Senior Dogs Can Be #CrateHappyPets Too

This post is sponsored by PetSmart and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network.  I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Containment Products and Education for your pet, but Oz the Terrier only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers.  PetSmart is not responsible for the content of this article.

As a senior dog I must admit, I LOVE my crate. 

Ma crate trained me as soon as she brought me home and there were some people who questioned her for doing so.  They thought crate training was a punishment but Ma knew better.  She knew dogs were den animals and she knew if she taught me correctly, I would come to appreciate and love my crate.  She was right!

I was crate trained with the same techniques as most puppies and dogs are - being slowly encouraged to enter the crate using treats/toys, being in the crate with the door closed for short periods of time only after becoming comfortable with entering it on my own, and sleeping all night in the crate - but Ma had a few tricks up her sleeve as well. 

First, Ma put one of her dirty (sweaty) t-shirts in the crate for me to cuddle with; having her scent around was reassuring to me which helped me adjust to the crate more quickly.  Ma also made sure to use the crate for car travel and not just to the vet!  Ma took me and my crate everywhere that would allow pets and the rewards of being at new places to find new smells made my crate even more special to me.

There are benefits to being crate trained at any age, including:

1) Housebreaking.  No dog wants to soil where he sleeps so if a crate is his resting spot while he is unsupervised, you can teach him to do his business outside and on a schedule.

2)  Transport.  A crate is a safe way to take your dog with you on both short and long trips.  It is also handy for emergency evacuation, like when we have a bad hurricane coming.

3)  Travel.  Most hotels let dogs stay in the room alone if they are crate trained.

4) Injury and Recovery.  While this is important at any age, as a senior dog having my own safe place to recover from an injury or illness helps me heal better.  When dogs aren't crate trained and then are confined to a crate during injury/illness recovery, it can cause undue stress which can cause complications to the healing process.

My friends at PetSmart® know all about the benefits and the process of crate training.  They believe that crates are a safe and secure place for your pet to be when you cannot be with them at home or away or during travel.  It is why at PetSmart, they offer a full array of pet crates including hard-sided, soft-sided, and wire crates from great brands like Petmate®, Kong®, Grreat Choice®, Martha Stewart Pets® and Top Paw®. 

The crate section at my local PetSmart is huge!  When Ma was there, she noticed that all the crates, kennels, carriers and their accessories were on sale and will be until the end of March.  You don't want to miss this sale if you are in need of a new or upgraded crate!

Like I said, I love my crate and though the door is rarely shut anymore, I still use it daily as my safe place and to give these old bones a rest after a big walk or play date.

Are you crate trained?  Do you still use your crate every day as your spot to get away from it all?