Choosing Crate Mats And Pads A Happy Home - Crate mats and pads are designed to help make your dog's crate a safe and secure place that is warm and comforting, like a den to a wolf. Therefore, you should never, under any circumstances lock your dog in his crate as a punishment. Nor should you send your dog to bed as a punishment. He should always be able to think of going to bed or into his crate as a pleasurable experience or all your training efforts will have gone to waste. Safety & Convenience - While you are looking at crates, mats and pads for your dog to sleep on, why not also look at rubber grooming mats to make dog grooming safer, more comfortable for your dog, and cleaner and easier for you. While you're at it, how about a dog dish mat to help keep your kitchen floor clean. It also holds the dog dishes and bowls in one place, which keeps your dog from scratching up the floor by pushing the bowl across it from end to end. Sizing It Up - To discourage your dog, housebroken or not, from having an occasional "accident" in his crate, make sure the crate and the mat or pad you use are the right size for him. Too much room is the bigger problem here. If your dog has enough room to eat, drink, sleep and eliminate without eating, drinking or sleeping in it, she has too much room. Either get her a smaller crate and crate pad or mat or close off the back part of the over-large crate with a cardboard box. If, however, your dog is eating, drinking, or sleeping on top of where she's eliminating, it's time to go back to using newspaper or the sanitary training crate mats and pads.
Crate mats and pads are accessories that offer your dog warmth and comfort. They're just the ticket to make a crate or bed much more inviting.
Things to consider:
Crates should be good places to go, mats used for safety and comfort, and getting the right size.
