Pet News

I'm excited to announce a new addition to the Le Bone Appetit Newsletter and Website. Celebrity dog trainer and behavior therapist, Jody Rosengarten, will be contributing regular articles on the training and care of your pet.
Jody is the author of ROVER, DON'T ROLL OVER, A Compassionate Training Guide for Dogs and Their People, published by Ten Speed Press. She can also be contacted at: thebarkstopshere@aol.com

TO CRATE OR NOT TO CRATE

By now, I'm sure you know that Crate is just a euphemism for cage. Whatever it's called, I wouldn't raise a puppy without one. All puppies need a cozy space to call home when unsupervised. Clearly, this prevents them from having access to things they shouldn't chew and, because it is natural for dogs to leave their sleeping quarters to relieve themselves, crates expedite housebreaking.

Puppy-proofing a powder room or other small space could serve the same purpose. And this is fine. But I prefer a crate because it can be located where you are. So, if the crate is in the kitchen, den or bedroom, Pavlov can be included in the family's activities which will make transitioning out of the crate in that room easier. Relegating the puppy to the powder room means making time to hang out with him there.

And there's nothing wrong with having more than one crate. An overnight crate could be in a bedroom and a daytime, when no one's home crate, in the kitchen.

I prefer metal crates to the plastic travel ones. They're airier but can be cozied-up by throwing a blanket over part of it. If floor space is limited, make a fashion statement by throwing designer fabric over the cage and call it an end table.

Select a crate large enough for Pavlov to grow into. If it's too big though, the puppy may sleep in one end and relieve himself in the other, thereby defeating its purpose. This can be remedied by temporarily making the crate smaller by cordoning off part of it with a divider.

Good luck!

Jody Rosengarten
The Bark Stops Here
(203) 372-BARK