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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday November 8, 2008 - 11 Give your family the best. Crates can be great tool C rates may conjure up images of packaging, but for dogs a crate offers a safe haven from danger and a place it can call its own. Used properly, a crate can be used as an effective training tool and provide your pet with a lair of comfort. Dogs are den animals. Their ancestors -- wolves -- used dens. When introduced to a crate correctly, many dogs will take to this home naturally. "Safety is the number one reason to use a crate," said Heather White, community outreach and education manager at the Oakville and District Humane Society. "When crated, dogs are safe from eating things they shouldn't, are more relaxed when you are not at home or when they have to be kennelled, and can be more comfortably transported." Introducing a crate to a dog takes planning. Be it an open framed metal or a plastic carrierstyle, a crate should be properly sized to your dog to ensure comfort. Pet supply stores or your local humane society staff can explain how to size the crate. When you set up your crate, it should have a blanket and a couple of safe toys to keep your dog occupied. Feeding the dog in the crate makes the association a positive one. Metal crates can be scary to nervous dogs so lining the bottom will help pets acclimate. Place the crate in a location close to family activity. Basements may seem ideal, but the isolation can be detrimental. Dogs are social animals and enjoy being close to you. Slow introduction to a crate is important for any dog, but puppies in particular need time. Begin putting the puppy in the crate for short periods when you are at home. Encourage your pet into the crate using cookies and toys. Shut the door. Reward good, quiet behaviour, but do not make a fuss when your pet comes out of the crate. By following these steps, you reinforce that the crate is a positive place and going in and out is routine. Try to keep the dog in the crate for progressively longer periods, when you are both in and away from home. Always allow the dog to go outside upon your return, reinforcing the positive reward for good behaviour and recognizing your dog's need to relieve itself. It is inhumane to house any dog in a crate for too long. Dogs need exercise and socialization. If you work, particularly with a puppy, it is ideal to have someone come into your home to let your dog out for a break. "As with most training tools, crates are neither inherently good or bad," said White. "It is how they are used that is important. Crate training should be a short-term management tool when the puppy or dog cannot be supervised -- not a way of life." Using crates for positive activities -- sleep, quiet time, a place to get away -- and not using them excessively or as a place to go after poor behaviour, will help dogs establish their place in this space. In cases where a dog suffers from separation anxiety or panics near a crate, owners may require professional assistance. Each dog is individual and requires its own time to gain comfort in this safe haven. For information, contact the humane society at oakvillehumane.ca or 905-845-1551. Give your family the best. For centuries, Artisan bread was baked on stones, a method of baking which today is almost obsolete. COBS BREAD returns to this traditional baking method, and if you haven't tasted a true Artisan bread, you're in for a treat. Baking on stones produces a distinctive taste, texture and appearance, with a crispier crust and rich golden colour, not found in commercially produced breads. A true Artisan bread is made by hand, in small batches. Artisan bread, like all COBS BREAD, is made from a short list of basic ingredients, without chemical additives or preservatives. Other bakeries may call their bread artisan, but the difference between the commercially produced and true Artisan bread is abundantly clear when you bite into its taste and texture. COBS Artisan breads are available in white, whole wheat, and rye, in a variety of shapes. Flavours like sun-dried tomatoes or olive are also sometimes offered. It is best eaten fresh or can be frozen for up to four months. Whether you're shopping for a tasty Artisan bread to entertain guests or white and whole wheat sandwich breads, COBS has a wide array of delicious choices for you. Also available is a wide range of sweet and savoury bakery products, perfect for a morning snack or dessert. Special for the holiday season are Traditional Fruit Mince Tarts and their new Whole Wheat Cranberry & Walnut Loaf. Visit us at: Lakeshore 167 Lakeshore Road East Tel: (905) 339.2690 Upper Oakville Unit C7,1011 Upper Middle E Tel: (905) 844.2627