Dog crates are a means to keep your dog contained in a number of circumstances. They feature a door to put your pup inside and are composed of a number of different materials that provide various levels of portability, insulation, ventilation, comfort, durability and security. A dog crate should be considered an essential purchase, and perhaps you may even consider getting more than one for different purposes.
A dog crate divider is used when you have more than one dog to crate or can be used to minimize the space to accommodate a puppy until he is fully grown.
Metal crates generally come with dividing panels so you can buy the extra large crate now for your growing St. Bernard and just tailor it for his current size.
With a hard, plastic kennel, dog experts suggest to remove the top half so your pup can venture in and out as he pleases. In the case of wire crates, tie the door open.
Tip: Watch what is near your dog’s crate and keep it away from electrical cords, rugs, drapes and furniture tassels.
How Wood Might Be a Good Choice
Plywood can be a better option to consider using as one of the better dog crate hacks. Depending on whether you have an appropriate saw and cutting surface, you might need to buy a custom-size piece from lumber or home improvement store. If your dog tends to do a lot of heavy chewing, however, plywood might not withstand their demands.
Avoid wood that has been painted or treated because of some of the chemicals that might be present. There is also a risk for fragments that might be harmful if swallowed. As puppies tend to explore things by finding out if they can eat them, wood ingestion is something to be very cautious about, and sanded edges help prevent this problem to a higher degree.
Dogs that chew through most wood easily might benefit from a dog crate divider DIY that uses Plexiglas. These dividers not only look professional but are durable and robust. Although Plexiglas is a more expensive material, many owners find it hard to beat and are willing to pay the extra cost for greater peace of mind.
Plexiglas is something that will require special preparation in a shop setting. One of the most significant advantages that this material offers is being virtually indestructible. When you use this material, you are assured that your barrier should last for the life of the crate and beyond.
Knowing the right crate size for puppy training will make it easier for you to prepare the divider. Consider whether dividing the crate crosswise or lengthwise will work best. Although your dog is unlikely to notice the difference, the placement can make a difference when you’re installing the divider.
Use the width from the measurements if you’re installing the divider crosswise, and the length of installing lengthwise. Always subtract half an inch to allow for more flexibility in the installation. The size is also small enough to keep your puppy from getting caught.
If you’re cutting cardboard, scissors or a utility knife should be sharp enough. A box cutter or hack saw should easily do the job with plywood. In the case of Plexiglas, this should be cut at the shop.
Duct tape along the edges on a cardboard divider will help from tears and frayed edges. The edges of plywood should always be sanded down with high-grit sandpaper. Doing so will help prevent splinters that could hurt your dog.
Holes along the upper edge and sides of the divider can make it easier to anchor, as required. Anchoring the divider down properly will help increase its durability. You can poke holes in cardboard easily with a sharpened pencil and in plywood by pounding a nail through or using a drill.
The installation will come a lot more easily once the divider has been cut. Opening either the top panel or door, depending on the crate’s structure, will give you the access you need. Use zip ties through the anchor points to help secure the divider.
A divided dog crate for potty training and other purposes comes in handy. The better the quality of the divider, the more it will help your crate be a comfortable “den” for your dog.
The Purpose of Crate Dividers If your crate doesn’t come with a divider and you don’t want to make your own then you can buy one. Click this image for more info!
When your puppy is eight weeks old, they’ll be super tiny.
Even large breed dogs will start out smaller than you might expect, which is why crate dividers are so important.
Many dog owners, myself included, want to invest in a crate that their puppy can grow into.
That means skipping the small and maybe even the medium sized crates.
It’s a budgeting move that’s completely fine to make, as long as you use a crate divider when your dog comes home.
The divider will limit how much space your puppy has to walk around in their crate, preventing them from peeing in one corner and sleeping in another.
This is crucial to ensure proper crate training[1]. Dogs won’t want to go to the bathroom where they’re also lying down, so limiting the space of a large crate is the best thing you can do for your puppy.
Standard crate dividers will come with the crate you buy, most of the time.
They’ll be made out of the same metal material as the walls of the crate, except it will be one stand-alone panel.
The panel will have hooks on three sides, leaving the fourth to line against the crate tray. Check for instructions that should come with your crate for specifics, but there’s a general way to install a crate divider.
After you’ve completely finished assembling the crate, slide the crate divider in through the doggy door.
Attach the hooks on both sides to the walls of the crate, right in the middle of the crate tray.
After the hooks are attached to the crate walls, there should be hooks on the top of the crate divider that will hook onto the top of the crate.
Once that’s completed, you should be able to jiggle the crate divider and even apply pressure without it slipping out of place.
Does the Door Location Make a Difference?
Although the door placement does not impact whether you can have a divider, you may have to figure out whether the installation of the divider works well with the door design. Making this decision before you start with creating the divider makes a difference in the outcome of your project and the crate’s usefulness.
You don’t want to get the divider installed, then find that your dog won’t go into the crate. Another issue to avoid is having the placement of the barrier make getting through the door tricky. Having difficulty getting through the door can be something that gives your dog negative associations with being in the crate.
Consider where your puppy or dog likes to rest the most when thinking about positioning for the barrier. A lengthwise divider might work best for dogs that sleep near the side, while a crosswise barrier might work better for dogs resting near the front. One of the keys to keeping your dog as comfortable as possible in their crate is avoiding disruptions as much as you possibly can so they still feel safe.
FAQ
How can I make my dog crate smaller?