Getting your Beardie used to being in a crate or
kennel is one of those things I believe all Beardie owners should practice.
I initially had very mixed
feelings about this practice, but after a few years I have come to consider
this an important item. I know some
owners complain about how their pets “hate” being in a kennel, but I really
think such views are more expressive of the owner’s feelings, rather than their
pets. Dogs actually have a "denning" instinct, and prefer to sleep in places in which they feel secure. If you get your dog used to a
crate, they will actually use them of their own accord.
We keep several crates around our home with
their doors open, and dogs will curl up in them to sleep. (I am talking about the airline-style
crates, such as the Vari-Kennel brand which seems to be something of a defacto
standard. I would say you need a size
300 kennel for smaller Beardies, while big Beardie males should probably have a
size 400.) So get a kennel, throw a
couple of pads into it to provide a comfortable bed for your dog, leave the
door open, and let nature take its course.
You also should resolve to
get your Beardie used to riding in a car. This is important as you’ll never know when
you may have to take your Beardie with you for some errand, or driving your
Beardie to the vets or to a boarding kennel.
If you have something like a
minivan or any car with a large backseat, this is a place where having your
Beardie comfortable in a crate can be useful.
Just put the crate in back of the minivan, or across the back seat, and
you’re good to go. You can also just
have your Beardie ride freely in the car.
We do this with our dogs, but this is really NOT a good way to do
things. There are car restraints for
dogs that you should consider using, both for your safety and the safety of
your dog. Again, we’ve never used any
restraint (except for crates in a minivan), but we really should