Crates for Westies

Folks who have used crates for their dogs for years don’t give them a second thought - they wouldn’t be without them. Others, who are first time dog owners, or are getting their first small house dog, have nagging thoughts about ‘putting their pets in boxes’. Somehow it doesn’t sound like a caring, loving thing to do. So, just what are crates, and what are their uses?

Crates are made from three materials: metal wire, moulded plastic, and fabric. The metal ones can come as unit or foldable, either one has a removeable metal tray at the bottom. This style allows full view of the pet, but no protection from draughts unless a cloth covering is added. The crate has a door either on the top, or at one end, and most are lockable. It also has one or two handles for carrying. The proper size for the adult Westie runs at around $50 to $70.

The moulded plastic crate, by far the most common, comes in two pieces fitted and fastened together with a metal grate door at one end. This also is lockable. There should always be ventilation slots on the other three sides and the crate should have a carrying handle. A few of these units are foldable and all of them come in a variety of colours. The price for Westie size is $25 to $75. If you are wanting a crate that can also be used for air transport, check with the airline for their specific regulations as to type, size, etc. Some plastic crates are not made strong enough for air travel. Note, some models have a moulded floor to support a wire mesh insert. For general use, a flat floor is best for the comfort of the dog, as well as for easy cleaning. Some models also have storage sections built into the top of the crate.

Fabric crates are used for dogs at dog shows where the animals are already trained to use the crate. They come in various colours with large screen panels on three sides and carrying handles. Although not designed for daily use they are very useful to set up in motels, when on holiday or when visiting friends. They are light weight, fold flat for carrying, and cost between $65 and $90. These crates are not designed to be used in car travel as they are not strong enough to protect the dog in case of accident.

The size of the crate you buy depends on the Westie’s age. The animal, regardless of age, must be able to stand up, turn around easily, and sleep stretched full out. Numbers used to designate crate sizes vary among manufacturers. A smaller crate is needed for a puppy than is needed for the adult. If you get a crate too large for a puppy, thinking it will save you money, the puppy will realize he can sleep in one end and pee in the other end. This is not helpful to your ‘potty training’ program. The puppy size crate lasts about six to eight months by which time, the dog is well trained, and has grown large enough for the adult size crate.

A word about maintenance - any crate, along with whatever bedding is used and food dishes, bought separately, to hang on the door, must be kept clean on a regular basis. The crate itself should be well wiped out once a week as well as after any mishap such as an ‘accident’, spilled food, excessively muddy feet etc. Use hot water and an anti-bacterial soap. All bedding should be washed at a minimum every two weeks as well as after the above mentioned incidents. Many types of bedding are available, but medium to large terry cloth bath towels work extremely well. They are easily arranged by the dog for his own comfort and can be easily laundered by you. Needless to say they need not be new. Before the crate is to be used for transportation, check to be sure all door latches, handles, and other fasteners are secure. Most crates have special holes on door and frame so one can add a snap fastener as an extra safety precaution when using the crate in a car. It should be noted that a few manufacturers also have special slots in the crates for using with straps. All crates should be strapped in place when used in a vehicle, and have good ventilation. Never leave a dog, crated or not, in a vehicle in a parking lot in summer. It can be deadly - check with your vet.

Crates are available from pet stores, large hardware/department stores, or can be ordered on-line from suppliers of professional dog equipment. If you don’t know the quality and design of the crate you want, do a hands-on inspection of those locally available before ordering on-line. Second hand crates should be inspected for defects and disinfected before use.

- The crate provides the dog with his own private space much as the den did for his wild ancestors. The dog feels safe there, can take a quick nap or hide his favorite toys. If you have children, teach them to respect that space as belonging to the dog. Never let them annoy him or try to pull him out. Always call him out, using a treat at first.

- If you have more than one dog, you can use the crate to separate them when play gets too rambunctious.

- Crates are also useful when you have repair people or rug installers come, or you have visitors who don’t like dogs in the house.

- Crates are invaluable as a method for house-training. Specific training information for this is available on our website, from your veterinarian, or from general dog training books. With Westies. all training should be done with positive reinforcement, not physical punishment.

- Dogs as well as people are much safer if the dog is well confined when traveling in a vehicle.

- If the dog eats and sleeps in his crate, your clean-up area is smaller than if he spreads himself around the house. For more than one dog, eating in the crates prevents food squabbles.

