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Dear Anu,
plus high
spirits, and minus common sense.
Agnes Reppllier
My friend Pam emailed me after last month's
newsletter to point out that I didn't
mention using a wire kennel with divider
panel to accommodate a growing puppy.
That was no oversight on my part because I
have a confession to make. I've got a bias
against wire crates. Let me explain why:
First of all, they're heavy which makes
moving them a pain. (And I'm just
referring to doing so to clean the
floor. Traveling with them requires
Herculean effort).
I also found my wire crate difficult to
keep clean. Despite careful drying, mine
ended up with rust spots.
That said, Pam made her case for wire
crates and I'd like to share her
thoughts with you so you can make up
your own mind:
She informed me that today's wire crates
come with plastic (not metal) pee pans
so these kennels are not as heavy as the
all metal one I had. Rusting is far less
of an issue with the newest wire crates
sold today because of the plastic pans
too.
With a wire dog crate you buy the size
needed for your puppy as an adult dog.
You create the right size inside for
your puppy by inserting a divider
panel to reduce the space within. As
puppy grows you move the divider's
placement.
Pam added that she " . . . usually covers
the back half of a wire crate with a piece
of cardboard covered by a sheet or blanket
to give the dog a 'den' area. (The cardboard
is to help keep the pup from chewing the
sheet or blanket. While the pup will
probably chew the ends of the cardboard,
this can easily be replaced, and cardboard
is much safer than a blanket or sheet should
the pup ingest it)".
Using a wire crate with divider panel means
purchasing just one kennel and avoiding the
buying/selling process with multiple crates
I outlined last month.
So there you have it, the plastic vs. wire
crate smackdown. After comparing prices and
features, decide which you'd prefer and
which way you want to accommodate your
growing dog.
PS: For first time puppy owners, don't even
consider a soft-sided (fabric) crate until
your pup's outgrown her ferocious teething
phase. Your little darling can shred that
fancy fabric kennel faster than she can poop
in the middle of your living room.
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