All dogs have a natural tendency to seek out the comfort and security of a den. Providing your puppy or dog with an indoor dog crate kennel will satisfy their need for a safe, den-like enclosure. In addition to being an ideal housebreaking tool, a dog crate can reduce separation anxiety, prevent destructive behavior, and keep a puppy away from dangerous household chemicals and electrical wires.

It usually only takes 2 to 3 weeks of working with a dog crate for a puppy to be successfully house trained. Once a dog is housebroken, a crate can be left open all the time; your dog will continue to use it as his or her own private refuge.

Orvis Dog Crates

We offer a variety of crates suited for all sizes of dogs and all home decors.

If you travel with your dog, consider our Folding Nylon Dog Crate. It sets up and folds down in seconds.

Choosing the right size

Follow these simple guidelines when choosing a dog crate by size:

• Small dog crates fit toy breeds.
• Medium dog crates fit beagles, terriers, etc.
• Large dog crates fit Airedales, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Irish Setters, etc.

Be sure to choose a crate that provides enough room for your dog to turn around and lie down comfortably.

View the entire Dog Crate Collection from Orvis.

Causes for Anxious Chewing

Over the course of thousands of years, humans and dogs have forged a strong bond. If our dogs become too dependent on us, however, they can suffer extreme anxiety attacks when left alone. This serious distress can manifest itself as destructive behavior, constant, high-pitched barking, or loss of bowel and/or bladder control. You can help your dog develop a healthy attachment to you while fostering a sense of independence.

Solutions

1. If your dog is a puppy, chewing is part of their natural development. Puppies and young dogs explore and learn about the world with their noses and mouths, and part of that learning process is through chewing and tasting. Puppies will also chew when teething. Give your puppies and young dogs appropriate, durable, interactive dog toys to stimulate mouth and mind. Puppy-proof your home by removing tempting articles, such as cushions. Be proactive by helping them succeed by removing tempting articles and providing them with appropriate substitutes. Then they won't fail by destroying something of value.
2. If your dog persists in chewing once you leave for the day, ignore your dog for 5-10 minutes before leaving, and again upon returning home. Once your dog has calmed down, then you may safely encourage a low-key greeting.
3. Alter your departure rituals to avoid causing stressful anticipation.
4. Rather than allowing your dog to sleep with you, provide him with a dog bed near your bed.
5. Leave a radio or TV on when you’re not at home.
6. Teach your dog to sit and stay, and gradually lengthen time and distance apart. Dog obedience classes are a great way to spend time together in a learning environment.
7. Provide a stimulating environment with interactive toys.
8. Consider another dog for companionship.
9. NEVER punish your dog for separation anxiety issues—punishment creates more stress and anxiety.

Please see your veterinarian for additional help and information on preventing anxiety attacks in your dog.

All memory foam is not created equal

Orvis memory foam dog beds are simply the best therapeutic dog beds you can buy. Our memory foam has been engineered specifically for dogs, whose weight is distributed over a much smaller surface area than humans. All Orvis memory foam dog beds incorporate the following features:

• High-Density Foam allows your dog to sink in just enough to achieve optimum support.
• Open-Cell Technology provides optimum comfort while helping maintain your dog’s body temperature.
• An ENTIRE slab of memory foam is used in every Orvis memory foam dog bed—not simply a thin layer glued to poor-performing conventional foam.

These combined features ensure that your dogs will experience maximum comfort when sleeping, and feel better when they’re awake.

Memory foam beds can ease the discomfort and stiffness associated with joint and muscle pain, whether from age, arthritis, hip dysplasia, or injury. By conforming to your dog's individual body shape, less stress and pressure are put on the joint and muscle pressure points. Excessive callus irritation over joints is also minimized.

Shop the Memory Foam Dog Bed Collection from Orvis.

More Americans are traveling with their pets than ever. Before your take your dog on a major road trip, there are a few important safety precautions you should consider:

1. Plan your route accordingly. Sporting breed dogs need to be active, so plan plenty of long stops for exercise. A bored dog can destroy a car's interior.

2. Give your dog access to fresh water in the vehicle or during frequent stops.

3. Make sure your dog is seated in a secure area and unable to hinder the driver.

4. Older dogs may need a ramp to comfortably get in and out of a vehicle. Senior dogs and puppies can hurt their backs jumping into a tall SUV or truck seat.

5. If possible, buckle your dog in for car trips. This will keep him safe in case of an accident and prevent him from running out into traffic when you stop.

6. And, most importantly, never leave your dog in a car unattended and without fresh air. Fatal heat stroke can occur very quickly.

