The cage, also known as a bench, kennel or box, is specially designed for dogs. A cage is a very good investment that can be very useful in many situations. If you have a puppy at home, it is best to purchase a cage as quickly as possible and let the dog get used to it. It is a misconception to think that it is pathetic to lock a dog in its cage, but you can ensure that the dog experiences this as pleasant and that it is its own place in the house.

The benefits of a cage

• Once the dog is used to its cage, it will feel comfortable and comfortable in it when it has to stay home alone. It is his nest, his own place in the house. There is a good chance that he will not cry or bark less or less.
• The dog has no chance of getting mischief when he is home alone.
• The cage is a great help during the toilet training of a puppy. If the dog is in the cage, he will not pee in here, as he will regard the cage as his own place. In this way he learns that he has to wait until he can go outside to do his needs.
• The dog will associate his cage with quiet sleep time once he is used to his cage.
• If the dog needs rehabilitation after an injury or operation, he will have to spend most of his rehabilitation time in his cage so that he stays calm.

Letting the dog get used to the cage

Before the dog will regard its cage as its own bed, the dog must of course first get used to the cage. It is best to put a blanket or pillow in the cage so that it is pleasant for the dog to lie down. It is best to place the cage somewhere in the living room, in a draft-free place, so that the dog has a nice overview of the living room from his cage. Make sure that this place is not too busy, that the dog can find peace there. Directly by the radio, TV or heating is not a good idea.

If the dog is in its cage, it is best to reward it with, for example, a bone that it can only eat when they are in the cage. If they want to leave the cage with the bone in its mouth, they must be brought back to the cage. You will have to keep repeating this for a few days until they realize that they can only eat the bone in the cage. You can only proceed to the next step if the dog is lying quietly in its cage while it is biting its bone.

Now the dog must learn that every time he wants to sleep, after a walk or after playing, he must always go to its cage for this. To be able to learn this, it is important that he does not have a bed anywhere else, his cage must be his only place to sleep. If his bed fits in the cage, you can, of course, put it there. So every time he gets ready to sleep, you take the dog to his cage. If he lies down you can reward him with a cookie. Every time the dog leaves his cage and wants to go to sleep elsewhere, you bring him back to his cage with a reward.

If the dog then eventually seeks out its cage for a nap on its own, you can start teaching it that you will close its cage for a while. As long as they are still learning sleeping in a closed cage, you cannot leave them alone. If they become restless or starts whining or barking, you must not pay them any attention. You cannot comfort or reassure them now. As long as they are restless you can ignore them. Otherwise the dog will feel rewarded for barking or howling. Only when they are calm you can open the door of the cage again without rewarding him exuberantly. Let the dog go its own way as if nothing special had happened.

If the dog finally remains quietly in its cage with a closed door, you can take the final step to leave the dog alone at home in its closed cage. Of course you also have to learn this in steps and with the help of a bone and not stay away for hours the first time. You can build this up and start with a very short period.

It is of course important that the dog likes to stay in its cage. To achieve this, you can occasionally ensure that you leave some tasty kibbles in his cage if he does not see this. In this way he will learn to experience that it can be pleasant and exciting to just go into his cage and he will occasionally poke around for something tasty.

Never put the dog in his cage as punishment, his cage must always be a pleasant place for him where children will never bother him. It must always be the place where he can find peace and enjoy staying.

You can do a cover over the cage, such as the Show Tech Cage Cover, so that the dog can sleep more peacefully there and not be distracted by everything around him.

NEVER put the dog on a collar in the cage because if it gets stuck somewhere they could choke!

The size of the cage

It is of course very important that a dog can turn, stretch, sit and lie down in its cage without hindrance. If you buy a large cage for your puppy, it is best to place a partition because a puppy in the large cage will think that it can do its bit anyway. Too large a cage will also not be familiar to the dog and in too small a cage the dog will not feel well and even get physical complaints.

Tip to determine the size of the cage:

For the width of the cage, take the shoulder height of your dog, for the depth of the cage, take the back length x 1.25 and determine the height of the cage, take the shoulder height again + 10 cm.

Don't forget to clean your dog's kennel regularly. Certainly if your dog regularly stays in it, but also if he only occasionally uses it, the cushions or what lies in them must be washed regularly and the kennel itself must be regularly washed with a disinfectant product. It is much more pleasant for the dog and the owner if the cage is neat and hygienic.

Transport your dog safely

If you take your dog in the car, you must also consider their safety. You can easily do this by buckling in the dog with the Travel Safety Belt. This way, the dog cannot walk around freely in the car and hinder the driver.

If the dog is quiet in a cage, you can also use a cage in the car if the dog comes along. A special transport kennel has been designed for this, such as the Show Tech Globetrotter Deluxe, with wheels. This ensures a safe situation, both for the dog and for yourself. Suppose that something happens, the dog will not be able to escape and if the emergency services have to provide care, the dog will not be able to obstruct it. The dog will also have to be placed in a cage for air transport, unless it is a very light dog that can be carried in hand luggage!

Those who prefer a light cage to transport the dog can opt for the Show Tech Easy Crate Fabric travel cage. This is easily portable and foldable.

If the dog goes with the car, the temperatures in the summer can be high. This can even be fatal for the dog that is even left alone in the car!

There are several options to cool the temperature in the cage:

• You can place a cooling mat in the cage, such as the Show Tech Cooling mat, on which the dog can lie down. You place this cooling mat in the freezer for 10 minutes or 20 minutes in the refrigerator and the mat will provide cooling for a longer period if the dog is on it.
• You can also place a cooling fan, such as the Show Tech Cooling fan, on the wires of the transport cage that will provide refreshment. This cooling fan can also be placed on a cage in the house.
• The dog can be put in a Show Tech Cool Coat. This is equipped with cooling polymers that keep the dog cool for 6 to 8 hours after you immerse this cool coat in the water for 1 minute.

Hydrate the dog on the road

For the dog it is important that he gets a drink regularly, even when he is in the car. There are various options for this:

If the dog is in a cage, you can attach a Show Tech Automatic Water Distributor Bottle Top to it. This way the dog can always reach the water itself.
You can also give him a Show Tech Drinking Bottle where water is released when the dog licks the top of the cap. Or if you have a Pet Top Portable drinking device Bottle Top (which fits most water bottles) at hand, you can also let the dog drink easily without spilling.

Strengthen the bond with your dog

While teaching good manners and tricks to your dog, he will be very happy with the attention he gets. If he is rewarded correctly each time he executes orders well, he will quickly learn these good habits. Rewards can be a cookie or piece of meat or something else your dog likes, but this can also be done with a pat, or by being allowed to play with his favorite toy while you talk to the dog in such a way that he feels that he was doing something very well. The dog will get even more attention for its owner and so will strengthen the relationship between owner and dog.