All of us that show dogs are aware of the necessity of a dog crate. And we are careful to instruct the buyers of potential show puppies on the advantages of getting the pup used to being crated but what about the pet owner? I feel every dog deserves a crate. It should be his home. A place he can call his own. He should never be punished in his crate and never put in his crate for punishment.

1. Security: The crate will be you pups dog house his home, when he is in your house or traveling. Select the right size crate. A crate should be just large enough for your dog to stand up in, lie down in a comfortable position, and no much more. Be sure to buy the crate for your dog when is full-grown, you can get dividers to use while he is a puppy. A wire crate is recommended so your dog can see what is going on and not feel trapped and also get proper ventilation.

Put something soft and washable in the crate for a bed. Add a few toys and perhaps even his food and water. Add a few toys. Choose a spot for the crate that is out of the way but still the pup will be able to see what is going on. Now you are ready to introduce him to the crate. Coax the puppy into the crate or place him in it. Stay and talk to him a few minutes but stay around and talk to him until he settles down. Start with short periods and gradually increase the time he is locked in. Leave the crate door open at other times so he can go in and out, as he wants to. In a short time you will find that most dogs feel secure in their crates and choose them as their resting place.

Now when you need to wax the floor you can put your pup up with no complaints. When the friend comes over that is allergic or scared of dogs again you can put the pup up with no complaints. This list could go on and on.

2. Housebreaking: I would never attempt to housebreak a pup without a crate. No animal likes to sleep or be confined in an area he has spoiled, so he will make every effort to wait until you let him out of his crate. And he will probably let you know when he needs to get out. Whenever you can not actually keep the pup in sight put him in the crate. At night put the crate close enough so you can hear the pup crying in the crate if he can 't wait any longer.

Even after a dog is reliable in the house I recommend the dog be crated whenever you leave the house. Dogs become destructive when they are bored or upset. It's much better to return home to a joyous reunion between dog and owner than to a mess or torn up house. Then both will be miserable.

3. Safety: Crating the dog while you are away could turn out to be the safest policy for your dog. Until my son joined the fire department I had never thought about a dog loose in a house on fire. We only hear about the dog that woke up the master and saved his family. Or the little pooch rescued by some kind fireman. Well, there is another more realistic story to tell. The first concern of the Fire Dept. is to rescue any people in the building and to put out the fire. Any animal that gets in their way or threatens to get in their way is destroyed. The procedure for Fire Depts. is to hit the animal over the head with the ax unless an officer was there to shoot it. Naturally what is considered threatening or in the way is going to vary greatly depending on who is making that determination. But a crated dog could hardly be considered a threat. Will a crated dog be saved by the fireman? Yes as long as it can be done in a manner as not to endanger the fireman or interfere with the fireman's duties in putting out the fire. Obviously, in a case with a crated dog in his crate would be most likely to be rescued as he could be carried out without any danger to the firemen and he would be restrained so as not to interfere in their work.

4. Traveling: The crate is most essential here. First you are taking the dog's home with him so wherever you place his crate he has a sense of security. Motel rooms, a friend's house, back of the vehicle, ect. He will feel secure and content in his crate. If you should ever lose you dog leave his crate at the spot he was lost with the door open. Many a lost dogs has been found curled up in his crate hours or even days later.

Always crate your dog when transporting him for his safety. He is much less likely to be injured in an accident if he is in a crate. I've known of several cases where vans of show dogs were in an accident, the people were severely - injured or killed, the vehicle totaled but the crated dogs had only cuts and bruises.

Several years ago we were made aware of another reason for crating a dog when traveling. We were in an accident and the officers at the scene refused to let Bear go in the squad car. He said most dogs involved in a accident go into a shock and become completely unpredictable. Whether or not this is true most officers believe it. If the people in the accident are injured to the extent that they can't control the dog most likely the dog will be shot. It is the duty of the officer to rescue the people in the accident with no treat to the paramedics or himself. Also they can not take a chance on the dog causing another accident on the highways.

If however the dog is crated they can safely remove the people then notify the humane officer or a veterinarian to come and take care of the dog. Also on all crates we have emergency names and numbers for the officers to contact for someone to come and get all our dogs.

"Doesn't your dog deserve his own crate?"