all about dogs

Is putting a dog in a crate mean? Dogs, being den animals, may actually enjoy being kept in a den. Dogs sometimes used to burrow in the ground in the wild when they wanted to sleep. The question to be asked is why dogs bark and whine when in the crate. The reason may be the dog is not used to the crate. The dog thinks that by barking, you will let it out. You can stop dog barking by making the crate or any other environment for the dog pleasant and comfortable.

When the barking continues, there are other ways you can employ to stop dog barking. Try to ignore the dog. Do you know that barking is a dog’s way to get attention? When the dog barks consistently and you come to him each time it only encourages the dog to continue barking. The dog will realize that is the way to get attention and will consistently continue to bark whenever he feels he is not getting enough attention. When you ignore the dog’s barking he will eventually give up on it.

Try to keep your dog entertained with his favorite blankets, chew toys and other favorite items when the dog is in the crate. The objective here is to help the dog relax and make him stop seeking attention because he will be busy with himself. The toys should be better placed at the back of the crate away from the door. Just remember to avoid including toys that can bring harm like rawhide. They can pose the danger of choking the dog.

To stop dog barking the crate with the dog should be placed in a room that has activity with people. This could be in a corner of the dining room, kitchen or living room giving the dog sight of you. The dog in such situations feels less isolated or less ignored. In case you put your dog in a crate at night it would work to put the crate beside your bed where the dog will see you. The dog will see you sleep and know it’s time for him to sleep too.

Acclimate the dog to the crate. Dogs that are not used to crates should be introduced slowly to the crate until they get adapted. That is when you can leave him there for longer times. This can be started by putting him in a short time per day to a couple hours per day as days go by.

The dog should be made to exercise before being put in the crate. A dog that is exercised feels tired. This will make the dog lie down to rest the moment he is put in the crate. A dog that has not had some activity to do the whole day wants to come out and play and therefore resorts to barking to get the point across.