When you get a new puppy you get a lot of responsibility. The first big decision you have to make is where you puppy is going to sleep.

What will I do with my puppy when I’m not home? Anyone who has had a puppy knows what happens when you leave it alone to run wild while you’re out running errands.

Puppies are young and don’t realize they have boundaries. They don’t know what they may and may not do. They don’t know what their limits are.

They chew the couch and chairs and pretty much everything else. They pee all over. They will get into anything.

Child gates can keep them in a small area. It’s a good idea to make that area somewhere without carpet so if they pee it doesn’t get in the carpet.

Use a puppy pad, but know that the bottom of the cabinets will probably be damaged because the puppy chewed them. They will miss the training pad early.

They get their food and water all over. Crate training has its benefits.

It is a great tool for helping potty train the puppy. When the puppy urinates in a confined space and then has to sit on or near their urine

This helps them learn quickly to wait until they have a better place to pee. It’s a better method than pad training.

Having a crate is good because the puppy can sleep there at night and learn to have regular sleep hours. Again it’s also great for potty training.

Get a crate that is big enough for your puppy. If your puppy can stand up and turn around in the crate then it is big enough. It shouldn’t be any bigger than that.

Metal cages are a really good idea for house training. The soft sided crates look great but really should be only used for traveling.

Puppies can chew their way out of these ones. I know; it happened with my puppy. Some people don’t think crates are kind for animals. They think they can depress the animal.

I don’t think this is the case at all. I see dogs all the time that happily make their way to their space when it is bed time. It’s a good place to help them feel secure and at home.

They have their own spot and often you will find them sleeping there when it’s not bed time or when they are allowed to be out.

Dogs do like having established patterns so they know what to expect. If you struggle with crate training just remember you can put a bone in the crate which gives the puppy a treat to look forward to.