Pet Professor

Why a Dog Crate Is Important For Your Indoor Dog

Suppose This Happened To You:

One day I was at work, and my husband called to tell me that he had left the house. He mentioned that he did not put our two newly rescued German Shepherds, Sarah and Dresden in their dog crates. I was a little worried, but thought to myself, “What damage could they possibly do?” Only a dog owner can imagine what I came home to - laundry all over the place, my husband’s dirty underwear chewed up in my office, beds tore up, my teddy bears used as chew toys, and (I am not sure how they did this) a bag of flour spread throughout the house. Berry, Wanda, and Robin just looked at the other two in horror when I came home. Needless to say, Sarah and Dresden are now always crated when we leave the house.

You Can Avoid Disasters Like This

Get a dog crate. In addition to avoiding disasters around your home, a dog crate makes life with your pooch so much easier.

Here’s Why:

First of all a crate feels like a “den” to most dogs. It’s a comfortable place that is all their own, where they can feel safe.

It makes housebreaking all the easier. Canines naturally want to go to the bathroom far away from where they sleep, eat, and play.

A crate will save your house. Dogs can’t chew up everything when they are safe in their crates.

Dogs who have their own crate, won’t feel the need to try out your new sofa or treat your bed as a trampoline while you are gone.

You will never have to come home and think “Oh No - Not Again!”

What Size Dog Crate Do You Need?

The general rule is to pick a dog crate that is big enough for your dog to stand up and turn around. Yeah I know that doesn’t really help you unless you are going to bring your dog to the pet store and assemble crates, get your dog in them, and get your dog to turn around without making a scene. I usually measure my dogs while they are sleeping or lying down to get the best measurement and comfort for my gang.

Cages and Crates from PetSmart.com 

tags: Indoor Dogs, Indoor Dog Kennel author: petprofessor comments: No Comments

Indoor Dog vs. Outdoor Dogs

Indoor Dogs Vs. Outdoor Dogs

Dog owners may debate this until the end of time, but most experts agree that most dogs prefer to be in a situation where they can interact with people and other pets. 

Dogs kept outdoors with litlle or no human interaction may be more likely to develop behavioral problems like excessive barking, fence running, escaping and even aggression.

Dogs kept outdoors are also more likely to have physical problems and parasitic diseases like fleas, ticks, intestinal parasites, and heartworms.

tags: Indoor Dogs author: petprofessor comments: 1 Comment

Indoor Dog Gates

I came across this article about the importance of indoor dog gates.  I can tell you that they really are a must for the indoor dog owner.  Indoor dog gates have saved my wood floors, and my doors (one of my dogs suffers from anxiety and scratches the doors). 

Tall Indoor Dog Gates - how they can help with your dog training & your families safety
by Paul S

When you have a dog in the house it is vital that he knows who is in charge and what he is allowed to do, he must also know what the rules of the house are. If you do not set the rules for your dog he will think that he is in charge and set the rules himself, this can result in a dog that is very hard to train and who might become aggressive. One way to avoid such problems is to set firm boundaries that the dog is not allowed to cross, you might decide that he is not allowed in the kitchen or up stairs, this will give the message to the dog that because you are in charge you have access to every area of the home but the dog as a lower (although much loved) member of the family (or pack as the dog will see it) only has access to some areas. Obviously you are not going to be in the same room as the dog 24/7 and if you were to go from the front room to the dining room you could not reasonably be expected to shut the dog in the front room every time to stop him wondering off, If you did do this it might cause some separation anxiety, as the dog is unable to see through the door and does not understand why you have left him. If you have a tall indoor dog gate fitted, and they can be fitted with out leaving marks on the door or wall, then all you need do is open it walk through and close it, there is now a barrier between you and the dog, so he is unable to go into the restricted areas of the house, but the dog can see through it and the anxiety is no longer a problem.

If you have a dog that jumps up and misbehaves when you have visitors, an easy way of solving this problem is to shut the dog in a room where he can see the door that your guests are coming through but because you have put up a tall indoor dog gate he is unable to get into the same room as your visitors. He will be excited when your visitors arrive and want to be centre of attention (this is most likely why he misbehaves) the idea of the barrier is to allow him to take some time to calm down at the thought of the visitors and once he has you may open the tall indoor dog gate and let him join your guests. Once the initial excitement has worn off he can greet your visitors in a much more acceptable manor, this technique is remarkably effective and after a short time the gate becomes unnecessary as the dog recognises to be calmer when people come to your house.

