There’s no escaping the fact that dog crates are incredibly bulky and unsubtle. Deciding where to put a dog crate in your home can quickly become quite a mission, especially if you live in a smaller space or have a large breed dog. It’s equally important for your dog to have easy access to their safe space, while avoiding tripping over their crate or having it stand out as an eyesore in your home.
Thankfully there are plenty of options for storing your dog crate that will hopefully benefit the pair of you. We’ve outlined the pros and cons of putting a dog crate in different rooms of your home.
Kitchen/Utility
Kitchens are renowned for being the heart of the home. The kitchen is where we prepare our meals, catch up before and after work, host our friends and share memories and skills with our family. With the growing trend for open plan living many kitchens are also our primary dining space, which means even more time is spent in this part of the house.
If you choose to put your dog crate in your kitchen, make sure it’s kept somewhere safe. You want to avoid areas prone to heat, such as next to the oven, or oil splatters from the hob, as these could really harm your dog. Keeping your crate clear of food preparation areas will also minimise your dog’s opportunity to beg for food and prevent them from jumping up while you’re using sharp utensils. If your kitchen is big enough, you might consider converting an existing island or sideboard into a bespoke dog crate to provide a quieter place for your dog to relax with the rest of the family while food is being consumed.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are by far one of the quieter areas of your home. However, not everyone enjoys having their intimate bedrooms on public display. If you choose to put a dog bed in the bedroom, you’ll need to ensure the door stays open the majority of the time so your dog can retreat to their safe space whenever they need to. If you’re choosing to put a dog crate in one of your upstairs bedrooms, remember to measure all the doorways and staircases to ensure it will fit through!
A spare bedroom could be a better compromise, as it’s a less personal space. However if your dog has separation anxiety they may need to be a little closer to you at night. Thankfully having a crate in your bedroom will ensure your dog isn’t tempted to jump on the humans’ bed at night! We wouldn’t recommend putting a dog crate in the children’s bedrooms though, as we believe it’s important to make sure your dog’s personal boundaries are respected by all members of the family.
Living Room
Living rooms provide both entertainment and social interactions for your family, including your dog. Many dogs enjoy chilling out with their humans in the evening, demanding all the belly rubs and fuss. Some are even partial to watching television programmes with you!
These spaces are also a popular place for children to play and consequently have a tendency to accumulate a lot of mess. If your living room is a popular space for your children to play or is a noisy, excitable environment, you might want to choose somewhere quieter to put a dog crate. One of the benefits of dog crates is that they help your dog feel safe when they’re overwhelmed. Putting one where there’s lots of excitement, shouting or screaming (such as where children are playing) will likely overwhelm your dog even more, meaning they’ll be less likely to use their crate at all.
Landings and Hallways
Landings and hallways are often overlooked spaces in our homes. While they have a high footfall and a tendency to collect clutter as we come and go, landings and hallways are often kept fairly sparse. Of course space can be a limiting factor in some properties, however landings should not be neglected completely, particularly when it comes to finding somewhere to put a dog crate.
Dog crates with additional storage can be incredibly effective for landings and hallways in your home. The additional cupboards and drawers can be used to tidy and hide away all the clutter that naturally accumulates in these spaces, while also providing a cosy retreat for your dog. While hallways in particular experience high footfall, they can also be quieter areas overall as we tend to not spend too much time there. If your dog enjoys periods of peace and quiet throughout the day, a hallway or landing upstairs might be the perfect place to put their crate.
Multiple places
As you can see, there are plenty of pros and cons to putting a dog crate pretty much anywhere in your home. Assuming crate training has been beneficial for your dog and is something you’re committed to long term, you may consider placing multiple crates throughout the house.
Providing your dog with plenty of options and choice will ensure they’re able to seek out the right conditions as and when they need them. They’ll have plenty of quiet spaces to retreat to while guests are visiting, while also not feeling isolated from the family when they want to play and enjoy attention and fuss from you.
Where do you keep your dog crate in your home? How many dog crates does your dog have?
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