Cheap and effective crate training tip.

Many people put a blanket or a towel inside the crate for the dog’s comfort. For pups it can become a target for chewing which can for some transition into a problem with chewing things made of fabric outside of the crate so I don’t put that sort of thing in a crate. (When I put my first dog in his crate for the first time I thought it looked uncomfortable so I tossed in an old sleeping bag. The next morning I had 4 much smaller sleeping bags.)

Tip: A piece of foam insulation (used in the walls in construction) placed under a crate (not in) contributes to a dog’s overall comfort far more than a blanket ever will. This is far more significant an issue for dogs laying in crates in basements or homes without basements as their body heat gets sucked right out of them.

Place a piece of foam on the floor. Stand on the bare floor in your bare feet and then stand on the foam in your bare feet and you’ll immediately see what I mean. In one case the heat leaves your body and the latter it’s reflected back at you.

Cheap and effective crate training tip.