Shop our Traveling with Dogs Collection

Lyme disease in dogs is not just a New England disease anymore. Common symptoms include fever, severe joint pain, and chronic arthritis. More serious symptoms include lymph node swelling, neurological signs, and irreversible kidney failure.

Prevention of this serious disease is key.

1. Always thoroughly check your dog for ticks daily, especially during the high tick seasons of early spring and late fall. The ticks tend to be found on the neck and head.

2. Have your dog's blood tested for the disease yearly, and if you think your dog has symptoms, contact your vet immediately. Vaccinate per your vetrinarian's recommendation.

3. Use a preventative collar or topical flea and tick products monthly.

Practical Comfort for You and Your Dog

While the scientific evidence is just now being collected, the anecdotal evidence that raised feeding bowls promote healthy eating is compelling. While veterinarians continue to scientifically evaluate the effectiveness of raised feeders, for purely practical reasons, bringing the bowl up to your dog’s shoulder height just makes sense.

Reduces Neck and Back Strain

For all dogs, especially large dogs or dogs with joint conditions, eating from a raised feeder reduces neck and back strain. If you want proof, just try eating without using your hands for a while, ducking your head to your plate over and over again!

Easier to Fill

And for practical reasons, raised feeders make sense. They’re easier to fill, (especially if you, the owner, is the one with a back condition) which means you’ll likely refresh your pet's water and clean the dishes more often, a key to a healthy animal.

Less Mess and Easier to Clean!

Raised feeding stations are easier to clean around. Anything that spills out of the bowl can be swept up without lifting or pushing dog bowls out of the way. The High Style Feeding Station cradles the water and food bowls so your dog can’t tip or bump them across the floor while eating. The stainless steel bowls have rounded bottoms so food remains in place where your dog can easily get at it; they won’t push food out of the bowl chasing the last bits. And, for complete safety, the bowls are food grade stainless steel. Upgrade your pet’s feeding health today with an Orvis raised feeding station.

Basic Guidelines for Dog Collars

Proper collar fit is vital for your dog’s health and safety, yet many dog owners don’t know how to determine whether their dogs’ collars fit correctly. Choose a collar that allows you to easily slip three fingers into the collar without touching your dog’s fur. Of course, you don’t want the collar to be too loose, but it should be one notch away from being able to slide over your dog’s head.

Choose a comfortable cloth, webbing, or leather collar. Bare chains are too rough and can get caught on obstacles, leading to injury. If you must use a chain-type choke collar, choose a style that features a protective fabric cover encasing the chain. Collars that encircle the muzzle are excellent for firm control without discomfort, and do not restrict breathing the way traditional choke collars do.

- Dr. Gretchen Allen, DVM

Here you can find all the necessary measurements to outfit your canine companions with comfortable, good fitting clothing and collars.

Dog Collars

To determine the correct collar size, you will need to measure your dog's neck. For a regular day- to-day collar, use a fabric tape measure and measure by wrapping it comfortably around the base of your dog's neck, with enough room to fit three fingers in between the tape and your dog. For a control collar, you will need to take another measurement at the top of the neck, directly behind the ears, to correspond with the size of the collar in the closed position. Once you have taken these measurements, let our Orvis Pet Experts help you select the right collar size.

Dog Clothing

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes,as do our coats and jackets. This chart will help you identify the correct size for your dog. In most cases, the girth measurement (taken around the widest part of the chest or rib cage) and weight will be the best indicators of fit size. The Length measurement shown here is from the base of the neck to the base of the tail.

The Orvis Personalized Dog Collar to the Rescue: A True Story

A little boy in search of his lost dog. It’s the stuff of which movies are made.

A few summers ago, with the help of one of our personalized dog collars, we were involved in just such a drama. Seems Buddy, a golden retriever tagging along to a family reunion far from home, decided to do a little wandering and soon found himself in a dog pound.

Just by chance that day, Orvis customer Peggy Hinson stopped by the pound and took notice of Buddy. Driving away from the pound, she just couldn't get the dog out of her mind. When she got home, she called back and asked if the dog had any identification. She was told he had an embroidered dog collar with his name and phone number-but no area code. Suddenly it clicked with Hinson that Buddy was wearing the familiar Orvis dog collar.

She took down the information, tried the local area code to no avail, and dialed up Orvis. It took just a minute for Customer Service to search out Buddy's owners, using the seven-digit phone number from the unique dog collar.

Eight hours later, a thankful Buddy was reunited with one happy five-year old boy. "Orvis is big in my heart," says Hinson." You saved not just a dog, but a little boy's heart." And just in case Buddy's wandering days aren't over, Orvis has sent him a new personalized dog collar which includes his area code.

View Our Entire Collection of Personalized Dog Collars