"Should we get a metal crate or a plastic one?

If people ask before they buy a crate, I suggest getting the molded-plastic, travel-style item rather than the metal cage-type, for several reasons:

1 - Plastic crates come in a larger variety of sizes;

2 - They're much less expensive (so buying two to accommodate your growing pup isn't an economic hardship);

3 - They're easier to take apart and clean.

4 - They're much lighter, so they're…

"After we put the dogs in the kitchen at bedtime, we heard a noise. We got up to find Annie prying at the bottom of the (baby) gate with her nose. Remember, we had the single latch near the top of the gate - which left some "give" at the bottom. Annie had figured this out. With a little experimentation, she found she could move the bottom corner enough to squeeze through and escape.

Ah-ha! Now that we knew her secret, how hard could it be to foil her strategy? The obvious solution was…

"'Help! My dog is tearing-up my house and I'm ready to kill her!'

This is one of the most common complaints driving people to call a dog trainer. And the cause is almost always the same simple thing: people give their puppies and young dogs too much freedom much too soon.

There's no one best way to train the average dog (contrary to what many author-trainers may tell you in their books). But almost all trainers agree on this: puppies should not have free run of your…