- If the dog is in his crate at night, you will not fall over him in the hall in the dark, and he is easily located and carried out should there be a fire, or other emergency.

As with other pieces of equipment used with a dog, crates can be misused either through ignorance or carelessness. Be aware that if you use the crate for punishment you will not only defeat the purpose of the crate, but you may create behaviour problems which you did not have to start with. ‘Punishment’ is best done with only a stern disapproving voice. People who work all day, or are in and out a lot need to count up the actual number of hours the dog is expected to remain in the crate over a twenty-four your period starting with the number of hours he spends for his night’s sleep. Prolonged confinement will lead to behavioural/psychological problems in an animal just as it would for a human. For those who do work all day, it is far better to block off a room in the house for the dog, using kiddie gates. The kitchen is ideal and having someone come in at noon to let him out for a bit will help greatly.

Crates in their present form are a relatively recent invention and people certainly had house broken dogs with good manners before crates became so common. However, people have found that crates work so well and are so useful for those special times when confinement is necessary, that they are now an integral part of the dog training picture. So, select your crate carefully, use it wisely and success is yours.

Puppies should be introduced to their crate slowly. I think the biggest problem with crate training is the initial length of time the puppy is expected to stay in it. I usually put a puppy in a crate with a toy or chewy where he can see me and not feel abandoned. I usually groom one of the big guys and the pup is where he can still see me. The puppy will try to figure out an escape plan and perhaps protest if he can't discover one, but persistence pays. You know Westies are always challenging us for top position, so don't give in.

Make a big fuss over the puppy when you take him out and he will begin to see it as a positive experience. Take him in the car in his crate for a pleasant trip to the park. Once the dog feels good about his safe place, he will no longer make a big performance when he goes to bed.

Have the crate accessible so that the pup can go there when tired or when he just wants to be alone. Make sure the humans know that once he is in his bed, he is not to be disturbed. He will soon learn this is his refuge and will feel safe and secure.

I have great peace of mind knowing a puppy is safe in his crate if I have to go out. He won't be chewing electrical cords, doing his business in inappropriate places, or chewing up my best shoes (those Westies sure have good taste). Safety and security make you and your Westie sleep better at night.

Assuming you have your new puppy, and have purchased the right size of crate, (that is one that is not big enough for him to make a bedroom at one end and a bathroom at the other end of it) you are ready for serious training.

First, where to place the crate? Ideally it will be in the kitchen area because that's usually the hub of family activity, and also the most likely to have an easily cleaned floor - not carpet!. The best set-up is to have a separate piece of vinyl flooring about 3' x 5' on which you place an exercise pen (6 panels of 24" high, with gate) and place the crate inside. The extra piece of vinyl protects your floor and can be thrown away when training is complete. The use of both the crate and the exercise pen as a unit allows safe play space when the puppy cannot be left to run around loose.

Start by placing washable bedding in the crate, such as a medium sized towel. Then, with a tiny treat, entice him to go in. Keep in mind it is better to use a piece of the puppy kibble he gets as his regular food, rather than commercially prepared treats which are generally too salty. Say the word ‘crate' as he goes in after the treats. As he comes out, say his name and the word ‘come' and give another treat. Play this little game several times a day. He'll find it fun, and soon you will be able to say ‘crate' and he will dive in.

Also, never underestimate the power of meals as a training tool. At every meal time, when you have the food prepared, call his name and ‘come', even if he's underfoot, then put the food into the crate saying ‘crate' as he enters. Later on you can use the meals to train the ‘sit', ‘down' and ‘wait' etc.

After a few days, you will likely find that not only is puppy hopping into the crate as soon as he sees you preparing his meals, but he also chooses to nap there. This behaviour indicates that he is accepting the crate as a safe and good place to be. Each day, try closing the crate door while he is eating his meals, but watch so that you can open the door before he whines or becomes frantic. If you open the door regularly when he is whining and fussing you are actually training him to think that the whine is the signal for the door to open. The goal is to have a quiet dog until you are ready to open the crate door. This is achieved by very slowly increasing the closed-door time by seconds, then minutes, to work up to five to ten minutes in a couple of weeks.

