Kennels are not bad things, especially when you make them good.
Kennels are great for a few reasons. They can be an especially great tool for maintenance. If your dog has anxiety issues or gets bored easily while you are away kennels will prevent your dog from being able to roam the house and engage in destructive activities throughout the day. Kennels are also a good "safe place" for your dog, some times dogs can get stressed out and need their own space, just as we humans do, and using a kennel gives them a perfect place to go and relax.
Ive heard a lot of people who refuse to use dog kennels because they think they are bad or cruel. Truth is they are only "bad or cruel" if you make them seem this way. Using kennels as punishment for behaviors is what turns kennels into a "bad" thing for your dog and that is why you should never use them this way.
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| My son and Rusty enjoying man time in their secret clubhouse |
For the best use train your dog as a puppy (or begin whenever you get your dog) to know that kennels are a "happy place", you can achieve this by having your dog lay in their periodically during the day giving treats and toys(while supervised). Let them sleep in the kennel over night and use it as their *place during the day.
If you kennel your dog while you are working never leave toys that can be easily destroyed into many pieces (this also includes dog beds or mats) especially if your dog is a chewer, these tiny pieces can potentially harm your dog if they are swallowed. I recommend using the beehive shaped Kong toy (pictured to the right) as entertainment while you are away. My cost effective way of stuffing them is by mixing both wet and dry dog food together and stuffing them completely full topping the end with peanut butter and freezing it over night. Freezing the Kong toy will make it more difficult for the dog to get all the fillings out so the toy will last for a longer period.* pro tip: "place" is the cue more commonly known as "go lay down". This is the cue that tells the dog to go to a certain spot and stay there.
