Give your dog a den
By nature, dogs are pack animals that live in dens. They take great comfort in having their own secure area.
The most common den-like areas in your home are underneath a table, under a bed, or in a closet. You might already be finding your puppy in one of these places when she needs a secure place to rest. Offering your dog its own crate meets your pet’s instinctive needs and allows you some control in housebreaking endeavors. To your puppy, the crate is a den and a natural way of life.
The best crate is one that is just big enough so your dog can lie, stand and turn around. Giving your dog too much space destroys the den concept, and gives your puppy space to soil separate from where they can sleep.
Crates are made of a variety of materials. The most user-friendly crates are those made of molded plastic. They are easy to clean, draft-free, and generally are more like dens as they have limited visibility. Or if car traveling is frequent, you might consider wire crates that provide a better view. In the home, a wire crate can be covered to keep out drafts and make it more den-like. Slide-out flooring can make a wire crate just as convenient to clean as a molded plastic model.