Things To Do If Your Dog Needs Cage Restriction
Mental Exercise
What a fantastic opportunity to do training! Make use of this time to practice non-active behaviors such as Stay, Nose Touch, Paw Touch, Relax/Settle, Find It (low-activity version), Hold It, Rest Your Head, Polite Leash Walking, and many more.
Massage
Even if your dog’s not a fan of cuddling, they can benefit from some skilled calming massage or Touch. Get yourself a good book on canine massage, or round up some Touch resources, put on your calming music CD, light the lavender candle, and start massaging. Remember that calming massage should be comprised of slow, steady pressure, not fast rubbing and patting. Any talking should also be a low, calm voice, not the high-pitched tones we use to increase canine enthusiasm in training routines.
Toys and Bones
Stock up on Kong toys, other similar sturdy stuffables, and raw meaty bones, so you can keep your dog happily engaged when you cannot personally attend to him/her. Chewing is a great stress-reliever, and can help take some of the angst out of her confinement.
Environmental Aids
In addition to calming music, consider using Adaptil spray, which is said to mimic the calming pheromones a mother dog emits when she is nursing her puppies. Calming herbs for dogs such as chamomile and lavender can be useful.