If you decide to allow your dog to go upstairs then a tall indoor dog gate is essential to stop him bolting down the stairs and hurting himself. If you do not have a barrier at the top of the stairs then the dog could run down them and loose control, and a run can very easily turn in to a fall. With a tall indoor dog gate in place you can control when the dog goes down the stairs and you can be on hand to ensure the slow decent.

I hope these observations have helped you think about the need of getting some tall indoor dog gates for your home, they can help with training and with the safety of your pet and family.

About the author:

Tall Indoor Dog Gates - Dedicated to bringing you the best information and advice on dog training and healthcare.

tags: Indoor Dogs author: petprofessor comments: 1 Comment

Indoor Dog Kennels

As a lifelong owner of indoor dogs, I can not tell you how important it is to have an indoor dog kennel for your dog.  “Why?” you might ask.  Well I can think of three good reasons right off the bat:

1.  First of all an indoor dog kennel (or dog crate) feels like a “den” to most dogs. It’s a comfortable place that is all their own, where they can feel safe and secure. 

2.  An indoor dog kennel makes housebreaking all the easier. Dogs naturally want to go to the bathroom far away from where they sleep, eat, and play.

3.  An indoor dog kennel will save your house. Dogs can’t chew up everything when they are safe in their crates.  This is especially important when you have a new dog or a dog that suffers from separation anxiety.  Let me tell you a story about how I learned the importance of an indoor dog kennel.

Several years ago, when I was at work, my then-husband called to let me know that he was leaving the house and had left two of our German Shepherd rescues free in the house (it was only for an hour).  You could not imagine the scene when I came home.  Imagine walking in the door to find laundry all over the house, dogs covered in flour, my stuffed animals used as chew toys, my favorite shoes chewed up (how do dogs always seem to find the most expensive ones?), and my bed used as a trampoline.  Needless to say from that day forward the dogs indoor kennels were always used.

tags: Indoor Dogs, Indoor Dog Kennel author: petprofessor comments: No Comments

Indoor Dog Tips

All dog lovers want their dogs to enjoy the great outdoors as much as possible.  However dog owners who live in the city or in apartments or condos have found some creative ways to overcome the problems associated with indoor dogs.

Some of the problems with indoor dogs include teaching your dog containment training, keeping your dog well fed and happily busy, as well as providing outlets for nature’s call.  Some of the more frustrating problems include barking when someone knocks at the door and jumping on expensive furniture.

Luckily there are dog training products that make it easier for dog owners to train their indoor dogs.  According to PetSafe, stimulation training aids such as pads and collars that use mild electric stimulation can help teach dogs to avoid expensive furniture.  These products are unpleasant to dogs but are harmless.

Other products to hit the market include a pheromone line by Farnam Pet Products that uses a soothing scent that helps calm dogs and reduce negative behavior.

Dog Beds and dog crates that provide indoor dogs with a “comfort zone” not only reduce stress for dogs, but also for dog owners who are away for long periods of time.  Thermal beds that provide warmth and comfort are very popular.

Veterinarians suggest crate training for the indoor dog as a dog’s natural instinct is to find shelter when he hears thunder or unfamiliar noises.  Plus dog’s like to have a place of safety and privacy when they are scared, tired, or have “just had enough action for the moment.”    Dogs that are introduced to the crate early often consider their crates their home. 

Automatic feeding bowls can also be invaluable making sure that your dog’s feeding time is never missed so that your dog never goes hungry.  This helps reduce your dog’s stress.

It’s been shown that one of the best ways to improve your dog’s health is to get him to drink more water.  However dogs sometimes turn their noses up at water that’s been sitting in the water bowl all day.  Enter dog drinking fountains.  These fountains are great as they keep water circulating; most also have a reserve tank so that you never have to worry about your dog going without water while you are gone.

Chew toys are a must for the home alone dog.  Chew toys and dog bones are a great way for dogs to keep themselves busy while you are away.  Plus they help keep your dog’s teeth and gums clean.  It’s a good idea to keep several toys out at once for your dog – the more dog toys your dog has to choose from while you’re away, the less likely he’ll be to chew on your favorite sofa.

About The Author
Margaret Svete, best-selling author, television and radio personality, and dog rescuer helps dog owners discover new and exciting ways to spoil their dogs.  Visit her site at http://www.spoilyourdog.com/

tags: Indoor Dogs author: petprofessor comments: No Comments