A dog crate can be a great benefit for both owner and pet, if introduced and used correctly. But there are going to be times when a dog crate is not appropriate for either of you. Here are some quick guidelines about when you should not crate your dog:

* If the puppy is too young to have any control over its waste elimination. The clean-up and contamination of the dog crate will be more work than is worth it.
* If the dog – of any age – has diarrhea.
* If the dog has an illness that leads to regular vomiting.
* If it's too hot.
* If the dog hasn't had much play time or owner time.
* If the dog hasn't eliminated waste recently.

As you can see, most of these conditions are temporary. So keep them in mind and remember that both of you need to think of the dog crate as a comfortable place to hang out.

Crate training is something that can work well for both you and your dog. A dog crate gives you a place to keep the dog safe when you're not around, or when both of you want a break. And it helps satisfy your dog's need for a den-like enclosure. A dog crate can also help housebreak a puppy, reduce separation anxiety and help you deal effectively with a chewer. There are a few basic rules to making sure you get the right crate for your dog and then making the crate work right for both of you.

When purchasing a dog crate, you need to think about how you're going to use the dog crate, and how well your dog can fit in the dog crate. Dog crates come in small, medium, large and extra-large. They come in plastic and wire/metal mesh. Think about the size of your dog – both now and when it's fully grown. Are you planning to travel much with the crate? Or is it going to be strictly an at-home model? You can spend anywhere from $35 to more than $150 on a dog crate, depending on the size, material and model that you decide is right for you and your dog.

No matter what kind of crate you decide on, the most important thing to remember is this: You want the dog to think of the crate as a comfortable home, so never use the crate as punishment.

When crate training it's a good idea to remember that, although every dog needs his own space, canines are pack animals. Because of this they have an instinctual desire to be near the other members of their family.

It's a good idea to place the dog crate in a bedroom where your puppy can be near a family member when sleeping at night. It will make crate training less stressful to your puppy if he knows he is not alone at night. You'll also be able to know if your puppy needs to go out at night.

Rather than buying several crates of different sizes to use as your puppy grows up, buy a crate based on his expected full grown size, then section off part of the crate for your puppy. There are commercial dividers available for some crates to make sectioning off an area easier.

You want to have enough room for the puppy to stand, stretch, turn around, and sleep, but not so much that he decides he can eliminate in one corner and sleep in another. A crate should be his den, not an area for soiling.