This is an oblong stainless steel or painted rust proof metal cage, with a plastic removable tray at the bottom for easy cleaning. The cage usually has two doors and comes in approximately five different sizes as far as I know. Over the years I have had three or four of these, and have found them invaluable at times.

The training cage has more than one use. Generally it is used for puppies to sleep in at night or at other times, usually helping to train the dog to become house clean, as most dogs will not soil if they can help it where they sleep. They are also useful as a safe haven, maybe from older dogs, or if you have to leave the puppy for any length of time, knowing that it cannot harm itself, or damage your furniture. Having two doors rather than one, makes cleaning easier as well as reaching in to take out the puppy, if it has gone into one of the corners, especially if like me your arms are not exceptionally long, as well as being able to remove the puppy without covering either yourself or puppy with soiled paper should it have had an accident. On this note I have found that it is a better idea to put the newspaper at the end of the cage without a door, then the bedding, blanket, or whatever you decide that the puppy will sleep on, nearest the front of the cage door. This will avoid the puppy who will be pleased to see you, walking over the paper then onto the blanket to greet you making the blanket dirty as well as his paws!

To clean the training cage all you have to do, is slide out the removable bottom tray (if yours is like this, in my opinion it is essential to have one with a removable tray, especially if puppy has had a bad stomach! As far as I am aware there is no difference in price either). Or otherwise open both doors, remove bedding and paper to be discarded then clean with soapy water and disinfectant then replace. All the training cages I have owned have been collapsable and have endured many years of use, impressively without hinges breaking, folding down easily as well as simple to re-assemble.

Most dogs use these cages for a limited time, either outgrowing them or it is no longer necessary once they are house trained and no longer chewing or a danger to themselves when you are not around. Having said that, my parents had a black labrador (Darcy). Up until the day he died at the age of 12 he always went into the training cage at night. My father did try over the years, dismantling it, putting it in the garage out of sight, but Darcy always won the day or night! He would howl continously, night after night until my father would give in. It seemed like it was a security blanket for him - or he was just plain clever!!

As far as size is concerned, if you are buying a training cage for a Deerhound then I would purchase the largest one the XL for the height. When I first had Hobby, the salesman in a pet shop convinced me that it was not necessary to have the extra large as she would not need it for a long period of time. He was wrong. Hobby loved her cage, it was a great place for her to escape from Monty (he is four months older than her - which is a lot of difference at four and eight months of age). But after a while it became redundant as she could not stand up in it. The extra few inches in height that the larger cage had would have given her another three or four months use. For a small dog I am not sure that buying the larger cage is a good idea, as if there is too much room then the dogs tend to use one end as a toilet, the other for sleeping on a permanent basis, which is not the idea. I have found this to be true, especially recently with Boris our little Jack Russel puppy. In the large cage he would soil one end, sleeping at the other. When I bought him a tiny one, with just enough room for him to spread out as well as turn round, he has been clean all night.

The prices vary depending on size as well as where it is purchased, although the differential does not seem to be huge. Most pet shops, or dog chain stores stock them, and will order in the extra large if they do not have it. At today's prices if you shop around you should not have to pay more than £100.

Overall I think they are a good purchase, more or less a must have, unless your puppy is going to be sleeping outside, in which case it is not necessary.