A puppy can be trained to sleep the night in his crate. This has advantages to you not only knowing he is safe in an easily located spot, but that any clean-up of sick tummy etc. can be neatly done. The easiest way to train this is to put it on a little routine. He goes ‘out before bed' and when he comes in he gets ‘bed cookies' in the crate - door closed, lights out. ‘Night night Toby'. Such words and actions repeated each day are soon learned. The bedtime routine will be accepted as a matter of course and crying, if any, will stop in a few days. If the puppy cries in the middle of the night, get up and take him out, on lease, to his ‘spot'. After he has done any business take him straight back to his crate. Some pups can't hold it all night at first. The dog will learn that if he cries at night, it only means go outside to pee. It doesn't mean cuddling and play time.

Your crate training becomes an integral part of the potty training process, but the scheduling of food and trips outside is essential to
success. It works like this:

1. First and foremost- NO punishment, NO scolding etc. as these will increase the dog's anxiety and make your training more difficult.

2. Schedule his meals - divide his daily food into two parts, feed one in the morning, one in the evening, according to the time best suited to your daily schedule. This will help the dog's body regulate itself as to eliminations. There should be no feeding between meals except for the tiny treats to reward the going outside or into his crate when asked to. Water must be available at all times.

3 Select a small area in your back yard where you want him to eliminate, and take him there on- leash at regular times: first thing in the
morning, after each meal, after play and naps. It works out to be every two to three hours, and the last thing before bed. Work out the exact timing to fit your schedule. Have tiny treats in your pocket and profusely reward with praise and treats every time he pees and poops in the right place.

4. If you catch him ‘in the act' in the house, say nothing, just get him outside at once, and if he finishes his business outside, praise and
reward. Each mistake made in the house must be cleaned up thoroughly and immediately. A dog can smell much more than a human can, so wash and disinfect all hard surface flooring. Replace small mats if you can't get the smell out, and have large area carpets professionally cleaned if they smell. If you work away from home, leave him confined in an easily cleaned up area such as an exercise pen, or bathroom or laundry room. Kiddy-gates work well for closing off bathrooms, laundry rooms etc without closing the door and making the dog feel isolated or trapped. Dogs five months and older can stay in their crates up to four hours if properly trained. If possible, have someone come in to take him outside while you are away. This process will take planning, commitment, and the cooperation of the whole family, but it will pay off.

Because the crate is a safe, easy to use means of transporting the dog to the Vet , or when on vacation, or when visiting, the dog must be got used to its being moved. To feel oneself being picked up and being moved around on a tilting surface while in a box can be frightening. Therefore, start small and slowly by first just lifting the crate a few inches off the floor and setting it back down. Treat and praise the dog and let him out. After a few of these trials, carry the crated dog to another room, then up and down stairs. The first car trip should be short - even just around the block. If there is no evidence of whining or panic, you have done the job right. If the dog does show signs of distress, start at the beginning, and proceed more slowly. When using a crate in a car, be sure it is fastened down with straps, or a seat belt. Dogs are generally good car travellers if introduced to it gradually. The crate keeps both the dog and human passengers safe in sudden stops or accidents. If you are considering air travel for the dog, consult your airline first. Regulations must be followed, and some airlines are in process of updating their regulations, resulting in confusion for travellers, and limitations on ‘when', ‘where to ‘ or ‘if at all' you may send/slash take your dog on a plane.

Although the previous paragraphs have dealt with various aspects of crate training, you will find they fit together so you may be teaching all aspects simultaneously. Dogs are capable of learning more than one thing at a time if you keep the instructions for each aspect of training simple, and use the same words, signals and routine in each training session. If your dog is not fully trained within a month, you need to look closely at which aspect of the training he is having trouble with, and start over again on that part. What seems simple to us can be misunderstood by the dog, leading to his confusion as to what is expected. The cause of his difficulty is usually human error in giving the instruction and signals, or going too fast. Using the crate correctly, and training with consistency and positive reinforcement will lead to your success.

Helpful hints for clean Westie crates
by Sheila Ehmann
Damara Registered
Originally published in the Westie News, Fall 2003

If you are having trouble cleaning the greasy dirt that accumulates on the inside of the Vari-Kennel, one of the fastest and cheapest cleaners is the Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent... about a 1/4 capful in a bucket of hot water and sponge down the Vari-Kennel. It makes the plastic comes clean immediately. No more scrubbing!