Back when I adopted my dog Lucca as an 8-week-old puppy, she needed to be crate trained. Crate-training is the very best way to teach a dog to use the restroom outside and only outside, not, say, on couches covered in micro-suede or on beds after Mommy has just changed the sheets. The puppy spends its alone time locked in the crate (always with plenty of room to move around) and then, when the owner gets home, is immediately taken out for a walk. Dogs don’t like to soil their living space and many puppies go on to really love their crates and view them as their own little private homes. But the problem with most dog training crates is that they are fugly. This is why Lucca never really fell in love with hers — because she knew her Mommy hated it. But if I were to go back in time, I might honestly splurge on a crate this stylish, especially knowing Lucca would have it forever AND it would looks fabulous alongside all my other furniture. Sure, it costs $499 bones, but dry-cleaning micro-suede really adds up! [DenHaus]
