The biggest dog has been a
pup.
Joaquin Miller
These irresistible bundles of
joy need dog crates, correctly
sized, to help them learn proper
potty habits as well as home
alone confidence building.
A crate too large will allow
your puppy to relieve herself in
a corner inside, instead of
learning to wait for her next
bathroom break. An oversized
kennel won't create a cozy and
necessary sense of security for
home alone time either.
But how do you find the
perfectly sized crate for a baby
dog who's still growing?
You don't. Instead, do what I
did:
Move your puppy into
successively larger crates until
she's all grown up. To help pay
for those, sell the ones your
pup outgrows.
Before your little one's crate
becomes too snug for her, buy
the next size up, either used or
new. Look for used dog kennels
in the newspaper, Craigslist and
Ebay. (You may not find the
right size in a used one,
however). You will find exactly
the crate you need new at
national pet supply stores, as
well as from dog gear sites
online.
Next, price the crate you want
to sell. Do this correctly and
it'll go out the door with the
first call. To figure out your
price, check your local papers,
Craigslist and Ebay again to see
what other people want for their
comparable used crates.
If you don't see any ads for
used dog kennels, price yours at
50-75% of the cost of a brand
new one (including sales tax or
shipping). Visit pet supply
stores and online sites to
determine the price of a new
crate. That will be the
reference point number to
discount, giving you your asking
price. And if no one else is
selling used dog kennels in your
area you can price yours a bit
higher.
Then list your own "Dog Crate
(or Kennel) For Sale" ad in the
paper, online or both. Be sure
to include the manufacturer's
name and crate's dimensions. My
ads also read "Puppy outgrew -
only used two months." If you
can display a photo of your
kennel for sale that's even
better.
Finally, lather, rinse and
repeat. Clean the crates you're
selling with some dish detergent
and hot water. Rinse well using
a diluted bleach/water solution.
A spotless kennel will sell in a
snap. The number of crates your
youngster will need will depend
on her adult size.
Even as she continues to grow
like a weed, your puppy can have
a crate that fits her perfectly
and sets her up for training
success.
