Good non-slip footing will help your dog to recover more safely. Check to make sure that the indoor walking route to the outdoors is non-slip. This will keep your dog safer during toilet breaks. You’ll also need to check that the base of the crate or pen provides good non-slip footing.
Non-slip flooring solutions
Above: the local market can be a good place to buy large rubber-backed rugs or runners
Most laminate, wooden, tiled or vinyl floors are too slick for recovering dogs. Carpet is fine. Suitable surfaces feel quite grippy when you stand on them in socks.
If you floors are slick, then place enough non-slip matting to create a safe route from the crate to the outdoor toileting area, and to wherever else your dog may need to access. Your other option is to lift your dog out of the crate or pen and carry him or her outdoors each time.
Non-slip mats include rubber-backed rugs or runners (try your local market), rubber door mats or bath mats or industrial-style matting. Some owners even use rubber matting designed for children’s play areas.
Above: rubber bath mat can be useful placed underneath bedding in the crate, or just outside the crate
Above: various types of non-slip matting are sold by the metre or yard from flooring companies
Above: ‘dust-trapper’ type doormats can be useful for covering small areas of slick floor.
Flooring for the crate or pen
Many crates come with a removable plastic base that wobbles when stepped on. It’s best to remove and discard this base as it tends to be slippery, unpleasant to walk on and can even scare some dogs. This will leave you with a wire mesh base which will need covering.
Cover the entire floor inside the crate with non-slip matting . Your dog’s bedding goes on top of this. Doormats, bathmats or cut-off pieces of rubber matting are all good non-slip options. The non-slip surface will prevent bedding from sliding around, and will help your dog learn to stand and walk more safely and easily.
If using an open-topped dog pen, then your room floor forms the base. Some open-top pens will only stand up securely on a non-slip surface such as carpet. If the floor is not carpeted, then non-slip matting should be placed and the pen set up on top of this.
Good non-slip fluffy bath mats or non-slip vet bed can be used to cover at least part of the floor of the crate, pen or recovery room so as to offer both good grip and soft bedding. Your dog may well need some padded bedding in addition to this.
Above: non-slip fluffy bathmats can be used in the crate or pen
Above: Vet fleece is good for dogs to rest on. If you choose the rubber-backed version then you won’t need to put non-slip matting underneath it.
Indoor ‘toilet areas’
Some owners cover part of the crate or pen floor with either newspaper or incontinence pads in case their dog needs to pee unexpectedly. So long as the dog is taken outdoors for regular toilet sessions, then this is not usually necessary. If you do opt to put down paper or pads, keep them safe by putting non-slip matting directly underneath. Otherwise the paper or pads will slip about when stepped on.
For more information…
Try the following links for more advice on caring for your recovering dog:
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