Nothing beats seeing our furry buddies with their tongues out in cosy contentment.
But beyond these moments of joy, it’s important to consider this: taking care of a dog is a huge responsibility, especially if you’re dealing with dog breeds with big and playful temperaments.
As a pet owner, it’s your duty to be equipped with the right items and tools to help support ample dog care. One crucial item that every pet owner should have is a dog kennel.
A dog kennel isn’t just a place to confine your dog when they misbehave. It has a plethora of use cases that can serve both the owner and the pet in a wide range of scenarios.
Interested to learn how dog kennels help improve your and your dog’s life? We got you! Let’s explore five key reasons why owning a dog kennel should be a priority for family pet owners.
Keeps Your Dog Secure
One major reason why dog kennels are must-haves in every family home is the security it grants your dog. A dog kennel helps keep your dog confined in one place, reducing the risk of them causing accidents around the home—or accessing places and valuable items that they shouldn’t.
This is useful not just in any home environment, but also when you’re travelling and in an unfamiliar location. Your dog, by their nature, may make messes and spillages in a room with or without supervision. They may also escape through opened windows or doors when left unsupervised, which can be a great source of stress for everyone.
Somerzby’s extensive range of dog kennels ensures that you don’t have to worry about your dog moving around and chewing on things. This is especially useful if you’re on a family vacation, and you also have to watch over your children and other pets. Of course, it’s also useful in a home environment, particularly if you have guests over or if you need to go out on a quick errand.
With a dog kennel, you can have peace of mind knowing that you can return to an orderly household and a safe dog.
While caging your dog may feel like you’re restricting them, you can train them in a way that they feel behaved and secure in their confined space. Just be sure to fit the kennel with the appropriate food and water containers to ensure that your pup is well-fed and hydrated. Don’t forget to get them to go potty beforehand too!
Supports Potty Training
If you want your dog to learn how to control their bowel movements, then a crate can be a good way to support that habit.
Training dogs to potty in the right place can be tough, but it is teachable, especially if they’re still young pups. It’s natural for dogs to avoid soiling where they sleep, so putting them in a crate for an extended period can help strengthen their bowels.
Furthermore, putting your dog in a kennel can also help your dog establish a bathroom schedule. Dogs are routine creatures, so promoting the habit of having them relieve themselves in set periods can make it easier for you to supervise their bathroom breaks.
And even if your dog is a bit older, it’s still possible to train them. You can help support the habit by reinforcing them with treats and rewards. Over time, they’ll associate their actions with the reward output, thus reinforcing the habit for the long term.
Keeps People Safe
While there are many docile dog breeds out there, some dogs of that breed may be the exception to the rule. Some dog breeds are also large and aggressive, and even if their intentions are to play, they can overwhelm people, especially smaller children. Furthermore, some dog breeds are unpredictable and can act out aggressively with no prior indicators.
There will be times wherein you won’t be in the same room with your children or guests and pets—meaning you won’t be able to monitor their immediate safety. Things can go south in just a snap of a finger, so it’s important to enforce the proper boundaries for your dog.
A dog kennel helps maintain that boundary, protecting both the guest and the dog. The kennel has holes for your family to be able to see the dog between the gaps, and vice versa. However, it’s small enough for them to not escape or potentially chew through.
If your home expects guests regularly, then having a dog kennel for your dog ensures that their visit won’t be disturbed by an unruly dog. It’ll also help guests with a fear of dogs have peace of mind knowing that the dog won’t pounce at any moment or otherwise act disobediently.
Acts as a Safe Haven for Dogs
A dog kennel provides comfort not just for people, but for your dog as well. If your dog has anxiety or barks uncontrollably at the sight of unfamiliar faces, putting them in a kennel can signal to them that they’re safe in a confined space that’s only theirs.
Furthermore, a kennel can also be moved to different areas of the house. You can put the kennel in the master bedroom (equipped with water and food, of course) if you’re expecting visitors to visit for dinner, for instance.
By putting them in a kennel, your dog will feel safe and at ease in a familiar environment, unknowing of the unfamiliar people in the house.
It can also signal to them that it’s time to rest, and considering that dogs need to sleep 16 hours a day, kennel time can be a great way to have your dog wind down comfortably and distraction-free. Putting them in a kennel before bedtime can assure you that you can wake up in the morning without dealing with a stinky mess somewhere around the house.
Helps Transport Them More Easily
Another handy purpose of a dog kennel is its transportability. With a traditional dog cage (or leaving your dog leashed), it can get quite difficult to move your dog from place to place.
This is especially true if you’re going on extended travels, like to the vet or the beach where your dog may act unpredictably due to the new (and perhaps undesirable) environment.
Furthermore, leaving your dog outside of a kennel during long car rides can also make them susceptible to injuries if the car suddenly breaks or stops. It can also be a distraction to the driver, which can lessen the safety of the car ride.
A kennel helps keep your dog confined in situations such as these. It protects them from potential injuries and helps create a distraction-free zone for the driver to focus on the road with ease.
Furthermore, a dog kennel is a requirement for transporting dogs on most aeroplanes or cruises. So if you have long-distance travel planned by sea or air, then you should get a dog kennel if you want to bring your dog with you.