A dog cage can be really useful when training a new puppy. Dog cages come in all sizes to suit your particular breed of dog and they can be purchased with one door, two doors or even three doors so that access to the dog cage is easy wherever you decide to site the cage.

Dog cages are fully collapsible so they are easy to transport and they usually have a handle to make things even easier. Some dog cages even have wheels so that you can easily move them around the house with you. The tray in the bottom of the dog cage is removeable so this makes them easy to clean. You can choose from either galvanised steel to oven baked, powder coated dog cages and some dog cages come in different colours like pink and blue if you want something a little bit different for your dog.

Dog cages are ideal for keeping your puppy safe if you have visitors or for older dogs who may be recovering from surgery and need a quiet spot to lie down where they will not be bothered by children. If you have workmen in, a cage will prevent your dog from running out of a door that may have been left open.

It is important that you teach your dog that the dog cage is a pleasant, cozy place to be and not a punishment. A dog should never be caged as punishment as this is a really cruel practice.

When training your dog to use the cage, just place the dog cage in a position where your dog can see you and put his favourite dog bed in there and maybe a favourite treat and leave the door open. Your dog’s natural curiosity will eventually lead him to go over and sniff the dog cage. Leave him to it and he will eventually enter the cage. He may be nervous at first as this is something new, but when he realises that he can come and go at will his confidence will grow.

The key to dog cage training is patience. If you coax your dog too enthusiastically he will not like it but give him time and he will see that the dog cage is a little den, his own private space to lie quietly and watch what’s going on around him. Once he gets to this stage then quietly close the door for a few moments. When he realises that the door is only shut for a very short time he will be fine. After doing this every now and again over a period of time, try shutting the cage door for a little bit longer. Never keep the door closed for hours at a time as a dog should not be locked up in this way.

Trained properly, a dog will soon learn that the dog cage is a safe, secure place for him and he will automatically go in there when you ask him to or when you head for the door if you intend to pop to the shops.

As mentioned before, cage training takes patience and lots of praise and should not be rushed - the time you put into this will pay off in the long run and you will have a well-trained dog who is not nervous, but appreciates the quiet peace the dog cage gives him.