- Image via Wikipedia
At first glance the idea of putting your dog in a cage when you are out may seem extreme or even mean. But ask yourself, what is your intent, what makes your dog feel comfortable, and what is best for your family which includes your dog? By asking yourself these questions you may find that your best choice is to crate your dog during the day when you are away, and you may find some other choice which is also the best choice for your dog.
In nature, wolves and coyotes keep their pups in dens. Dens are small cavities in the side of a slope, under a tree or a hole dug in the ground. During this part of their life when the pups are young, they feel safe, secure and comfortable when their mother is away, when they are in the den. The mother will leave for periods of time to get food and during this time it is important that the pups feel safe and don’t venture off where they could get hurt. In the wild, the mother teaches the pups to stay in the den when she is away, it is not hard for her to do because the den is where the pup feels the most comfortable. This is not much different than crating your puppy or dog when you are away. In the case of your puppy, it is looking to you to provide it with food and everything it needs to survive including a nice space to feel comfortable and safe when you are away.
Putting your puppy in a crate is much like what a canine does in the wild and is there for a reasonable way to treat your puppy. By providing your pup with this reassurance that when you are away they will have a comfortable safe place to stay to you are creating a stable environment for your puppy to live.
