Rashes, neck & back problems, and other health issues
Maybe you just acquired or adopted a new dog.
You are not exactly sure how their previous owners were treating him.
Whenever an animal such as a dog is left in a dog crate that is too small for its body for a long period of time, it will eventually develop health issues such as rashes, neck problems, back problems, etc.
The risk of developing mental health issues increases considerably as well.
Here is a list of many different disorders related to dogs left for an extended period of time in crates that were too small:
If your dog or any dog experience symptoms related to this kind of disorders, make sure to take an appointment with your veterinarian as these serious issues can be related to many other factors.
Your dog is not able to lay down on it’s side with its paw stretched out.
Just like most of us, your dog loves to lay down and stretch.
Heck, some of us would love to lay down and stretch all day if we could.
Why would you want to take that away from him? Another quick and easy test is to have your dog lay down on its side with its paw stretched out as much as possible.
Again the dog should be able to do this without any restraint and should not be touching the small fence too much.
That is assuming he is sitting in the middle of the crate of course. Having your dog stretch in front of you is the best way to be certain that the size of the crate isn’t too small.
However, if you are having a problem having the dog lay down in the middle of the crate ad stretch on command, I will allow you to use a measuring tape for good measures.
Just make sure to ass 2-3 inches to whatever number you came up with.
Can my dog turn around easily in the crate?
Surely you’ve observed your canine companion turning around multiple times in order to get comfy and lie down. A dog needs this space inside a dog house as well as a kennel.
This test is one of the easiest ones that can determine if the dog’s current crate is too small. When you instruct your dog to get in the kennel, watch to see how she positions herself to lie down. If she appears uncomfortable or is completely unable to turn around, it is time to find a larger kennel.
You can also carry out this test by taking a treat and using it to guide her to turning around in the kennel. Again, if she is unable to do so comfortably, start looking for a new crate.