Do you have a furry friend? If yes, there are several reasons for you to choose a dog crate. It could be that you are all set to crate train your pup. You might also want to offer your dog a secure and safe space that they can claim their own. In case you have started searching for a dog crate, you must have come up with several choices. If yes, you might want to know how to navigate this search process and make the correct selection.
Today, several service providers specialize in dog crates that look like furniture. Here are a few tips that will enable you to make the correct choice:
1. You have to consider your requirements
The first thing you need to keep in mind when selecting your dog crate is the variables. You have to focus on portability, purpose, material, and size. Today, you have a dog crate for every dog. Hence, you need to get one that caters to your need. It would help if you thought about the word “purpose,” and it will enable you to think better.
- Are you buying the dog crate for a puppy that has started crate training? Will the puppy have a different requirement as it grows?
- Is the crate an upgrade for an older dog that chewed the first crate?
- Do you want a crate so that your pet can travel with you on a plane or car?
- Is it an item that can effortlessly blend with your home décor?
- Is it anything collapsible and portable that you can use outdoors or indoors?
It would help to decide why you want the crate and its purpose and evaluate the dog’s personality. That will enable you to make an informed decision.
2. You should consider the best size
Today, you will come across dog crates of various sizes. Hence, the question arises that how you should make the selection! Most dog trainers are of the opinion that the crate should be big enough for the dog to get up, stand and then turn around. Also, if the crate is very small and can limit the dog’s movement, it won’t get considered a relaxing place for resting. Your dog might not use it as well. Hence, a crate where your dog can move around with ease will provide them with a den-like experience that will add to their comfort.
However, when you are considering big dogs such as mastiffs and Great Danes, it’s a big crate. But when it comes to big breeds, it is necessary for the crates to have a bigger space to accommodate the big size dog comfortably. On the other hand, if you have a small dog, you must create a place where they don’t get bumped into or tripped over. The dog needs to use that space as a secure escape from guests, noises, and kids.
3. You need to select the material carefully
The dog crates are usually made from fabric, wood, plastic, and metal materials. When you have to consider the attractive crates, the best bet here is wood. It would help if you kept in mind that the wood isn’t the ideal choice for dogs who have a habit to chew. It will not just harm the crate but will also affect the dog adversely. Also, it can get challenging to clean wood as its porous, and it might absorb odors and messes. Another option is to choose the metal crates, even though it is less attractive. It is more durable than most other options. The additional advantage is that several versions are collapsible, and it might be easy to relocate and store. Also, it gets developed with several dividers for accommodating the dog through every life stage.
The plastic crates usually get used when you have to travel with your dog. These crates are easy to clean because of their smaller size and are highly durable. Finally, you have the option to select soft or fabric crates, that you can easily transport or store anywhere. It also happens to be a lightweight crate, making it easier to pick up and move. But these crates can become challenging to clean when the dog faces an accident, and they can get shredded to bits when your pup has the habit of scratching and chewing.
4. The aspect of puppy crate training
When you are crate training your dog instantly after they come home, it can help them to get groomed successfully for their entire life. It helps in housetraining and allows them to transport the pup to the vet for the early doses of vaccinations. That aside, it can help to keep the dog away from trouble when they get to know of the home rules, thereby segregating the furniture when they are in the teething stage.
Hence, when you are selecting a crate for your dog, you can choose a hard-sided crate that gets correctly created using sturdy walls and a robust décor so that it can keep the pup safe. Just in case your pet has an accident, you will find it easier to clean the crate. If your pup is in the early stages of infancy, it’s not good to bring in a wood crate. That is not a great choice as it is vulnerable to damage from scratching and chewing. These are some of the behaviors that puppies usually exhibit when they are getting trained for the crate.
Also, size is another crucial factor when selecting the crate for your puppy. It is possible for you to keep the divider aside for generating a bigger space that can grow as the dog grows. A few crates have dividers, and it can get used for creating a small crate for young puppies.
Generally, when you are trying to find out how to choose the correct dog crate, the most crucial thing to keep in mind is this – the objective of any crate is to ensure that your dog feels comfortable, secure, and safe. When there is correct crate training, the dog will start to consider the crate as a safe and happy place and will not feel inhibited to spend time in the crate. That means when you provide good crate training to your dog, you will ultimately be the happy owner. Hence, it’s natural that you would wish to choose the correct dog crate using much consideration and care.
Things to keep in mind when you are buying online
Today, almost everything is available online. That means, when it comes to your dog crate, you can purchase it online as well. While this acts as a boon, there can be a few concerns as well. For instance, you aren’t able to see the crate and take a feel of it in person. But when you browse online, you get to select from multiple options that might not be available at a store. Here are a few tactics that you can follow to make sure that you make the correct choice.
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Choose a leading website
You need to research online and choose a website that is a leader in the dog crate. For this, you have to find out the best three or five websites selling the product and make a comparative analysis. That way, you will get to know the strong points of each service provider and choose the one that caters to your requirement and budget capacity.
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Check out the customer reviews
It is necessary for you to check the customer reviews so that you know whether or not the customers are happy with what they have purchased. You can either check the testimonials that are available online or the customer reviews available on Google. It proves to be a rich source of information based on which you can base your purchasing decision. In case you find that a website has an excess of negative reviews, it’s best not to partner with that website. There will be mixed reviews for most websites. It’s ideal to select a website that has more positive reviews than negative comments or reviews.
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Get in touch with the customer care for any queries
When you are purchasing a product online, you might have some questions and suggestions. That way, it is necessary to ensure that you don’t have any doubts when you are purchasing a product. To ensure that doesn’t take place, you should get in touch with the customer care department for any product or service queries. You can check with the customer care team when you want to ask about the payment gateway, delivery timeline, and also after-sales service if required. It will ensure that you are completely updated about the product that you are purchasing.
These are a few ways in which you can ensure that you are purchasing the correct dog crate for your furry friend. It will ensure that your pup stays in a comfortable and secure place.
