When is a Dog Crate Right?
If your dog is on restricted movement and needs to stay still to recover from an injury, a dog crate can help manage this. Young puppies who are being trained can benefit from a dog crate, as they quickly learn that it is a place for calm and rest. A dog who is anxious will often enjoy having a dog crate to which they can retreat and have a break from stimulation.
How Will a Dog Crate Help?
Dog crates will prevent your dog from walking or running around when they need to be still for healing from a musculoskeletal injury, such as IVDD, or post-surgery, such as TPLO. Dog crates give your dog enough space to turn around in, and stretch out while lying down, but will limit your dog's movement in a way that will worsen an injury.
Nervous dogs take comfort from having a crate to go to as their own safe, private space. Excitable dogs can use a crate to calm down as it reduces overstimulation. Crates are also useful for car journeys, particularly for bouncy, energetic, or nervous dogs who need a secure, enclosed space.
How to Pick a Dog Crate?
The correct crate size will be dependent on your dog’s size, breed, and weight, as well as the space in which it is going to go (e.g. car, mud room etc). You should also take into account whether you want one that is easily collapsible and portable, so easy for travelling, or if a rigid, non-folding one is more suitable.
Also, will the dog crate be for an individual dog or several? Some dogs prefer to have their own crate, as they feel it's their own space. Other dogs, particularly smaller dogs, may be more relaxed about sharing a large crate. Some dog crates come with their own cushion or padding, others don’t. If you want to use a specific dog bed, check that it will fit into the crate that you choose.
Read about IVDD, one of the conditions that is likely to need restricted movement and crate rest.