If you haven’t tried it already, now is a great time to introduce crate familiarisation into your pet’s routine. Getting your pet used to spending time in a crate is highly beneficial for a variety of reasons, including helping you to transport your pet when moving house or going on trips, encouraging ‘down time’ for anxious pets, teaching your pet positive training techniques and creating a safe and secure environment for your pet when they are left alone for a period of time.
As a crate is a small, well-defined space, your pet will naturally feel at ease and with the right training and support he or she can learn to associate the crate with positive experiences making moves or trips much easier for you and your animal. (If you don’t already have a crate at home, feel free to contact us to purchase one!)
If you are ready to get started familiarising your pet with a crate, there are a few important factors to consider.
Choosing the right crate:
When choosing a crate for your pet, it’s important to select one that is the right size for your animal, so they can be as comfortable and relaxed as possible. As a general rule, choose a crate that is big enough so that your animal can stand up, turn around and lay flat on their side but not so big that they can walk around. If you are travelling or re-locating homes for a long distance, ensure your crate has space for food and water bowls when required.
Watch our helpful video on selecting the correct sized crate below.
Introducing the crate:
When introducing your animal to the crate it’s crucial to always remember to associate it with positive experiences, so placing treats and/or toys in the crate is a must. If your pet is fearful to begin with, place a trail of treats, starting at the door opening, a little further in and continuing all the way to the back. Remember to always be patient and encouraging!
Once you’ve started to introduce your pet to the crate, you can increase their time in there so they gradually get used to spending time within the confined space. Meals can be fed in the crate or even better, line the crate with their favourite familiar smelling blanket so they are comforted and remain at ease.
Watch our video on familiarising your pet with their travel crate below
Moving homes:
Whether you are travelling or moving interstate, overseas or a few suburbs away, using a crate is not only an extremely beneficial way to transport your pet to the new desired location, but can also make the transition to a new environment as relaxed as possible for your pets. By choosing the right sized crate for your pet and beginning the introduction to the crate well in advance, you can make the transition to a new home simple and straightforward, for both you and your pet!
For overseas travel, Jetpets can deliver the crate to your home prior to travel so that your pet can benefit from pet travel crate familiarisation.
Still not convinced to try crate familiarisation? Here’s a recap of some of the great benefits:
- Creates a secure and safe environment for your furry friend
- Can be used for training purposes
- Makes travel to new homes, holidays, outdoor trips or vet visits easy
