The moment you decide to own a Dalmatian puppy, you need to start planning for his arrival in your home. Both you and your new family member will find the transition period much easier if your home is properly equip in advance of the arrival.

One of the first thing you need to prepare for the arrival of your new Dalmatian puppy is a crate. Every dog should have a crate of his own from the very beginning, one that he will come to know and love as his special place where he is comfortable and safe. The crate will provide an ideal setting; when you want him to be free, you can just leave the crate open. Otherwise, you can securely latch it and know that the pup is safely out of trouble. Also, if you travel with him, his crate can fit nicely in the car. A crate therefore is a very sensible and sound investment in your puppy’s future safety and happiness and for your own peace of mind.

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Debate continues unabated about whether or not crate training dogs is healthy or harmful.

‘Crating’ involves placing a pet in a cage, usually plastic or metal of roughly the size of the dog, for a period of time during the day or night.

Proponents argue that crating gives the dog a sense of ‘property’, a place it can call its own. In this little home within the home, the dog feels safe surrounded by familiar smells and objects. Here, the dog can retreat from fearful noises or boisterous children.

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Diane Thompson, a student of our Professional Obedience and Behavior Modification Course, was given the task of writing an article on the importance and benefits of crate training a dog for her weeks assignment. She recently submitted the paper to me and wrote it from a dog’s perspective, which I though was very interesting. I thought that she did an excellent job with the assignment. I wanted to share her article here, with her permission of course.

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A lot of people normally have the wrong conception when it comes to crates. This conception leads people to believe that crates are a punishment for dogs, and therefore they won’t use them. Much to the contrary, crates are actually one of the safest places you can put your Golden Retriever, which also gratifies his natural instincts to situate himself within a den.

If you have a crate and leave it open, your Golden will start to go to it when he gets sleepy or when he gets confused. Although Golden’s tend to like crates, you shouldn’t overuse one by allowing him to spend hours at a time inside of one. While you should be training him to get used to the crate, you should never allow him out if he is barking. Once your Golden starts to appreciate the crate, you can leave him in it for a few hours here and there - such as when you are away from home.
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