Patent Application
20080156276
This invention relates to dens and carrying devices for animals, in particular for dogs. The invention also relates to the training of puppies.
The care and training of dogs is most successful and less stressful both for the dog and the owner when based on the natural instincts of the dog. A strong instinct is that of the den. Dogs are most relaxed when in an enclosed area that simulates the den of its ancestor, the wolf. The dog will keep its den clean, that is, it will not soil its sleeping place if it has an alternative. Many dens or kennels are available to house a dog in today's urban environment. An outside kennel with an exercise area and a “dog house” may well approximate a dog's preferred environment. However, many dogs must be kept inside in dens and left alone for long periods of time. It is difficult for any dog, but especially for puppies, to keep the den clean. When traveling, the dog must leave its familiar area, which can be disturbing to the dog.
The inventors of this inventions have solved the aforementioned shortcomings of available devices by inventing a portable den that separates litter area from sleeping and eating area, while being compact and portable. In the following description, it should be understood that “down” or “lower” refers to the direction toward the base unit, that is, the part resting on a floor; “up” or “upper” refers to the direction away from a floor; “front” refers to the area comprising an entrance door; “back” refers to the area farthest from the entrance.
The den consists of:
When folded for carrying, the sides walls fold at their centers, the front wall is folded up and the back wall is folded up, both walls resting on the base unit when the den is collapsed. The interior wall is folded down onto the base unit, thus collapsing the den to a compact size. When expanded, the upper frame is raised, causing the side walls to unfold and rise; the front wall is folded up and is secured in place; the back wall is folded down to meet the base unit and is secured in place; the interior wall is raised to separate the back litter area from the front sleeping/feeding area.
The den is preferably fitted with a feeding dish, which may be triangular in shape and fitted into a corner of the sleeping area. A litter box may be placed in the litter area to receive pads or litter. Windows may be cut into the walls, if desired. In the preferred arrangement of the interior, the sleeping/feeding area is located just inside the entrance at the front of the den, while the litter area is behind the interior wall at the back of the den.
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The den is an effective, safe and humane tool that is designed to help owners of new puppies with their house training, which is often a long and frustrating task, especially for novice owners. While the puppy is born with an instinct to keep its den clean, it can extinguish this instinct when the den does not permit it to separate sleeping/eating from relieving itself. Worse, in a large “den” such as a house, the puppy may identify a living area as its litter area and continue to relieve itself in that spot, often to the distress of the owner. The den of this invention has an internal wall for division into two compartments, the sleeping/feeding area and the litter area. Due to this internal division, the puppy need not come in contact with the litter area except to relieve itself; thus the dog's natural instinct to avoid soiling its den is reinforced. This reinforced instinct will transfer over to the home as a whole, achieving nearly automatic house training. The litter area is best provided with a tray that is easily removed and of a size to receive a “puppy pad”, newspapers, or litter. In the living/sleeping area, the food and water bowls are best attached at the corners to avoid spillage as the puppy moves around.
In normal use, the entrance is open to allow the puppy freedom to come and go within a restricted area of the home, generally the bathroom or kitchen. Not shown is a door closing the entrance, when it is desirable to confine the puppy. When the puppy is in the den, it can have toys and be left alone when the owners are not home or at night. Owners must be reminded that the den is not a substitute for daily walks and training, but it improves house training when the owner is not around.
Past the puppy stage, the den continues to be useful as a retreat for napping and a place for the litter box. When the dog or puppy is taken on a trip or the unit is to be stored, the unit can be folded into a compact unit and easily reassembled simply by pulling on the upper frame while holding the base unit, until the side walls unfold and are fully erected. Then the front and back walls are pushed into place from the inside out, finally pulling the interior wall upward and locking it into place. The easy collapsibility and expansion of the unit give the dog or puppy a larger area in which to remain than the carrier dens now available, while taking up minimal storage room when the puppy is not confined inside.
Any suitable materials may be used. The most preferable materials are stiff, impermeable plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or fiberglass. The center fold may be fitted with hinges made of plastics, such as nylon or polypropylene, or may be metal. When the center fold comprises rigid hinges, it is preferred that the hinge self lock on expansion. If the center fold comprises a soft, non-rigid material, a locking means may be inserted in the upper frame to hold the den in an expanded mode. The locking means may be a simple latch that can be rotated from a slot in the upper frame to extend downward.
The den made be made in several sizes. In general, for smaller puppies and dogs up to about 25 kilograms, a base unit measuring 75×50×50 cm (length, width, height) is adequate. A larger puppy or dog over 25 kilograms will be more comfortable in a den measuring 90×60×60.
Those skilled in the art may readily make additions or substitutions to the portable den in order to customize the den to suit individual tastes. Such additions or substitutions are considered to be within the scope of the appended claims.
