Helpful Tips in Crate-Training Your Dog

Animals have their own habitats. Take them out of their habitats and they’ll start feeling uncomfortable, even become sick. This is why there are those who are strong advocates against keeping animals in captivity in zoos. For domesticated dogs, however, they’re used to being in a man’s house. They can freely roam around the property even without a leash.

 

For some well-meaning pet owners, they want to give their canine companion that feeling of living in a den by getting them a crate or a cage. Although cages are not necessarily substitutes for a dog’s lair, they can be the next best thing to it. The challenge for the owner is how to train his four-legged friend to be comfortable in a cage.

 

If you’re planning to get your dog a cage, here are some helpful tips on how to crate-train him:

 

Get a crate big enough for him – The size of the crate you’ll get doesn’t have to be very large, but it should at least allow your pooch to take at least a couple of paces inside it. It also has to be tall enough so that his head doesn’t hit the top part when he’s in a sitting position (compared to humans, dogs are taller when they sit).

 

Put something inside that will entice him to step in – It can either be his favorite toy or food. The key is to get him to walk inside the cage without forcing him. Once he’s inside, don’t close the crate door just yet. Allow him to get used to being there. It may take several attempts before he starts getting comfortable in it, so patience is one virtue you should really have while training him.

 

Provide creature comforts inside – Depending on what your dog’s used to, you can lay a thick cloth on the floor of the cage and put pillows there as well. If you’ve decided that you’ll also feed him inside the crate, put his feeding bowl in there as well.

 

Make him get used to being carried while inside the crate – One of the reasons for getting a dog a cage is to make him comfortable being carried around while inside it. Therefore, part of your crate-training is to lift the cage with him inside it and transfer it to different locations in your house. By doing this, if you need to take him with you in a car, he will no longer feel uncomfortable or even disoriented.

 

These are the basic steps in crate-training your pet pooch (if he barks excessively during the training, you can stop dog barking by using anti-barking collars). You can also enlist the help of someone who has crate-trained his own dog to help you out in case your attempts are not too successful.

 

Guidelines for Choosing Food for Your Dog

Feeding your pet dog with the right food is essential for ensuring good health. Consulting with a veterinarian is important if your dog has any special diet requirement. Most of the time, the type of food you should serve will depend on the dog’s age, gender, breed, and activity level, among others.

The food should also be nutritious enough to help your dog become as healthy as possible. Essential carbohydrates, fats, oils, minerals, proteins, and vitamins should make it to your pet’s daily meals to achieve balanced diet.

Now there are a lot of dog food products available in the market. You can pay a visit to your local pet stores and ask them for recommendations. Other than that, you may also check out various online retailers if you prefer to do your purchases in a few clicks.

As you shop around, you will find out that there are a lot of options for you including expensive and cheap dog food. If you want premium quality brands, it automatically follows that you should go for the products with better ingredients. This will cost you a little higher but the investment is pretty much worth it because of its benefits for your dog. Low-priced counterparts, however, are usually not as nutritious because they may not contain some essential ingredients. If you are tight on budget, it is okay to go for the economical choices but make sure to choose the ones that get the best reviews from fellow pet lovers.

Dry dog food is a good example of affordable dog food. One benefit of this is that it promotes stronger dog teeth because it is crunchy. Another good thing about it is that it doesn’t require refrigeration at all. Just keep it in a safe and dry place and you’ll be ready to serve it to your dog anytime.

Canned food equally lasts long on the shelf but this one usually costs a little higher. This is a great source of protein for dogs. Semi-moist food products such as burgers and pork chops are also good as long as they are occasionally served.

Lastly, you may also feed your pet with your own cooking. This is a wise alternative since it puts you – the dog owner – in total control. No one knows your dog better than you do and so serving the best food will be so much easier if you take this direction. Consult with your veterinarian to get an idea about which meals are best for your pet.