Most puppies absolutely love new people! Between the availability of new hands to pet them and all of the new smells to check out, it isn’t surprising how excited they are to great someone new. However, not everyone understands dogs the same way and can be intimidated by a puppy barreling at them to lick their face. Therefore it is important during training to keep the dogs as calm as possible during social interactions. This will help form the dog’s attitude on how to properly handle meeting someone new so you can trust them when your friends come over, or when you take them out for walks. 

One way in which to begin training your dog to stay calm when visitors come over is to put them in a dog crate. That way they can still see and smell the new people, and your visitors will feel more comfortable approaching the dogs calmly. These dog crates come in all sizes and for big dogs, heavy duty dog crates are very useful. Remember that these crates are meant for occasional use, you want your dog to feel comfortable in the crate and not feel like they’re being punished being in there.

Be assured these crates are durable and spacious to let your dog stay put for a couple of hours. These are portable too so if are taking a road trip and want to make sure your pet stays safe in the car you can set up the crate in the trunk.

There are also folding dog crates available, which take up little space but work equally well. I prefer black dog crates because they are easier to maintain. As a rule of thumb, pick a crate that is big enough to let your pet stretch their legs. You can leave them here with some food and water and even their favorite toys for a while so they can play and learn to entertain themselves.