Indoor Kennels (Wire Cages & Crates)

Indoor kennels are so easily abused, that I will not recommend them as a matter of course.

They can be a useful tool if used compassionately by knowledgeable owners, but in the hands of the uncaring, uneducated or the absent-minded, they can become a frightening prison for a dog.

Dogs have been designed by nature and bred by man to enjoy being active.
Confinement for long periods of time can lead to terrible frustration, especially in young dogs and those from working breeds, which are those most likely to be crated because of their high activity levels.

Their behaviour when they finally get free can be appalling, as they try to use up their energy, that they are quickly returned to the crate in an effort to regain control.

When raising a puppy, it is much better to use a puppy playpen
which has enough space for a sleeping and a playing area. This gives more space for the puppy to move about, play and chew, and, in an emergency, he will be able to go to the toilet if you are not there for some reason, and he really needs to.

Housetraining is not difficult if you know how (see The Perfect Puppy chapter 7).
Patience and vigilance are the keys to success and you should be there when your puppy needs to go, rather than forcing it to hang on for a long time until it is convenient for you to take it out.

Unfortunately, there will always be people who abuse crates.
There have been too many instances of people taking dogs to rescue shelters because they are uncontrollable and boisterous.

On further investigation, the real reason is found to be that the dog spends nearly 22 out of 24 hours every day locked in a cage.

Others have come in with bandaged front paws, where their frantic attempts to escape have lead to paw and mouth injuries.

In these cases, cages have often been recommended by ‘experts’ in an attempt to cure separation problems when the dog is left alone.

I find it interesting that we have sanitised the terminology we use by calling them ‘indoor kennels’ rather than wire cages which seems to make it more acceptable for people to use, and abuse, them.

If your dog has behaviour problems, get expert advice to help you understand the world from your dog’s point of view.

Professional advice from a member of the The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors can help you solve the problem in a kind, effective and humane way, rather than trying to contain it by crating the dog.

In the modern world where there are enough restrictions on dog’s freedom as it is, close confinement of this kind just to make our lives easier is, in my opinion, neither kind nor justifiable.

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