teeth can make this form of play quite painful. You need to take steps to correct this behavior.

Stop allowing any rough play between yourselves and your dog unless it involves a toy. A puppy can't understand what is painful to you and therefore any rough playing must be avoided. Do not use your hands to play rough with the dog. Buy a toy that the puppy can bite into and only allow rough play with this toy. Usually a soft fluffy toy works best, NO SHOES, SOCKS, OLD PILLOWS OR OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. The puppy needs a clear picture of what is a toy and what are forbidden household items.

Many puppies don't respect small children as their superiors. Part of training a puppy is training your children (and yourselves). Until the puppy learns to respect your child, he/she should not play unsupervised. It is important to set your puppies boundaries when it comes to playing. I have found it very effective to give a loud "NO" when the puppy exhibits improper behavior. If the puppy does not respond to a verbal command then follow the procedures outlined in "Punishing Your Dog" should be followed.

Punishing Your Dog

On occasion a dog/puppy will exibit unacceptable behavior like biting, barking, or chewing up the house. Most dogs will respond to a verbal command of a loud "NO". It must be yelled in a sharp and forcefull tone for the dog to understand that you mean business. The tone of of the word is often more important than the word itself. If a verbal command does not stop the unwanted behavior then immediately pick up the animal and isolate it for 5 minutes alone. I usually use our bathroom and keep the lights off. After 5 minutes let the puppy out and observe it. Should the puppy start exibiting the unwanted behavior again, then yell a loud "NO" and isolate the puppy again. The isolation period should not be much longer than 5 minutes or the animal will forget what he is being punished for. Dogs are pack animals, and the worst form of punishment is to exclude them from their pack (you & your family). This type of punishment is not be used while training a dog new tricks like sitting or staying on command. It is to be used to untrain bad habits like chewing or biting.

I once had to isolate my Jack Russell terrier pup 4 times in a five minute period. She simply refused to leave our guest alone. But after being released the last time she understood what behavior was getting her in trouble. Now that she is an adult all I have to say is a loud "NO" and she stops her rough playing like a switch was thrown. I enjoy playing rough with her, but now she understands the rules. Dogs will try and get away with what they can. They will test each individual and push that person as far they can. Be consistent and immediate with your training. Don't yell no and then isolate the dog 15 minutes later. It will not know what it is being punished for. Most ill-behaved dogs are a result of their upbringing.

Never use physical punishment. Physical punishment will usually lead to a vicious and fearful dog. A dog that is hit will defend itself in the future by biting back. NEVER HIT A DOG.

Training Your Dog

You should train your dog when you can be alone with it. The animal will learn best when it only has to focus on you. Never use food to train animal. It is alright to give it a treat at the end of your training sessions, but you should not reward it with food while training. The best reward you can give you dog is a nice scratch on the chest or at the base of the tail (where the tail meets the back), and a high pitched "good dog!!!!". The reason I caution against using food to train an animal is simple....no food..no obediance. A dog trained with food is following orders because he wants to get his treat, but no treat and the dog will stop listening to you. A dog trained to listen because he will get his owners attention, is a dog that will always follow orders.

Urinating Indoors (marking)
A common problem with dogs is their instinctual desire to mark their territory. This behavior is generally limited to males, but is found in dominant females as well. This is generally not a problem when your dog chooses to do this outside, but is rather annoying when he does it inside. Urinating indoors should not be confused with a dog that is not housebroken. A dog that is not housebroken usually does not differentiate between inside and outside. Housebroken dogs that urinate inside are generally marking what they feel to be their territory. Most dogs mark the exterior perimeter of their own yard or the area of the neighborhood where they are usually walked, but on occasion will include the inside of the house as well. A dog will generally mark the inside of his home when he has to share his home with other dogs. By urinating indoors he is telling his fellow pets that this is house. He is asserting his position as the head of his wolf pack. He sees himself as the dominant animal in the pack as is letting the rest of the pets know it.

This behavior is also found in dogs that do not share their home with other pets. Many dogs establish themselves as the dominant member of human packs s well. Like people, some dogs are followers and some dog s are leaders. Dogs often establish their position at a young age when they test their owners and learn who is stronger willed. Should the dog decide that he will be leader then urinating indoors(marking) is often the result.

Corrective measures for a dog that marks (urinates) the inside of a home are not in abundance. The dog will generally pick the same places to mark, and removing the scent from that location will not generally stop this annoying instinct. Although cleaning the effected area will make it more bearable for you and your guests, but it is not likely to stop your dog. A dogs sense of smell is incredible and it will still be able to locate its favorite spot. At best you can hope to discourage such behavior by immediately reprimanding the dog. See "Punishing Your Dog" on this page. It has been of the opinion that neutering a dog might help curtail this problem. This does not generally help, since the original driving force to perform such an activity originates in the dogs brain. This is where all the instinctual behavior resides.

CLICK HERE To see a picture of my Jack Russel Terrier and her boyfriend "Mikey".
Her name is "Diamond", and she just had a bath. Diamonds boyfriend is a Golden Retriever
When the two of them get together it looks like a Rugby match, of course Diamond is always winning.
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    Last Update On: Nov. 09, 1997