Picked a Golden Retriever puppy from the litter? Well, it’s time to prepare for a little celebration. The new homey needs a welcoming ceremony. Clean your house, make a comfy bed, toys ready, and a crate. Wait …what? But how would we know that what size crate for Golden Retriever is actually a perfect size for him?. They say it should be between 36″ to 42″ inches long. So Let’s have a short read about all we need to know!
Why crates are important for Golden Retrievers?
When you adopt a Golden Retriever, chances are you have adopted a little pup who has yet a long way to learn things. Crates are not only important, they are necessary for these little energy bombs. You have adopted the dog to be with you but the fact is you guys can’t be around each other 24/7. What will your dog do when you are not around? Where is he supposed to go?. Who guarantees his behavior? Well, to address these concerns, focus on buying a crate for your Golden Retriever puppy.
Why Crate training is important for your Golden Retriever?
Crate training for Golden retriever puppies is very important. A crate is like a personal space for your dog. When you are not at home, your dog will rest in the crate. This is a home within a home. Sometimes dogs too want to spend time all by themselves. They can sit, relax and play with toys in their crate.
- Crates are important for behavioral learning. It helps your Golden Retriever to learn “how to behave”.Whenever your dog misbehaves, give him a command to go to the crate. Just like you tell your child to go to the room after he shows bad behavior. This tells the dog that you are not happy with what he has done.
- If your dog is your travel buddy too, crates are the safest way to transport your dog from one place to another. This is an ideal pet carrier for a Golden Retriever puppy that will save you from a lot of trouble.
- Crates ensure safety both for the dog and its surroundings. Your dog won’t be able to touch, eat or break things around him. He will be safe in his space too. You don’t need to worry about where he is and doing what?.
- Dogs are easier to handle when they are in crates. In a crate, they will be comfortable with their things and the owner’s scent. When your puppy is not at home, it might get stressed out. A crate helps him to control the uneasy feeling of being outside his personal space.
How you should not use a crate for Golden Retriever?
Crates help you to train and keep your dog safe and happy. Many owners use crates without realizing they are doing more harm than benefit.
You should never use a crate for Golden Retriever in a way that it becomes a cage for it rather than being home.
- Never use the crate as a “jail” for your dog. A crate is his comfortable space. It’s fine if you command him to go to his room when he ill behaves. This shows you don’t want to see him now because you are angry but when you use crate a as jail, it does great damage. Your pup’s place becomes a symbol of torture to him. This has a lot of adverse psychological impacts on your pup.
- Just don’t forget about your pup when you put him in the crate. Owners get carefree when their Golden Retriever goes in the crate. Obviously, there is no relief then containing this super energetic creature but keeping him in a crate for a long time is not recommended. This becomes torturing for a puppy. Some puppies are not used to hold on to their bladder for a long time.
- Don’t try to lock up your dog just to avoid entertaining him. Your Golden Retriever was meant to be with you and not in the crate. If you can’t give him attention, don’t adopt in the first place.
- Make a positive connection of the dog with its crate. Whether it’s learning, punishment, reward, or just some time off. Link crate training with positive vibes.
The moral police
Internet is full of opinions and most of them do damage to the actual agenda. The moral brigade highly objects to crate training because they link it to confinement. According to them, no living creature should be kept in boundaries like this. But our questions are
- “Is creating a secure place for your child is unethical? Don’t we all want the best for our kids whether they are human kids or pups?. Is it a sin to train your child to behave and learn things that benefit him in a long run?. Your pup is with you now, he is safe, ready to learn and grow and feel loved in your arms. He could have been a slumdog, roaming aimlessly with no purpose of making a connection.”
So talking about crate training, we advise you to just love your pup and focus on what’s best for him. The world will keep coming at you for useless things. Ignore them!.
What size crate is ok for Golden Retriever?
Now we have fully agreed to crate training and have decided to buy one but what size it should be?
Normally crate size for a Golden retriever puppy depends on its age, weight, and size. A Golden retriever puppy grows till one year of its age and reaches its maximum size. Your puppy should fit in the crate so buy the size that can accommodate a fully grown pup. A female Golden Retriever grows up to 22 inches and a male puppy grows up to 24 inches. Keeping their weight in mind, the male can weigh anywhere between 60-75 pounds and a female between 60-72 pounds depending on various factors. A female Golden retriever crate size may vary from male as the female can be accommodated in a 36” inches crate. The male puppy will need a bigger 42 ” inches crate size.
We suggest buying 42″ inches size because the bigger the better. There is no harm in making a little extra space for the kiddo.
Which material is better for the Golden Retriever crate?
Dog crates are made from different materials.
- Wooden crates give that natural smell that helps the dog feel homely. They are comfortable, safe, and recommended for pets.
- Crates are made from plastic netting too where the walls and upper side are made up of plastic or wire netting. It is open and airy but you need to see if any wire is torn out, it can injure your dog.
- Metal gives that strength to a cage and keeps it safe but it may make the crate heavy to handle.
- Plastic crates are very light and easy to carry but they should be well ventilated to keep your dog safe.
We advise buying plastic netting crates for Golden retriever puppy. It’s light, safe, open, and comfortable. Your dog won’t feel confined as compared to if contained in plastic or wooden crates.
Dog crate calculator
Every dog is different and you may want a customized crate for your Golden Retriever. Take the measurements of your dog. It’s important to measure the height, width, and length of your dog. You can also use a dog crate calculator to know what size crate is fit for your Golden Retriever. These calculators recommend the size based on data about physical appearance, length of legs, height, and width of your pet.
XL dog crate
Xl dog crate sizes range from 48- 52 inches and are used for larger breeds of dogs. Golden Retriever doesn’t need an XL size crate. Also, it will be difficult for you to handle a bigger crate.
So, if you are looking for a crate size for a Golden Retriever puppy buy the one that is safe, comfy, and up to the measurements.
