A dog crate can be a beneficial and even a necessary tool for pet owners. However, most dog crates aren’t very attractive or at the very least they do not compliment your home decor: a large off-white box or cage can be unsightly to look. If you're looking for ways on how to make a dog crate look like furniture and have it serve more purposes, there are a few things you can do.
Avoid Crates with Metal Bars
Metal wiring is not only ugly, it’s also dangerous for your dog. There have been several tragic cases in which canines have died as a result of their collars catching the bars. Not only a safer but also a more eye-catching dog crate will have a mostly wooden exterior. And if you're looking for ways on how to make a dog crate look like furniture, this is the place to start – choose a wooden dog crate.
While one wall of the kennel can have a few bars for your dog to see out, you never want the ceiling portion to be made this way. The problem is that when dogs get stuck, they panic and thrash around, causing the collar to tighten around their throat. Generally, you must remove the dog's collar anytime you have your pet secured in a crate, even if it’s wooden. It’s the safest option.
Multi-Purpose Your Kennel
You want the dog crate to blend in with other furniture in the house rather than just sit awkwardly in the corner of your living room. Make more uses of your dog crate. Since wooden dog kennels are more appealing to the eye, they can also be used as end tables for couches, or placed at the foot of your bed for decorative blankets or as a folding table. As long as your crate has some aspects of a purposeful item in your home, it’ll make the room look much nicer.
Crates That are Built-In to Your Home
If you really want to be unique, consider having your dog’s designated safe zone built into the walls of your home. For example, you could be proactive with the space underneath your staircase as a comfortable, natural area for your pet. You won’t have to feel as though you’re banishing them to a box, and it’s easier to have company over when you know your dog is in a safe area.
For a really creative dog crate, you can re-purpose, or have a television set crate made. It’s a wooden hollow kennel made to look just like a TV set, with a special harm plastic bubble to look through. Your dog can enter or exit from the discreet opening built into the side of the kennel. They can see what’s going on, and still feel secure in their crate.
Use Home Decor to Brighten Up the Crate
Since we’ve already discussed picking out a lovely wooden crate with attractive paint and appropriate setting, let’s talk about sprucing it up. When you move into a new home, you probably add cute decorations like vases, wall clocks, and other objects to make the place feel a little more warm and inviting. You can do the same with crates, add photo frames, rosaries, or any other items that brighten up the area and provide an aesthetically pleasing environment.
Look Into Custom Made Crates
You’ll be happy to know that kennels and crates aren’t what they used to be. Sometimes it can be hard to find crates that already have the look that you want or that matches your current furniture set. If you’re willing to spend a little more, there are plenty of companies that offer custom crates for people who want their dog to have an extra special spot.
Use it for Storage When Your Dog isn’t Occupying it
If you’ve ever stepped on a Lego, or a dog bone, you know that both are extremely painful. When your dog is out and about, you can use their fancy new crate to store toys, blankets, and pillows that your dog probably loves to leave lying all over your living room. If you do want to give them a toy to play with, you can select which ones are safe to leave out. Some dogs actually enjoy taking naps inside their crate, so don’t be afraid to leave it cracked open for them to use.
Qualities of Your Dog Crate
No matter what kind of kennel you have, there are some definitive requirements that need to be in place. Make sure the crate is large enough for your dog, they need to be able to stand up, turn around, and extend their neck without a struggle.
Puppies have extra needs of their own.
When crate training a puppy, it may be best to start off with wire kennels as they can’t be chewed quite as easily as wood can. You need to consider how big your puppy is going to be as well, and make accommodations for their growth. Size matters, so if you aren’t sure exactly how big they might get, going up a size is always better.
Avoid issues with potty training by using temporary crates.
The only downside to this is that if you’re using the crate to potty train, your dog has enough room to use the bathroom inside. Since this is something you want to avoid, you can always wait until your dog is completely potty trained before you start using the specially made kennel.
Your crate should be breathable.
Kennels need to be well ventilated as dogs are very heat sensitive and are only able to cool off through panting. It’s imperative that your indoor crate is also able to maintain an acceptable temperature for your dog at all times.
Keep wires and electric cords away from the crate.
Your dog might be an angel that doesn’t chew, or even mind being crated. However, every now and then if our pets get bored, they inevitable find a way to entertain themselves. So don’t leave your phone charger strewn across the bars of your crate like a Christmas tree, or your dog may just decide to use it as a chew toy.
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