In general, one of the safest places your boxer can be is in a crate, whether he's alone in the house, traveling with you in the car, or flying in an airplane. It's vital that your boxer doesn't consider the crate a frightening place, and it's up to you to make sure the pup learns early on in life that a crate is not only safe but also a good place to be.

If you frequently take your dog in the car with you, he will need to be comfortable in the crate — for everyone's safety. Being restrained within the crate will keep your dog stationary instead of letting him fly around the car during sharp turns. However, if you are ever in a car accident or have to hit the brakes quickly, you don't want your boxer's crate (with him in it!) to fly forward and injure you. Crates should be secured in your vehicle as much as possible.

Size Matters

When it comes to crates, size matters a lot. When you get a new puppy, your tendency will most likely be to plan for the future and choose a crate he can grow into. But ideally, your dog's crate should be just big enough for him to stand up and turn around in. A crate that is too big can pose serious risks. On the other hand, you don't want a small, cramped crate to discourage your boxer from using it.

If the crate is too big, your boxer can be injured by being jostled around in it if you and your boxer are in a car accident. Any dog can more easily break out of a crate that is too big by pulling at the door with his teeth, and he can injure himself in doing this, especially as a puppy.

Boxer puppies, with their undershot jaws, are at risk of injuring their jaw joints and disfiguring the fronts of the jaw if they can get their teeth into the wire of the door and pull too much. An older boxer can do this as well, and being in a crate that is a bit too large enables him to do this much more readily than in one that is the correct size. To prevent injury to your pup's jaw, you need to train him not to do this, but the easiest thing is to ensure that it can't happen in the first place.

Making the Crate a Friendly Place

There are numerous dog products out there that serve as bedding and crate liners. You will find, after a little exploration, which types best suit you and your boxer. In any event, you'll want something that is soft and provides some cushioning from the hard surface of the crate. A few fun toys are also a must inside the crate, as is a coop cup or some kind of container that attaches on the inside to provide your dog with fresh, clean water.

If your young puppy finds the crate to be a scary or boring place, you can distract him with a sterilized shank bone or Kong-type toy stuffed with layers of peanut butter, yummy dog treats, and other goodies. Keep these on hand in your freezer for times when you need to leave your pup alone or as an incentive to be calm and quiet in his crate.

In fact, if your living space is limited, you can feed your pup his regular meals in his crate and avoid the disruption elsewhere. Anywhere a dog eats regularly will be considered a good place relatively quickly, and your pup will soon absolutely adore his crate. And soon he'll be quiet in there without food simply because the crate has many positive associations. Never leave your pup there too long that he becomes uncomfortable about needing to potty. Nothing makes any dog hate a crate more than that, and there is the risk that if he starts learning to potty in the crate, he will continue to soil in it.